Learning to Give Voice in Ministry to Persons With Dementia: Student Monologues

Abstract

As the population of older adults increases, the need for clergy and other professionals to work with older adults increases as well.Students are often unfamiliar with the challenges faced by persons with dementia and can benefit from opportunities to hear narratives that give voice to the dementia experience. Monologues are an effective learning methodology to engage students and ministers to prepare to work with older adults with dementia, sensitizing them to the struggles of this challenging illness. This article includes rationale and a brief examination of practice literature related to learning applications using monologue and guidelines for classroom application in preparing students, ministers, and others for work with older adults with dementia.As the number of older adults increases, opportunity for professional and paraprofessional work in gerontological settings increases as well. Students in professions including pastoral care, nursing, social work, and other helping fields will benefit from increased awareness of the experience of persons with dementia as they prepare to work with this population. This article proposes one life stage learning method for deepening the empathetic responses of students in ministry and the helping professions to persons with dementia and for motivating and strengthening the resolve of students who are interested in work with this population.