By Cecilia Chan
John Lennon’s song Imagine was on air recently and it hit me hard.
This song poked the world in the eye. The track captures Lennon pleading for a fairer, more compassionate world.
I wonder if we could imagine a world where we do not fear cognitive impairment like dementia.
The word dementia itself evokes powerful emotions.
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What are the common stories about dementia? An internet search will flood us with persistent stories about this condition.
The term “silent tsunami” of dementia has been a dominant watery image in many news stories. Many stories describe a “slow-moving tsunami” (which is an oxymoron: tsunamis are not slow moving) and a “wave” of dementia. In both cases, the narrative suggests an unstoppable force of nature coupled that is spreading in stealth.
For most of us, the word dementia invokes a profound dread, a paralysing fear. The discourses of the scientific community do not help to reduce the fear but reinforce the pervasive sense of horror about dementia. For instance, they describe the prevalence of dementia dramatically as an “epidemic” and a “crisis”.
To top it all, book titles such as Disease: Coping with a Living Death (Woods 1989) and The Living Dead: Alzheimer’s in America (Lushin 1990) link persons living with dementia with ghouls.
Imagine … what would it be like if there was no fear of dementia? What would our world be like?
Imagine … if there was no stigma, people would go for an early diagnosis, which would allow for better planning.
Imagine … if there was no stereotyping, those living with dementia would be encouraged to live a full life – even as dementia progresses – especially if they could count on a supportive community.
More people would spend time with those who live in nursing homes, leading to less tolerance of poor quality care.
Family and friends would come forward to support those living with dementia. This would reduce social isolation for those living with dementia and their family members. It might also reduce stress for all, which would translate to improved productivity and a more thriving economy.
Maybe we could all gain a fresh understanding of what it means to be truly human – because we all pass this way but once.
As Lennon wrote, “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will live as one.”
Dr Cecilia Chan is a gerontologist and dementia activist and advocate
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