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What Does The Bible Say About Dementia

Encouraging Bible Verses For Dementia Caregivers

Bible Answers When a Christian gets Dementia

A cofounder of Home Instead Senior Care shares scripture to comfort, encourage and inspire those who are caring for a loved one with dementia.

by The EditorsFrom Posted in Everyday Coping for Caregivers, Feb 21, 2018

In her work as cofounder of Home Instead Senior Care, Lori Hogan has seen what Jeff Bjorck saw: Faith is crucial in helping you meet the daily challenges of caring for a loved one with Alzheimers or another dementia. Here are some of Loris favorite Bible verses for family caregivers:

If you feel overwhelmed: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his names sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me your rod and your staff, they comfort me.Psalm 23:14

If youre struggling with how much dementia has changed your loved one: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.Matthew 25:40

If you feel that frustration or anger is getting the best of you: For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.2 Timothy 1:7

If youre worried about what lies ahead: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Jeremiah 29:11

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Christian Quotes On Mental Health

When God has already defined you as His and purposed by Him, no mental illness can change that. Brittany Moses

Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden: it is easier to say My tooth is aching than to say My heart is broken. C.S. Lewis

When you cannot see the future and not knowing the outcome gives you anxiety, focus on the One who has gone before you. He knows the plans He has for you. Brittany Moses

Even as a Christian, youll have good days and youll have bad days but youll never have a day without God.

When it feels like youre empty and hurting alone know God is present in this space with you. And as you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. He sees what no one sees, He hears what isnt said but is cried out by the heart and He will restore you.

I find myself frequently depressed perhaps more so than any other person here. And I find no better cure for that depression than to trust in the Lord with all my heart, and seek to realize afresh the power of the peace-speaking blood of Jesus, and His infinite love in dying upon the cross to put away all my transgressions. Charles Spurgeon

Raising A Strong Daughter In A Toxic Culture: 11 Steps To Keep Her Happy Healthy And Safe

Meg Meeker has been a pediatrician for more than thirty years, is a mother and a grandmother, and has seen it all. She knows what makes for strong, happy, healthy young womenand what puts our daughters at risk. Combining that experience with her famous common sense, she explains the eleven steps that will help your daughterwhether shes a toddler or a troubled teento achieve her full human potential.

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Out Of Your Mind God And Dementia

Dear Roger,

If a person were a Christian and served God faithfully before getting Dementia will God condemn them for sins committed after getting Dementia? That is if they do not remember to ask for His forgiveness.

Sincerely, Debra

Dear Debra,

Dementia is a terrible thing. We all know someone, or, of someone, who is mentally degenerating. Also, we all know of one or more families who are facing years of long-term debilitating care for a loved one who is losing his/her mind.

One of the pastors in our church, well call him Paul, had a dementia-ridden mother-in-law who was under his and his wifes care. She was living with him, his wife and their children. The tension at home was increasing with each passing day.

One morning at work he was telling us about an incident the night before when mother-in-law had a headache. Paul came into the kitchen to find her taking aspirin to remove her headache pain. How many doses had she taken? Fortunately, not enough to warrant stomach pumping. The aspirin bottle was rather full. So, Paul took the bottle of aspirin away and hid it from mother-in-law.

Paul proceeded to make a light-hearted joke about how tempting it was to leave the aspirin bottle open on the counter. Their problem would be solved by morning! We all chuckled. It was funny.

Then, Paul began to cry,

In this case I cant imagine that God would hold this sin against the demented one. Gods grace, mercy and forgiveness will surely be forthcoming.

Dear Roger,

Sincerely,

Navigating A Toxic Culture With Your Daughter

What Does the Bible Say About Alzheimers Disease?

As a pediatrician, Dr. Meg Meeker has seen thousands of girls come through her office through the years. They struggle with eating issues, sexual identity, social mediaand many other challenges in this toxic culture. Dr. Meeker will encourage parents to invest love and time in their daughters and develop their character to give them the best opportunity for a bright future, all rooted in a spiritual foundation. The discussion also includes healthy feminism vs. toxic feminism

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Understanding The Root Of Your Child’s Misbehavior

Often, children act out because they are used to getting attention through bad behavior. Dr. Kevin Leman offers advice to help parents transform their childs behavior. He discusses the benefits of allowing your kids to learn from real-life consequences and describes the importance of understanding your childs temperament based on his birth order.

