Dementia is a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning.
This month my team and I get the opportunity to partner with a couple of ministries. One of the ministries is the dementia center here in Ipoh, Malaysia. Each morning during the week (Tuesday-Friday) my team and I get to go and spend the morning with men and women who struggle with dementia. The center is a daycare where families can bring their loved ones who are effected by this disease. The main objectives the center wants to aim for is to bring more awareness to the public about dementia and it’s effects it has on families, to improve the quality of life of those with dementia, to support and provide training for caregivers, to provide cognitive rehabilitation, and to raise support to carry out long term care. The center is open 5 days a week from 9am-5pm. The families can stay with their loved ones or they can drop them off and pick them back up after a few hours.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve heard about the severity of this disease, but I’ve never been face to face with it until this week. The definition that I referenced at the top is exactly what I experienced on Tuesday. We arrived to the dementia center at around 9:30 and we were greeted by the staff and clients. The clients ages ranged from 60s to mid 90s. We were greeted with smiles, blank stares, and hugs. As we made our way through their daily schedule (ball throwing, snack time, exercises, bingo, and music) I scanned the room and couldn’t help but to think that some if not all of these individuals were probably once thriving business owners, teachers, and parents who’s lives are very different now because of this disease. Some don’t even remember who their family is and some are scared that their family will drop them off and never come back for them. It’s a harsh reality.
Many of us just think of dementia as just memory loss, but their is more to it. Personality changes is often apart of this disease as well. You can see 60 and 90 year olds behaving like children again. For an example hiding tambourines in their shirts during music time or getting up and wandering around the room. They can be very aggressive too. In fact, I was slapped across the face not once but 3 times by an 89 year old woman. You might be wondering how I reacted to it? In the moment I was shocked, but then I started laughing. I wasn’t laughing at her or the situation, but I was laughing to keep from crying. I wanted to cry not because it hurt but because I was completely heartbroken. It broke my heart to see what this disease does to people. She had no idea what she had done. I looked at her and grabbed her hands and held them as she was trying to hit me again. I smiled at her and said for her to be kind to me because I was her friend. She calmed down.
Ministry isn’t always about evangelism, playing with children, or teaching. Ministry can look like walking into a Dementia center and coming alongside of these men and women and sharing Christ through joining in activities with them, helping them walk, listening to them repeat the same story to you over and over again because they don’t remember what they just said 2 mins ago, or being slapped across the face multiple times and still choosing to smile through it.
My eyes have been opened and I thank God for this opportunity. If you are reading this and you are directly affected by this terrible disease know that you aren’t alone. There are places out there like this place here in Malaysia who want to support you and your loved ones all while bringing awareness. I’m praying for you! Don’t give up; God still has a plan!
“Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because GOD, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.” Deuteronomy? ?31:6? ?MSG
Much love,
Kayla
