Pastoral Care: Ministry to the Elderly, Sick and Homebound

Mission Statement

Holy Family Pastoral Care ministers to the elderly and sick members of the community with dignity and respect, offering compassionate care and encouraging a sense of belonging and connection to the Body of Christ through Eucharist and the people of God.

About Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care brings Church to people. It brings a sense of connection and belonging to the elderly and sick, allowing them to make a meaningful contribution to society. Over 70 volunteer Eucharistic Ministers  are assigned to the home-bound and hospitalized who are interested in having regular visitors. In many cases, strong personal ties develop and the volunteer becomes an integral part of the person’s support system – interacting with family and caregivers, running errands and providing transportation to the store, the hair salon, the pharmacy and to medical appointments. Senior citizens desire and cherish trusted companions who consistently visit and care about them.

Caring With Faith Resources (end of life)

Christmas Brunch for Seniors

Our ministry hosts annual Christmas Brunch for Seniors. It is a truly wonderful event manifest God’s abundant blessings for all of us. Six grade students from Holy Family School help out serving the tables, sing Christmas carols and befriend with our senior parishioners. Donations of care items like a sleep apnea pillow and knee scooters are made available for those in need. Surely this event is work of our all devoted volunteers from our community. Please click the link below to watch the following video created by Fr. Marlon Mateo and do consider to be a part of this unforgettable moments in upcoming years.

Pope Establishes World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly 

Please click here to read the article from National Catholic Reporter

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PASADENA SENIOR CENTER

Pasadena Senior Center hosts variety of events including the free flu shot clinic. Please click the link to its calendar and explore what they can offer you.

Any questions, please call 626. 795. 4331 or email at info@pasadenaseniorcenter.org.

Also, if you are 60 years of age and older, you can sign up for the lunch program*, which will provide 5 free lunches a week. Please call 626.96. 2995 and ask for “Meals at Home Pasadena.”

*This program is currently open to new clients.

PASADENA POLICE ADVISES TO BE AWARE OF PHONE SCAMS

In the past couple days, several Pasadena residents reported receiving phone calls from a telephone number that legitimately returns to the Pasadena Police Department.  The unknown caller told the residents they either owed money to the IRS, had an open fraud case with Pasadena PD, or they were the victim of identity theft. Each time the caller tried to solicit personal information such as driver’s license numbers, credit card numbers, or Social Security information. In the examples above, the scammers were able to alter the phone number that appeared on the resident’s caller ID screen making it look as if the police were indeed calling. This is not the case.  This is called “Spoofing.”  A law enforcement agency would never ask you to verify this type of information in this manner. Do not provide any personal information over the telephone.

Tips to Avoid Telephone Scams

• Be careful of callers claiming you won money, a prize, or a vacation package.
• Hang-up on all suspicious calls.
• Be careful with caller ID.  Scammers can alter the number via spoofing.
• Do your homework before you respond to any caller with your personal information.
• Research or validate business deals, charitable organizations, or packages independently from the information the caller has given you.
• Do not be pressured into giving any information over the telephone.
• Do not say “yes” over the phone to an unknown caller.  Scammers record “yes” responses to use as evidence that you agreed to a financial transaction.
• Do not provide any personal information to a caller such as a credit card number, bank account information, or information about relatives or friends.
• Do not send money if requested payment using a prepaid debit card or a wire transfer.

If you believe you have been scammed out of money call the Pasadena Police Department or your local law enforcement agency. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org

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Elder Justice

A Resource Guide for Action

Please click here to download a resource guide for elder justice.

This resource guide was created by WISE & Healthy Aging, and funded in part by the City and County of Los Angeles Area Agencies on Aging.

For more information, please contact Pastoral Care Ministry.

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Personal health guidance

Hypertension (high blood pressure) screening

Diabetes (high blood sugar) risk assessment and screening

Medical and social services referrals

Health promotion literature and resources

“All Gracious God, you have given me all I am and have, and now I give it all back to You to stand under Your will alone. In a special way I give You these later years of my life. I am one of those called by You into old age, a call not given to all, not given to Jesus, not given to most in our world today. I humbly ask You, grace me deeply in each aspect of that struggle. As my physical eyesight weakens, may the eyes of my faith strengthen that I may see you and Your Love in everything. As my hearing fails may the ears of my heart be more attentive to the whisper of Your gentle voice. As my legs weaken and walking becomes more difficult may I walk more truly in Your paths, knowing all the while that I am held in the embrace of Your Love. As my mind becomes less alert and memory fades may I remain peaceful in you, aware that with You there is no need for thought or word. You ask simply that I be there with You. And should sickness overtake me and I be confined to bed, may I know myself as one with Your Son as he offers his life for the salvation of the world. Finally as my heart slows a little after the work of the years may it expand in love for You and all people. May it rest secure and grateful in Your loving Heart until I am lost in You completely and forever. Amen”. Prayer adapted by Ministry of the Arts with permission of the author, Sr. Moya Hanlen, FCNSC (Australia). Art by Mary Southard, CSJ.