Faith For People With Alzheimers

But will we forget that which we hold most dear? Will I forget the God I love and have trusted for decades? Will I find any hope in the words of the Bible? Will my wife and children feel burden in caring for me? Will their faith offer any hope or comfort? What about my church? Will they remember me when I am too confused or sick to come to services on Sunday? Will they care for me and lovingly try to help me remember all that I hold dear? When I can no longer remember them, will they still be present? Will they pray for me? Will they try to pray with me?

The well-known statistics remind us that one in three older adults dies with Alzheimers or another dementia, and that as many as 16 million Americans will have Alzheimers by 2050. Surveys of Americans also tell us that up to 88% of older people identify as Christians and up to 70% say this is very important to them. There are millions of Christians either living with dementia or serving as a caregiver.

What hope does God offer them? How can they respond to Gods calls and remember him? How can a person with Alzheimers remember God when they have trouble remembering things that happened yesterday? What hope is there if they forget?

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Giving Up Sugar Tasting God’s Goodness

As a latchkey kid, Wendy Speake turned to sugar for comfort. Every Friday, she would pedal to the candy show and use her allowance to fill her bag with candy. And one day, when she was older and a mom of three young boys, she came to realize that she was still pedaling away from her stress and using sugar as comfort, instead of turning to Jesus. She was joyless, worn out, tired, and in need of a change. In this interview, Wendy will challenge Christians to take 40 days to focus on fasting from something they turn to instead of Jesus for comfort. She invited people to break free from a dependence on sugar and taste the goodness of God.

A Biblical Approach For People With Dementia And Their Families

Got Fruit? | BHCM Care Homes Dementia Friendly Service!

Like the secular Medical Model, the biblical approach has a standard definition of dementia: decreased mental capabilities such as memory loss, inability to think abstractly, impaired decision-making, and the inability to communicate normally. The biblical approach values the contributions of physicians and considers dementia a medical condition that should be managed by a physician.

In addition, the biblical approach recognizes that people with dementia and their loved ones need counseling based on biblical truth. A biblical counselor is advised to take a personal interest in a counselee with dementia and visit frequently, be sensitive to spiritual needs, and encourage him or her from Scripture.

Many Christian families may choose to care for their loved one at home rather than send them to a nursing home, if possible. We see an application of this in 1 Timothy 2:3-16, a passage that focuses on the treatment of widows. The apostle Paul says that widows first need to provide for themselves or remarry. If this isnt possible, then the family is to help. Finally, if the family is unable to help, then the church would provide for her needs including proper housing, clothing, and food.

Howard fondly remembers an encouraging incident before his fathers death. His father told him, Kid, Id be in an awful fix if it werent for you. Thank you. Then a blank stare returned to his eyes.

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Embracing Your Role As A Spouse

As a spouse, you have three roles to playa friend, a partner, and a lover. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Pastor Kevin A. Thompson explores those different roles and challenges you to live them out by investing emotionally, physically, and mentally in your relationship. As friends, he suggests we learn to play and laugh together. As partners, he equips us with solid ways to handle conflict and communication. As lovers, he offers some thoughts on how to bring back the sizzle. He shares five keys to saving your marriage: humility, respect, mercy, communication, and resilience. Youll be encouraged to intentionally invest in your marriage.

What To Do When You’re Not Okay

Life can be pretty stressful. Between work, relationships, and other obligations, the pressure builds, and we lose sight of who we are. Counselor Debra Fileta helps you better understand your emotions, assess your mental, physical, and spiritual health, and intentionally pursue a path to wellbeing. In dealing with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks, Debra understands the importance of self-examination as well as the benefits of seeking professional help. She offers biblically-based advice, tools, and encouragement to help you get on a path toward healing and wholeness.

