A chronic illness persists over a long period and may not cure. Chronic illnesses include heart diseases, dementia, asthma, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and genetic disorders, which contribute significantly to the burden of diseases in the world. Although infections are widely spread in all ages, a more significant percentage lingers with elderly folks. Noce et al. (2021) assert that living an unhealthy lifestyle characterized by excessive alcohol, unbalanced diet, smoking, and lack of exercise and stress can lead to the onset of chronic illnesses. To understand the debilitating impacts of chronic illness on the aged, I had the chance to interview E James, a distant aunt who has dementia.
Dementia is a chronic illness characterized by memory loss and poor judgment. Through the interview, I understood the disease’s effects on E and her family and how they can respond to the effects. I also received life advice on how to live during my young age to prevent dementia and other chronic illnesses. E is a 71-year-old Black American woman who resides at the shores of Lake Michigan near Ludington Town. She has, however, spent most of her life in Chicago. E was born in Texas, where she lived with her parents and siblings before being married at the age of 15 years to R. J., the love of her life. R worked in Chicago as a chef for a European family.
E later joined her husband in Chicago, where they lived together in the servant quarters before inheriting the main house from her husband’s employer years later when they went back to Europe. The union between E and R was blessed with three kids, namely RU, ES, and D
E explains that the death of a loved one is inevitable. She says that it is harrowing and that everyone should prepare to cope with it when that time comes. Although E had not fully processed the death of her husband, which occurred five years ago from the date of this interview, she was still in the process of recovery. E also feels that aging is also an inevitable stage of life which she has accepted. Aging has helped her adopt healthy living methods such as eating right, avoiding alcohol (which she was a fan of in her youthful years), and exercising through farm work. E talks of the challenges of growing old; one is memory loss. Two years after her husband’s death, she has diagnosed with a major neurocognitive disorder; dementia. The first time was when she lost her memory and couldn’t even remember her name and children.
E explains that her workers took advantage of her situation then and would steal from her. The condition led to the collapse of her hotel business. She usually had a hard time communicating as her speech was overly disoriented. This reduced her social interaction. She found herself only communicating with her children, especially RU, her firstborn daughter. She also had agnosia. She tells me it was difficult to recognize her children who came to the U.S overseas for their father’s funeral. They had to show her the family album to help them explain who they were. Her daughter RU took her to the family doctor, who ran some tests and diagnosed her with dementia.
The symptoms were mild at that time, and the doctor told the family not to worry. However, with time, the symptoms became severe. She narrates that she often hallucinated in the night. She would see R’s images making her scream or talk to herself. Her neighbors once thought that she had gone mad. With time, her physical coordination deteriorated, and she began finding some tasks which she once did with ease, challenging.
Her children learned of this, and they flew to the U.S to be with their mother. She narrates that they understood the seriousness of the matter at that time. They, therefore, had to be with their mother. However, they were assured by their family doctor that dementia is a common health condition among people aged 60 years and over, primarily among women. It was, however, important that she gets treatment so that the condition be managed. E explains that when her doctor explained to her about the condition, she had a hard time accepting it. It was even worse when she learned that dementia had no cure. E thought she would go crazy and be taken to an elderly home where her children would abandon her. She explained her fears to RU, who assured her that none of that would happen.
With time, she had to slow down with her activities to compensate for her difficulties. She tells me that this is also one of the reasons she left the busy Chicago and moved to the then sleepy Ludington Town at the shores of Lake Michigan. Farming became her hobby. She did this to pass time and as therapy too. Though she still faced challenges, things were improving. She narrates that her friends and family have been very supportive. She especially credits her children for the extra love and cares they have shown her since the diagnosis. They have become her most vital support system. E says that ES and D visit her more often as she lives with RU, now a medical psychologist in Mercy Health Rehabilitation Centre.
She recalls with humor how she once forgot she was holding her cup in her hand and went ahead to look for it in the house. It was only at noon when RU came to check up on her from work that she informed her that she was holding the same cup she was looking for. They laughed together that afternoon. Laughing off such funny incidents in her life has been a form of therapy for her. It has helped her overcome such symptoms of dementia instead of feeling miserable.
She no longer goes out without the knowledge of her daughter RU, nor does she use sharp or dangerous objects without supervision. E also says that she has to walk with a card in her pocket containing information about who she is, her condition, and her children’s numbers. All these measures have been put in place to assure her safety if she experiences memory loss and poor judgment. RU has been her greatest support since she helps her out with everything in the house. She handles all transactions and every farm record.