What We Do 

We take an inter-generational approach, stemming from the idea that “friendship is ageless.” Small groups of grade school students regularly visit local facilities. They participate in art programs and interact with the elderly. Students journal about the special relationships and experiences they share with their aging friends who happily pass down stories of their life wisdom with unconditional love. We coordinate hospital visits by students and volunteers,
and send cards on behalf of the community. The lesson in this approach is that it is not in receiving, but in giving that we find the greatest joy. Here, we find the true meaning of Eucharist – gifts are reborn connecting the young and elderly.Pastoral Care offers seminars for senior citizens and their families throughout the year to discuss topics of importance, such as  health and nutrition seminars and support groups. We want to recognize and cultivate the experiences of the elderly to discover and identify areas of concern for them.The Director of Pastoral Care welcomes inquiries from anyone interested in serving in this ministry, as a Eucharistic Minister.

Monthly Mass Schedule
Skilled Nursing Facility Masses are on hold due to COVID

The Elderly and Sick in our Community

To notify us of someone in the parish who is elderly or sick, please follow these procedures:Call the Pastoral Center Monday – Sunday if the person needs to be visited by a priest.You will be asked a few important questions by the staff  person  answering your call, as a form must be filled out. Hospital? Home? Communion? Person’s home address and phone? Parishioner or not? Elderly? Name on intercessions?Please ask the staff person to notify Mary Schimmoller.

Volunteer Ministry Opportunities

Click the following link for details of purpose of being Eucharistic Minister for Pastoral Care, any requirements, amount of time required, when you can participate, length of commitment, and training required.

Eucharistic Minister for Pastoral Care

Please contact Mary Schimmoller if you are interested in volunteering for our ministry.

Spirituality In Motion – Inter generational Art Class

We are so honored and blessed to be able to interact with the youth of Holy Family School. We experience many “God Moments” that are such a gift to our Pastoral Care Ministry. We interact weekly with the 5th Grade class to have an inter generational art class with Annie Helm. This is special to witness…bringing children and seniors together in respect, friendship and love. The 6th grade class hosts our Parish Senior Christmas Brunch. They are so helpful and so respectful to our seniors at this festive holiday event.In 7th Grade, we have our Hospitality Ministry. We are privileged to work weekly with the parents and students at the Giving Bank to provide healthy morning snacks for clients and volunteers.In 8th Grade, we bring the students to visit the home-bound. They make personalized cards and we have a  prayer and Eucharist service. Thank you to our Principal, our 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade teachers and the students, for their love, support and compassion for these beautiful groups of people that we serve in our Parish community.

Caring With Faith 

The Catholic Perspective on End of Life Decisions. Caring With Faith is a bi-annual seminar for all adults dealing with aging parents, grandparents and one’s own aging process. Take time to reflect and pray over tough decisions about end of life issues. Our Catholic faith gives us the strength to look honestly at all experiences of God’s creation. Illness and death are part of these experiences. We believe that if we take time to prayerfully prepare for these events in our lives and in the lives of those we love, we will be more peaceful and able to respond in a way that celebrates the gift of life given to us by our loving God. Our Holy Family Mission Statement suggests that we connect our faith with life. The purpose of this evening is to help begin a conversation about these very important issues.

Contact:

Mary Schimmoller

Director of Pastoral Care

626-403-6115
mschimmoller@holyfamily.org

Interesting articles and videos you don’t want to miss :

• Caring with Faith:  A Catholic Perspective on End of Life Decisions, presented by Msgr. Clement Connolly, Susan B. Geffen, the Elder Law Attorney, and Frank Ponnet, January 16, 2018
• Caring with Faith presented by Msgr. Clement J. Connolly, Vanessa Terzian from Terzian Law Partners, APC & Frank Ponnet
• Spirituality of Aging by Msgr. Clement J. Connolly 
• They Thought Her Prayer Was Over, Until She Said THIS About Getting Old. HILARIOUS!
• A Jesuit perspective on Spirituality of Aging
• Click on 94 year old Olga to see what being in your 90s can look like.

94 year old Olga Kotelko winning track and field medals.