Imagine…you start asking yourself if you actually met your daughter or you imagined it, you cannot remember whether your house is the third on the left or at the end of the road, and why you went outside in the wrong attire.
Why is your son telling you what to do? You jolly know what to do and how to do it, you have done it all your life. You don’t need to be told, or not?
Dementia is insidious, it is not a specific disease that can be cured with medicines or surgery, it is rather a group of symptoms that interfere with our daily functioning and impair at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgement.
Mental decline, confusion, disorientation, making things up, irritability, anxiety, mood swings or inability to combine muscle movements are a few of the symptoms experienced when dementia steps in, and with population aging more people are going to be affected.
We have experienced within our families or we know friends impacted as caregivers or affected by dementia. We have seen them sliding down, and often we didn’t know what to do, how to react, and how to help. Most importantly, we shall understand that we are not alone, dementia is not a fault and we and our friends and family members can learn to live with dementia.
As Rotarians we recognize dementia as a challenge affecting people, like poverty, or lack of education, and we are determined to do whatever is in our power to help those affected by supporting those individuals and organizations dedicated to support people affected by dementia, their caregivers and their families.
Our club is inviting Dementia Singapore, the organization specifically set up to deal with this challenge at national level to talk to us, and to explore ways in which we could support their mission.
Given the size and complexity of the task, we will invite other Rotary Clubs in Singapore to join us in this deserving undertaking. We believe we can make an impact and contribute to a new approach and understanding of dementia.
The talk on Dementia will take place on the 9 February 2023 and we shall invite our friends and all those we know are caregivers of dementia affected people to come and join us, share their experience and help us to build a Dementia inclusive society.
Kind regards and happy new year!