Dementia and Dignity - Pt 1

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27 ESV).

Today we’re starting a little series dealing with one of the most difficult diseases of our world. We won’t be looking at the science of dementia; however, we will look at both the patient and the caregivers who are affected. I must confess at the outset that this series is prompted by two things. First, it is one of the most frequent fears I face personally. I have dealt with physical pain and the management of an incurable blood disorder for years. That pales in comparison to the possibility, no matter how remote, that I would lose my memories. However, I also am prompted to write these little encouragements because so many of us know someone who is affected with dementia of some form. So, let’s begin with the real beginning. Our reading today is from the creation account in Genesis, the first of five books Moses wrote. It is this account that gives us the basic premise and purpose of creation. Here God simply makes the declaration that He will create. After creating all of what we recognize as the physical universe, He says, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness (v. 26). Even after we acknowledge the devastating effect of the fall through the sin of Adam and Eve, we cannot ignore that apart from every other creating thing, man was created in God’s image. That means the God-given dignity of every human being, as created in God’s image and destined for final accountability before the living God, unlike all the other creatures, that dignity is foundational to our thinking about how we relate to and care for those who are aging, or for that matter, any person whose mental capacities are diminished for whatever reason. Teepa Snow, known widely as “the Horse Whisperer of Dementia,” has made incredible progress possible in the care and treatment of those with diminished memory diseases. Perhaps one of her most memorable and impactful quotes is: “Dementia does not rob someone of their dignity. It’s our reaction to them that does.” In the coming days we’re going to look at ways that we can “react” to those with diminished powers of thought and self-awareness. The foundation of that is that everyone is created in God’s image. Because of that truth we must find the beauty in every individual, regardless of their physical or mental position. Even when we tire of the same story repeated multiple times with the same conversation, we can honor God in every person with “one act of kindness.” Sometimes it is simple, other times it is profound. It is always vital!