prohealth911
|
AlzheimerSupport.com is pleased to welcome Wayne Bell, as our host for this Chat. Wayne is a volunteer with the Lexington/Bluegrass Alzheimer's Association and is President Emeritus of Lexington Theological Seminary.
|
|
WayneBell
|
I'm Wayne Bell, President Emeritus of Lexington Theological Seminary and an ordained minister in the Christian Church Disciples of Christ. I'm a volunteer with the Lexington/Bluegrass Alzheiner's Association. I'm speaking at this conference on supporting the spiritual needs of people with dementia and family caregivers. We have discussed the terms: religiousity, spiritual wellbeing, spirtual connectedness and spirtuality. We also have focused on the basic spiritual needs of all persons recognizing that persons with dementia have the same needs. We then gave attention to the spiritual needs of caregivers.
|
|
Conferenceguest3
|
Question directed to Wayne Bell:
Pastor Bell, please tell me about how one suffering from Alz. can identify with their spiritual side. Rather it seems that one's faith might falter when affected by a disease that is so overwhelming.
|
|
WayneBell
|
ConferenceGuest, if a person has a religious background and their faith and religious practice has been meaningful, it will continue to be meaningful as dementia progresses. There is much about religion and faith that are beyond rationality.
|
|
WayneBell
|
A person finds meaning through symbol and through familiar scriptures, prayers, hymns, and sacred places, such as church building or synogogue.
|
|
WayneBell
|
In the early stages of AD, a person may be troubled by having AD and it may give them some faith problems. As long as they can still think about the problem they may need to recognize that there is much in life that one cannot understand.
|
|
WayneBell
|
It is futile to try to answer the question "why is this happening to me?" if one is concerned about putting the blame on someone, a person of faith may need to accept the fact that there is much in life that one cannot understand.
|
|
prohealth911
|
Question directed to Wayne Bell:
A question from our live audience - Can you state how bringing spirituality into the program has helped patients as opposed to not introducing that aspect.
|
|
WayneBell
|
Live audience member, a program to help persons with dementia should deal with persons one by one, it is not helpful to try to help a person with religious resources if those resources were not menaingful to the person before the development of dementia.
|
|
jerry
|
Question directed to Wayne Bell:
I realize that faith is important but how can one use this faith to enhance thier quality of life as a sufferer of the disease?
|
|
WayneBell
|
Jerry, one's faith can be helpful if it undergirds one with the sense of God's presence and the sustaining power of God.
|
|
WayneBell
|
The tendancy of people who are affected by tragedy of any kind is to feel sorry for themselves. One's faith should help one be grateful for whatever it is in their life that has been good and positive. Self-pity is a destroyer. Gratitude counters self-pity.
|
|
nancy
|
Question directed to Wayne Bell:
Do you lead support groups for care givers and family members and what kinds of questions or concern come up?
|
|
WayneBell
|
Nancy, I am not involved in leading support groups, but am familiar with what goes on in some groups. Support groups frequently give participants up to date information about Alzheimers disease, available treatments or medications. The group also provides an opportunity to share experiences with others who are in a similar situation. Frequently participants are helped to see that caregiving can be a blessing and not just a burden.
|
|
WayneBell
|
An audience member asked "Do persons with AD ever become spiritual or religious after a lifetime of not being so?"
|
|
WayneBell
|
I have not had the experience of knowing a person with dementia to become religious after the development of the dementia. All people have the same basic spiritual needs whether they are religious or not. The need to be loved, appreciated and respected is still great in persons with dementia and those needs are met by persons who care and who "enflesh that love and appreciation" persons also need to be creative and productive and are helped by those who would encourage that.
|
|
WayneBell
|
Persons also need to be involved in relationships with other persons and should not be isolated and separated from others by the onset of dementia.
|
|
dottie
|
Question directed to Wayne Bell:
Have you had much experience with other faiths? Do you seek input from priests, rabbis, ministers, etc...
|
|
WayneBell
|
Dottie, yes Ii am very appreciative of persons of other faiths or religions. Persons with dementia should be kept in close association with their priests, rabbi, minister or other significant religious leaders and with the community of faith of which they are a part.
|
|
WayneBell
|
Congregations of various denominations should be encouraged to understand dementia and the ways in which the person can continue to be included in service and in fellowship. Sadly enough, too many clergy and congregations are lacking in understanding of dementia and the needs of persons who have dementia.
|
|
Louise
|
Question directed to Wayne Bell:
Do you belive that Alz. is God's way of punishing a person?
|
|
WayneBell
|
Louise, I do not believe that God sends Alzheimers as a punishment. As moral beings we seem to have a compulsion to put the blame somewhere and all too frequently try to blame it on God. This makes God demonic.
|
|
geoff
|
Question directed to Wayne Bell:
Hello, Mr. Bell. Please tell me how one's faith can be inspired under the diress of a disease like Alzheimers.
|
|
WayneBell
|
Geoff, I am not sure that the onset of AD can stimulate or create faith in one who has no faith. My faith in God would lead me to trust that all is not lost in life because of the onset and the suffering that goes with Alzheimers.
|
|
geoff
|
Question directed to Wayne Bell:
Thank you Mr. Bell. I know it is a hard question to answer. My father is suffering from Alzheimers and I am trying to motivate him by presenting our faith in his life but he seems to disassociate himself.
|
|
WayneBell
|
Geoff, the best thing you can do is to continue to sustain your faither with your presence and your loving care. You may be the one who embodies God's love and makes it real to him. Don't let the onset of the disease destroy the loving relationships and support of the family circle.
|
|
WayneBell
|
Perhaps a good way to close is to share with you a quotation from Thich Nhat Hanh from his book Living Budha Living Christ:
|
|
WayneBell
|
"The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When our mindfulness embraces those we love they will bloom like flowers. If you love someone but rarely make yourself available to him or her, that is not true love. When your beloved is suffering, you need to recognize her suffering, anxiety, and worries, and just by doing that, you already offer some relief. Mindfulness relieves suffereing because it is filled with understnading and compassion. When you are really there, showing your loving-kindness and understanding, the energy of the holy Spirit is in you."
|
|
prohealth911
|
AlzheimerSupport.com would like to thank Wayne Bell and you for joining us for this chat. Unfortunately our time is up. Please join us for our next chat with Bryan Kemp, PhD, at 2:30 Pacific Time.
|
|
