An Interview with Jackie Burns from God Cares Ministry

Have you ever wanted to involve your kids in a nursing home ministry but didn’t know where to start? Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Jackie Burns, National Awareness Coordinator for God Cares Ministry. God Cares Ministry is an organization that equips Christians to share the love and Word of God in senior care homes. Their website provides many helpful tools and resources for those who want to minister to the elderly.

Jackie has a heart for encouraging families to serve together, and today she shares practical advice for parents who want to involve their children in nursing home ministry.

Jackie, can you tell us a little about yourself and how you became involved with God Cares Ministry?

I like to say that by day I am a friend of the elderly through my work with God Cares Ministry, and by night I’m a music teacher for local children and families of all backgrounds and ability levels. I graduated from Bowling Green State University in Ohio with degrees in both music as well as human development, specifically focused on the aging population.

My connection to God Cares Ministry came through God’s leading in my life. I spent the first few years of my career in nursing home administration. Over time, I grew weary from the demands of the work, and started asking the Lord if this was the best place for me to serve long-term. A friend introduced me to God Cares Ministry, and it was clearly God opening a new door. Since then, I’ve been so grateful to work for a ministry that cares for the elderly – something that has always been close to my heart – while also continuing to use my love for music as I teach each week. 

Helping the ministry create this Family Outreach Curriculum that we will discuss today has been so meaningful. It brings together two things I care deeply about – encouraging children and families to grow in their faith as they serve the Lord together, and helping the next generation learn to honor and value the elderly.

What would you say to a family who wants to get involved in nursing home ministry but doesn’t know where to start?

Families will be amazed by how simple it can be to begin visiting a nursing home and making new friends. To help families get started, God Cares Ministry has created a First Steps Guidebook. This resource walks families through a simple and thoughtful step-by-step process to prepare their hearts, reach out to a local nursing home, and begin visiting together. This resource can be found as the first downloadable resource on the Family Ministry Page. 

Looking around our own communities, we realize how many elderly neighbors are isolated to the nursing home; longing for connection and friendship. Nursing Home Ministry is not a complicated effort. Instead, it is a relational outreach as a result of our concern for our neighbors. Each and every one of us are capable of developing caring friendships with nursing home residents, and from that place of shared trust and respect, we can invite our friends to take Jesus’ hand.

How can parents best prepare their children to serve in nursing home ministry?

Parents raising their children in the love of the Lord can be confident that their children will be a sweet and welcomed presence in a nursing home. 

To help families feel more prepared, we’ve created a variety of resources. Our ABC’s of the Nursing Home worksheets help students of all ages understand the different sights, sounds and experiences they may encounter in a nursing home. Additionally, they provide guidance for how to interact with the residents and staff they will meet. Parents can also find School Lesson Worksheets that use scripture to teach important principles such as respecting the elderly, caring for the least of these, and sharing the love and Word of God with others. All of these resources are found on our website and free for download and use.

The Lord loves the residents in the nursing homes, and He will work through your family’s efforts.  Visiting a nursing home will be a learning and growing experience that each family member is positively impacted by as they become more involved.

What other resources does the God Cares Ministry website offer to help families get involved in ministering to the elderly?

I’ve mentioned many of the resources we share for free download on our website, and I would encourage families to explore the page themselves and use what fits best for their home and educational needs. 

We have created a variety of tools and resources, and we hope families feel supported through every step. From the Getting Started pamphlet, to worksheets that could be used during school time to prepare children for nursing home visits and teaching Biblical principles. We’ve also included evaluation forms families can use to reflect on how the Lord is growing a child’s heart and understanding through these experiences.

Outside of our Family Ministry Web Page, families can stay connected to God Cares Ministry through our newsletters, which you can sign-up to receive and download to read online. God Cares also has items such as Large Print Bibles, Song Books, and Devotions for purchase and use on nursing home visits.

We at God Cares Ministry are not experts in homeschooling or child development, but we can help you get your family involved in this great ministry. These resources have all been created with care and are built on 45 years of nursing home ministry experience. Our prayer, is to continue to help equip and encourage Christians of all ages and backgrounds to become a friend to their local nursing home. 

What impact have you seen families make by serving in nursing home ministry?

We estimate that over 70% of nursing home residents receive less than one visit a month. These neighbors used to be members of our community, elders in our churches, business owners in our towns. Now, they are nearing the end of their journey on earth, and while their bodies and minds might be beginning to fade, their spirit and dignity in the eyes of God remain.

Our simple presence in their lives can bring the gifts of joy, peace, and love. Children specifically bring such a joy to the atmosphere of a nursing home. Their youthful spirit, enthusiasm, and innocence bring a nostalgia and comfort to residents.

In addition to making an impact in the nursing home, families can expect to be changed in return. We hear the same thing every time someone starts spending time at their local nursing home – that the experience means just as much to them as it does to their new friends. While we are a blessing to those we visit in the nursing home, we are also blessed in return.  Families who visit their local nursing home will find that their lives are enriched by these new friendships. 

Do you have any other encouragement or tips for families interested in this type of ministry?

As Christians, we share the call of caring for the least of these and sharing God’s love with one another. These are values many of us hope to pass on to our children. Visiting a nursing home is a beautiful and practical way to do that together as a family. 

Starting something new as a family can feel overwhelming, so I would encourage families to begin by considering the simplicity of what it could mean to spend time together while visiting neighbors who live in a local nursing home.  

We invite you to visit our website, explore what this opportunity can mean to your family and community, and reach out to us if we can provide further support. May God bless you and your family as you continue to grow together in the love of the Lord!

Thank you, Jackie, for sharing with us about God’s Care Ministry and all the great resources you have to equip families in ministering to the elderly. Praying that God continues to use your ministry to encourage families to serve and bring the hope of Christ to those who are lonely and forgotten around the world.  

To see an example of a family who likes to serve in nursing home ministry, check out the Pearce Family Highlight. Also for more ideas to encourage your kids to share God’s love with others, click here.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  James 1: 27 (NIV)