The Face of Dementia

 

As our population is aging we hear the word dementia used more often.  According to the internet, "Dementia is not a specific disease but is rather a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interferes with doing daily activities--- It is a condition characterized by progressive or persistent loss of intellectual functioning especially with impairment of memory and abstract thinking, and often with personality change, resulting from organic disease of the brain."

Dementia is also defined as "a group of thinking and social symptoms that interferes with daily functioning."  It often involves memory loss, poor judgment, and impaired social skills.   It can cause fear, confusion, and combativeness in the person with dementia.   This in turn can cause heartache and negative emotions for the loved ones of people who are experiencing dementia.  Dementia can be managed, but there is no known cure at this time.  

Loved ones are often scrambling for or searching out the best possible resources and answers for their loved ones with dementia.  There never seems to be a perfect answer or solution, and loved ones are left with feelings of guilt, frustration and fatigue because of not being able to do more for their loved ones.  

If you know someone with dementia, you can pray for that individual and his or her family.  You can visit the person with dementia and shower love and respect on him or her.  God has made us in His image, and even people with dementia are reflectors of His image.  Sin has tainted the world with diseases of various kinds which can cause havoc.  Yet the Lord is still in control.  We also can do our part, however, in this world affected by disease.  We can pray for those affected, and we can do our part to honor and help them and their loved ones.