E tells me that RU has become more than a daughter. She sees RU as her friend, mother, and teacher at times. Her situation has also made her rely on God for courage and strength. She believes that there is a supernatural power and being that allows everything to happen as it does. She informs me that she has found herself praying and reading the Bible more often than before. She has also become a member of a women’s support group in the church. Here, women suffering from various chronic illnesses and mental disorders due to life issues share experiences, encourage, and pray with each other.
RU narrates that she became worried when her mother couldn’t differentiate who was among the three children. In addition, she couldn’t bear her mother’s screams during the night whenever she hallucinated. She explains that her husband understood the seriousness of the matter and allowed her to come to the U.S. and take care of her mother as he lived with their kids in the U.K. They agreed that she was the best person to give her primary care as she was the firstborn daughter, though the others would also chip in whenever she went to see her family in the U.K. She says that all of them, the three kids of E, usually take the role of caregiving to their mother, whom they all love, adore, and respect. They agreed that they all had a responsibility to do so regardless of their age, gender, and other commitments.
RU cares for her mother by taking her to the doctor’s appointments, cleaning for her, cooking for her, ensuring she has taken her medicine at the right time, and taking her to her women’s support group meetings. Whenever RU is at work, she assigns Leela, their cousin who has just finished college and lives with them, to do what is required. RU explains that they have agreed to have a get-together party every year to meet as a family. They usually have talk sessions, games, and food. They also invite the family doctor to talk to them about continuing caring for E as she ages.
RU says that she considers a 60-year-old person to be old. She says that her mother is, therefore, a senior citizen who requires proper care and attention. The first word that comes to her mind when RU sees an older person is respect. She explains that being polite to older adults is not the same as respecting them. RU feels that not all seniors are treated with dignity in Kenya. Her experience living in the village has made her meet many senior adults, especially those living with chronic illnesses, abandoned by their children and society. Only a few people take responsibility for the old members of society and give care where needed.
RU feels that people tend to become more religious and dependent as they grow older. Most become like ‘babies’ who need to be cared for, looked after, fed, and cleaned. They also become more appreciative of what they have achieved throughout their lifetime. RU confesses that she has become more spiritual and appreciative herself. As I interviewed E, I understood the contribution of older adults to families and society. Their contribution is dependent on their health a great deal. Though there is very little evidence to show that older adults are enjoying their sunset years in good health, they show that society has a strong pillar. I got to understand that though E is still battling her chronic illness, she’s become a stronghold for her family. Through her, the family is united and meets every year for a get-together just for her sake.
I am surprised to have learned that when an old family member is diagnosed with a chronic illness, it does not necessarily mean that the family will divide. This is due to the psychological, financial, and emotional drainage it causes them. According to Lee et al. (2017), when the family is healthy, the person with chronic illness does even better. I have also noted that daughters are more likely to care for their ailing mothers than sons due to the incredible bond and intimacy between the two. The immediate family of the older adult is usually the significant support in time of illness. Though sons can do it, daughters are highly likely to do so. Women, as daughters, work to overcome constraints and will go ahead to sacrifice themselves to provide end-of-life care for their parents (Abrego, 2020). Moreover, daughters tend to spend more time caring for their sickly old parents than their sons.
Conclusion
Every individual needs to consider living a healthy lifestyle to avoid chronic illnesses in all spheres of life. This includes maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, avoiding stress and drugs. A correct lifestyle and healthy diet increase the life expectancy of individuals in the world. Family members need to understand each other in difficulties and, in turn, stick together. The immediate family is the primary support system of every individual in times of crisis. The interview explored in this essay changed my personal view of aging and older adults living with chronic condition and their families.
Initially, I believed that older adults lacked the ability to learn new things and acquire new skills. Surprisingly, as indicated in the case study, older adults have the capability to learn, build new recollections, and enhance their proficiency in a number of abilities. Although aging will often coincide with adjustments in cognition due to chronic conditions, several positive brain function changes can also occur. Among those changes include gaining more insight and knowledge from a lifespan of adventures. E’s case has shown that many families caring for older adults with chronic illnesses may not be aware of this fact. Consequently, practicing and mastering new skills and abilities may potentially boost older adults’ cognitive functioning.
References
Abrego, L. J. (2020). Sacrificing families. Stanford University Press.
Lee, A. A., Piette, J. D., Heisler, M., Janevic, M. R., Langa, K. M., & Rosland, A. M. (2017). Family members’ experiences supporting adults with chronic illness: A national survey. Families, systems & health: The journal of collaborative family healthcare, 35(4), 463–473. Web.
Noce, A., Romani, A., & Bernini, R. (2021). Dietary Intake and Chronic Disease Prevention. Nutrients, 13(4), 1358. Web.