I was a teenager during the Jesus Movement of the ’70s.

There were many youth musicals being performed by churches across America.

I remember one called New Vibrations about all the stages of life.

For some reason, one of the songs touched my heart, and I never forgot it.

It was a song about old age (Perhaps God was preparing me then to be a senior adult pastor.)

The lyrics were:

“See old people blankly staring through gray windows of a world that shows no caring.

Life is a vapor, a will of the wisp, ending too soon. When did it really begin? Where went the bloom?”

Today I see the reality of those words all too often in the loneliness of the elderly in nursing homes, many of whom rarely receive any visits from family or friends.

Before the pandemic, many of us would go regularly into nursing homes to visit, bring gifts, sing, and pray with residents.

But the covid-19 lockdown has really taken its toll on the quality of life for these people.

Most of the facilities have been forced to not only curtail visitors but require the residents to stay in their rooms constantly.

The employees must always be masked, so these dear ones rarely ever see a smile.

In the movie “Cast Away” Tom Hanks says the line, “I would rather take my chances out there on the ocean than to die here.”

But for those in nursing homes, there is no possibility of escape.

So, how can we help this situation until we can reengage in person with these vulnerable people?

2 of the greatest weapons in this fight for survival are the telephone and the postal service.

I have been amazed to see the strength that can be transmitted over the phone or a personal letter.

But the greatest weapon to counteract the loneliness is to actually pray with someone out loud over the phone.

People who know their earthly journey is nearing its end are so uplifted when someone helps them connect with their Maker.

Next week: When it has to be right

Dan Williams is the senior adult pastor at Lexington Baptist Church.