My father’s favourite Scripture is the commandment “honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” He quotes this when asking for a favour – usually financial. The Bible has lots to say about ageing well and respecting the elderly, but what awaits those of us blessed enough to age well?
There are many physical abilities that diminish over time – from our physical appearance, strength, vision, to cancers, etc. I want to focus on our cognitive abilities. You may tease your aunt or grandmother when they forget your name. My father has a habit of calling my brother and me by my uncle’s names before remembering our names. Although funny to us, it’s a sign that his mental capacity is slowly declining.
Dementia is an umbrella term covering multiple conditions that affect memory, other cognitive abilities, and behaviour. The term dementia has been replaced by a long name, Neuro Cognitive Disorder. You may have heard of Parkinson’s, Huntington’s or Alzheimer’s Disease. These are three types of dementia – there are 13 in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. They are distressing to the individual; they can become a burden on the family or caregivers of the individual affected, and they reduce the quality of life for that person. Ageing then becomes a disease, instead of the blessing that it should be.
There are various treatments available and many being investigated to slow down or reverse the progression of the disease. The most effective management of dementia is prevention where possible. Controlling medical conditions like hypertension, diabetes and HIV can prevent those types of dementia. Optimizing our cognitive abilities by learning and keeping our minds active after school – puzzles, wordle, Scripture memorization, reading widely, etc., can delay the onset or minimize the severity of dementia. Finally, keeping physically active and socializing – attend your local corps and participate in Men’s Fellowship or Home League can also slow down the progression of dementia. Most importantly, pray for your health. We won’t match Methuselah’s 969 years, but we can live productive and satisfactory lives until we are promoted to glory.