World Alzheimer’s Day
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Life is a beautiful gift that should be embraced every single moment of the day. In the course of our lives we find some true friends ,love and ever- lasting relationships that often become the foundation of our very existence. They are the relationships that we treasure for life and hold closest to in our hearts. The unconditional love of our parents guides us through thick and thin and makes our lives a worthwhile place to live in.
Now imagine how it would feel if we were ripped off of all the things we loved, cherished and ever lived for? Imagine the pain and agony one would have to go through if their loved-one would refuse to recogniZe or even acknowledge their presence?
Yes, this is what Alzheimer’s disease is typically characteristic of. While a lot of research and development has gone on into the general phases and diseases as a whole, there are a lot of myths that are still attached to it ever since the disease came into light in the early 1900’s. Many a times or rather most of the times it has been associated as signs of old age. But if we take a close look, it is a progressive disease that destroys or shrinks memory or brain cells over a period of time and the impact generally becomes visible when one steps into old age. The overall memory functions begin to decline and after a prolonged period of time, slowly but surely, a big percentage of brain cells become atrophied and the patient only gets periodic lapses of memory, per say. An Alzheimer’s patient begins to get withdrawn and eventually gets trapped in a world of make believe which only he or she can decode. Because the world that they perceive is ever changing. The memory is extremely short which means that they forget a sentence, a thought or even a person’s face within a fraction of a second. At times the lapses can go upto few hours but in the end it’s a very secretive world which no one can enter.
India alone has over a million recorded cases every year and unfortunately there are no noted cures or full recoveries for Alzheimer’s patients. So in the wake of this constant menace the one thing we ought to do is get aware. Because awareness has the propensity to transform and bring about a much awaited change. And the first change that needs to be altered is our mind set . we need to understand that Alzheimer’s is not a mental illness or mental disability. The patients who are suffering need empathy, compassion and most of all patience. We need to practice the highest level of forbearance which can be emotionally rather taxing but that is all we can literally do.
Instead of dumping such patients into old age or care homes we need to take it upon us to give them our most prized possessions namely time and love along with proper medication.
21st September, World Alzheimer’s Day, let us pledge from this day on that we will practice composure, tolerance and love of the highest degree and bring a smile on the faces of sufferers. This light needs to spread not only for those who are suffering but also to their families and friends who genuinely care!