Showering Love on them

I saw this award winning video clip on Dementia on the blog of Blogpastor . http://www.blogpastor.net

It is a heart wrenching clip. The Lord watches over all of us, even when we grow old in the coming decades, we continue to rely and lean on the arms of Jesus. And for those of us with aging parents who are showing signs of memory loss, we continue to entrust them into the hands of our loving God. We continue to love and honour them.

You may click on this link to view the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iXPHhfk_7E

The Straits Times featured an article on children who abuse their elderly parents on 22 Oct 2009. I quote: “ALMOST every evening, an elderly man would complain to the police that his family had locked him out of his house.

A case of abuse or a family at its wits' end?

It transpired that the man's family did so as he had the habit of roaming the streets aimlessly and, while in the house, switching the stove on and off. Afraid that he would set the house on fire, his family members locked him out when they went to work and let him back in when they returned home.

The police referred the man to a centre that helps victims of family violence, and a social worker there advised his family to get him medical help.

As the social worker predicted, the reason for the habits that stumped the man's family was that he had moderate dementia. Knowing this, the family supervised the man more closely, but as his condition deteriorated and they could not cope, they sent him to a nursing home.

Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, highlighted this real example on Wednesday in a symposium on family violence, as he dwelt on the principles that should guide agencies tackling the 'scourge' of elderly abuse.”

I do not think we should be quick to throw stones at the abusers. They may be challenged by the stress in life, some having the need to raise their children and look after the needs of their elderly parents. What can be helpful is for us to understand that one day we will all grow old and some of us may be struck with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. We will then be at the receiving end of such cruel treatment.

We allow God to help us to love our elderly parents who may display some behaviour that they could not help. With love, patience and perseverance, the Lord’s love will flow through us to touch our elderly people.