We do most of our living between Friday night and Monday morning. Monday morning is the time to reflect on the weekend and get back into our week day routine . As I get older it becomes more difficult to get myself moving on Monday morning. I guess that is part of what retirement planning is about - letting go of the weekday routine and spreading the rest of your life over seven days!
Monday, April 28, 2014
It seems that everyday I am reminded through newspaper and magazine articles of the increasing incidence of dementia in our society. And as we boomers grow older they are predicting an "epidemic" ---as only boomers can sensationalize something that has been around forever and suddenly impacting us.
My Mom who is 83 has dementia. My husband's father had dementia in the last year or so of his life. I certainly am witness to the insidious nature of this condition and how it effects an individual and their family.
We are bombarded with awareness campaigns about the ravages of the disease ..... cries for more research.......countless recommendations on how to prevent or stave off this condition.
I am sure I am not alone in doing suduko, word search, and computer cognitive games in an attempt to keep my brain agile in hopes that various forms of puzzle solving will be the secret weapon in the war against an aging brain.
But yesterday an article in the Toronto Star caused me to pause and to think differently. It challenged my assumption that diminished cognition means diminished growth.
The article was about a research centre that has opened in Toronto- The Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy. The focus of the centre is not on dementia as a tragic disease but on the enrichment of people's continuing abilities - to help them grow through creative expression, music, dance, movement, visual arts. To reach them and build relationships based on creative expression not cognitive expression.
With all of the science that is dedicated to the working of the brain and the "dementia epidemic" , this article was a reminder to me not to lose sight of the more complicated and powerful part of our minds - the emotional- the creative. Maybe it is time that I let go of my assumption that later life dementia is solely degenerative .
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