Caring for the Filipino Elderly: A Revisit to the Document “The Dignity of Older People and their Mission in the Church and the World”

The issue of older people, their roles, and their challenges in the church and society are among the most pressing issues in the Philippines and many parts of the world today. United Nations reported that the proportion of older people in the world’s population is now at ten percent and is steadily increasing. The figure is significantly higher in developed countries, increasing the demand for elderly caregiving for family members and health providers. This research paper aims to understand older people, their value, dignity, and mission in the church and society, in the light of the document “The Dignity of Older People and their Mission in the Church and the World,” published by The Pontifical Council for the Laity on October 1, 1998. The specific objective is to revisit, understand and develop a sense of empathy for the elderly to provide selfless love and kindness, consonant with the older people’s dignity as a human person. This qualitative research study uses the contextual method of analysis. Previous and similar studies on older persons will be articulated and used to understand the older persons’ experience in the Filipino context. In the field of knowledge, this research paper can foster one’s appreciation of the dignity of older persons and their potential roles and contributions to the church and society. The paper concludes by highlighting that older people shall be accorded the utmost care and respect consonant with their dignity as human persons.