Institute of Spirituality and Aging

Ron Schlegel, President of Oakwood Retirement Communities, Marianne Mellinger, Spiritual Care for Seniors Program, and Mike Sharrett, Director of Research Institute for Aging.

People over the age of 80 represent the most rapidly growing segment of the population, and as a whole, this generation is living longer than any previous generation in human history,

says Marianne Mellinger, coordinator of Spirituality and Aging, a new program area of the RBJ Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging (RIA). The RIA is a recently formed partnership between RBJ Schlegel Holdings and the University of Waterloo. In addition to spiritual care, there are six other program areas, with plans to add several more.

Spirituality and Aging’s two-fold purpose is to promote research in the field of spirituality and aging to enhance the well-being of older adults, and to be a resource to students, clergy, chaplains, caregivers, professionals, and the general public, through university classes, public lectures, and workshops.

This initiative was made possible through the leadership of Ron and Barb Schlegel and Oakwood Retirement Communities which operates eight seniors care complexes in Ontario co-owned by the Schlegels. Ron noted that the connection to Conrad Grebel brings him full circle:

In our first nursing home facility in London 40 years ago, the chaplain was Ralph Lebold, who went on to serve as president at Conrad Grebel.

Schlegel is concerned that the spiritual component of seniors be adequately understood and resourced, in long-term care facilities, congregations and communities.

In addition to speaking engagements, consulting and training, Mellinger regularly teaches “Aging and the Spiritual Life,” a combined undergraduate and graduate course that includes a practicum. The course typically attracts students across the age spectrum, enabling students to engage across generations, cultures and faith perspectives. 

Another feature of the program is an annual public lecture. Now in its third year, the 2008 speaker will be Dr. James Ellor director of the Center for Gerontological Studies and professor of Social Work at Baylor University in Texas. Dr. Ellor is also editor of the Journal of Religion, Spirituality and Aging and is author of numerous publications. 

According to Mellinger,

Spirituality is at the core of human experience. If we are committed to assisting all people to age well, then facilitating the growth and development of and expression of an individual’s spirituality is integral to the aging journey.

Read more information about the 2011 Spirituality and Aging Seminar.