A Wiki Article about Ageism and Ableism for Jesus-followers
Team Members: Katrina, Jimmy, Jenn
The social problem pertaining to the issue of Ageism 
- Ageism:
- "Any
attitude, action, or institutional structure which subordinates a
person or group because of age or any assignment of roles in society
purely on the basis of age" - Traxler, A. J. (1980). Let's get
gerontologized: Developing a sensitivity to aging. The multi-purpose
senior center concept: A training manual for practitioners working with
the aging. Springfield, IL: Illinois Department of Aging. (http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/ageism.html)
- Extended Definition of Ageism
- Structures that Give Rise to Ageism
The social problem pertaining to the issue of Ableism
- Ableism:
- "Ableism is defined as stereotyping, negative attitudes, and discrimination toward people based on a physical or mental disability resulting in discrimination and/or prejudice" - http://www.uvm.edu/~culture/site/frameset/frameset_ableism.html
- Extended Definition of Ableism
- Structures that Give Rise to Ableism
Why ought Jesus-followers be involved with combating Ageism and Ableism?
A Scriptural Look at why we should be involved
What is the task of Jesus-followers in response to Ageism and Ableism?
Examples of Jesus-followers in response to Ageism and Ableism
Examples of Jesus-followers in response to Ageism
Examples of Jesus-followers in response to Ableism
Examples of social organizations (secular) in response to Ageism and Ableism
Resources for Jesus-followers
American Psychological Association's website specifically looking at the aging population
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): 1990 - 2002; hosted by the US Equal Opportunities Commission
The World Health Organization website with information about specific disabilities as well as an entire section on ageing.
The Human Life Matters
ministry offers assistance to churches that want to better their
efforts at reaching out to and including the disabled in their
community.
"Communities must welcome the disabled - religious life,"
is an article by Janice McGrane from the National Catholic Reporter
discussing how the church has accepted people with disabilities as
people, but has not yet completely recognized their ability to be
effective in ministry.
Faithful Friends
is a Christian website independent of any church that offers resources
for those interested in starting ministries for the elderly, especially
those in nursing homes.
Individual Blogs on the Issues of Ageism and Ableism
Group Blog on the Issues of Ageism and Ableism
Final Exhortation
After you have familiarized yourself with this wiki article discussing
ageism and ableism, the first step to getting involved is to remain
aware of these two issues. Being educated about the issues is
important; you cannot rely on assumptions, but facts. Be aware of
what occurs on a daily basis with these two issues. If you see a
man or woman who is elderly or disables and is in need of assistance,
extend a hand to help them out. Do not assist them out of pity,
but in a loving manner. If you assist them out of pity, that just
perpetuates their situation, which conveys that they cannot live
independent lives on their own. We are called as a Christ
community to love one another and help one another to the bestof our ability.
Secondly, after reading up on what ageism and
ableism are, the next step is to help identify the areas of need in
your church or community. To begin, you can do things such as the
Church Needs Survey offered on the Human Disability Matters web site or
create a basic survey for the members of your church to help you
identify areas in which you can make church accessible for everyone.
Finally, our last recommendation is to start
small and never stop. Find small ways that you can begin to
implement change - one person to visit, bulletins printed in a large
font, arranging rides to church functions for those who cannot drive. Find ways that you
can directly affect the lives of the people in your community.
And then find ways to get involved in more long-term solutions -
working to change laws, developing a long-term ministry plan for your
church. Find ways to bridge the gap between the people that are
talking about the problems and the people that are working with the
people.