Pastoral da Pessoa Idosa

What is it?

Founded in 2004 by Dr. Zilda Arns, the Pastoral for the Elderly operates at a national level and is organized in all 27 Brazilian states. In overone thousand municipalities, there are 27,000 trained and certified volunteers. These volunteers look after 170,000elderly people, on monthly home visits, implementing the methodology for monitoring the Elderly on key indicators for a better health, social and spiritual life.

The Pastoral for the Elderly initiated its activities in 2004, motivated by the large number of people aging and the social disparity where they live in.It started in just one State, encompassing some Dioceses, and as soon as the result was showed at the Brazilian Bishops Conference’s Annual Assembly, there was an approval to create a pastoral ministry linked to the Bishop’s Conference at the national level.

Each year more Dioceses and Parishes join the Pastoral for the Elderly network.In 2019, PPI is present in 214 dioceses, 1,800 parishes, 6,000 communities, looking after 170,000 elderly people, on monthly home visits, done by 27,000 community leaders, all volunteers. Since the beginning, an information system was designed to monitor key indicators of the elderly’s wellbeing, fed monthly by each community and parish.

How does it help?

The laity is prepared to become a community leader on issues regarding the Elderly members of the community. The capacity building events are dedicated to prepare them to look after the elderly, on how to have a better quality of life and rights. In addition, the laity is motivated to develop his religious practice as a present time Jesus’ disciple, a missionary for the elderly, awakening his or her Christian faith and commitment.

Why is it important?

Because it is something very hands on, that is, home visits to elderly people, preferably those who are in a situation of social vulnerability. It is practicing Jesus’s teachings: “What you do to the least of mine you also do for me”.

How did it start

The Brazilian population is aging on a fast pace. Many of them live in situations of poverty, loneliness, isolation, abandonment, and other risk situations. There is a clear need of solidarity and presence of the Church with them.

Benefits

The basic training consists of 7 levels, each of them last 4 hours, enhancing the spirituality. This favors the person to wake up to the meaning of human existence. The community leaders discover the “hidden treasure” of which Jesus speaks in the Gospel. This training benefits the community leaders as well all the elderly people they look after.

Means and funding

All the fieldwork are carried out by volunteers. The expenses for the training, administration, and learning materials, comes from public agreements, donations from benefactors, or other fundraising.

Learn more

Our website www.ppi.org.br has all the information, including the learning materials used for training. The national office can be reached by:

e-mail: nacional@pastoraldapessoaidosa.org.br,
instagram: @pastoraldapessoaidosanacional
whatsapp: +55 41 30766529

Countries involved

Another two countries, China and Colombia, expressed interest in using the Pastoral for the Elderly’s methodology.

How to start?

Our advice is to start by mapping the local reality of the elderly, how they live, their needs as well their gifts.

It’ll be easier to begin with a small-scale initiative, which helps to evaluate the results and to tell a local story on how this work could be done. It is also essential to train the volunteers who will make the elderly home visits. The Pastoral for the Elderly has a specific methodology to be followed.