“My child, take care of your father when he grows old; give him no cause for worry as long as he lives. Be sympathetic even if his mind fails him; don’t look down on him just because you are strong and healthy. The Lord will not forget the kindness you show to your father…” (Sirach 3:12-14)*
“Dementia is a syndrome in which there is deterioration in memory, thinking, behavior and the ability to perform everyday activities… Dementia results from a variety of diseases and injuries that primarily or secondarily affect the brain…Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year…Dementia has a physical, psychological, social, and economic impact, not only on people with dementia, but also on their careers, families and society at large.” – The World Health Organization
Dear Friends,
Please join me in prayer this week for all those suffering from dementia, those who love them, and those who care for them.
Blessings,
Pastor Basile
A Prayer
Pour your grace, O loving God, upon all suffering with dementia. It is frustrating not to find a word; it is fearful to lose one’s memories. Bless them with patience, a loving and supporting family, and days of hope and accomplishment. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen
- Vienna Cobb Anderson, in “Prayer of our Heart
*”Sirach” is a book in the “Apocrypha,” a collection of ancient writings that some Christian groups, such as the Eastern Orthodox Church (260 million people) and Roman Catholic Church (1.3 billion people), consider sacred.