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How To Progress Through A Bible Passage

These Bible studies are designed to go verse by verse, sometimes almost word by word, to avoid tackling too big of a chunk of text. If any of your participants are able to read, ask them to read aloud be prepared to stop them at the point where you want to start discussing .

For many passages, Ive included a bit of background information, for two reasons:

  • Some participants may not be Bible believers, but they are interested in the Bible as a historical document. Tying in ancient customs, notes about when and where the text was written, the biography of the writer, etc., makes this time more interesting to them. You want anyone and everyone to feel welcome in the group.
  • You can use this background info to set up the story for example, Marys situation before she proclaimed her Magnificat.
  • As you go through the study questions, feel free to repeat the verse just before asking the question:

    • The priest passed by on the other side of the road. So what did the priest do? Why do you think he did that?

    But dont be too quick to answer questions yourself remember, this time is about interacting on a personal level, not didactic teaching.

    • You know, thank you for those thoughts, John, and Im wondering who else has a thought about what a shepherd is like? What does a shepherd actually do?

    What Does The Bible Say About Alzheimers Disease

    What Does The Bible Say About Alzheimer Disease
    We have to place trust and hope in our Heavenly Father.

    The Bible presents growing old as a normal process, but what about the realities of the aging process that so many adults face today, including dementia and Alzheimers disease? Among the most troubling aspects of growing old is the frequency of senile dementia as human life span increases.

    According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, one in ten people age 65 and older have Alzheimers disease and about one-third of people age 85 and older have Alzheimers disease. It seems eminently unfair that people so afflicted should be robbed of their intellectual, emotional and social vitality while their physical bodies continue to survive. Alzheimers disease is a particularly hard pill to swallow because the cause is unknown and it does not seem to be related to any particularly bad health habits. While progression of Alzheimers can be stalled, in part, but continued active involvement in mind-stimulating and physical activity, progression of the disease is nevertheless inexorable.

    We all know someone, or of someone who is mentally degenerating. Also, we all know of one or more families who are facing years of long-term debilitating care for a loved one who is losing his or her mind. The only passage in the Bible that has to do directly with dementia is found in Ecclesiastes 12:1-8:

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    Loving Your Spouse Through The Seasons Of Marriage

    Debra Fileta has identified the four seasons of marriage that correspond with our natural seasons spring , summer , fall , and winter . In this interview, she will help couples better understand the four seasons of healthy relationships, what to expect during each one, and how to carefully navigate them for a stronger marriage.

    What Can We Do

    With these biblical truths in mind, what can we as the church do to show honor, love, and respect to our forgetful and confused neighbors and family members? How can we specifically treat these members of our body with dignity? How can we help support the spiritual lives of people living with dementia?

    We first need to recognize that people with Alzheimers have a range of needs that we can help address, whether emotional , physical , or financial .

    People with AD also have spiritual needs. They need activities and disciplines that maintain their connection to their church family and remind them of Gods grace, love, and care. They need meaningful activity and a sense of purpose. For Christians with AD, this can be found in the biblical practices that the church has relied upon for centuries. When you visit or spend time with someone who has dementia, consider doing some of these things:

    Pray: Pray for people with Alzheimers and offer to pray with the person you know who has Alzheimers. It can be helpful to use well-known prayers, such as the Lords Prayer, because these have been repeated many times and draw on different memory systems that are relatively spared in dementia.

    Sing: Many people with Alzheimers connect with music. Familiar songs and hymns can be used to help people remember Gods goodness and faithfulness.

    Show love: Above all things, find opportunities to show love. Show kindness. Tell them they are loved and valued. Show appropriate affection.

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    A Good Way To Show Respect For The Dignity Of Those With Dementia Is To Understand How They See The World And See Things As They See Them

    When my mother in her dementia thought I was my dad, my response was not to correct and belittle her but to say I love you, Lois. I spoke the truth and she was affirmed. We must also show respect by providing for their physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs even though it may be difficult to understand what they are.

    What Does The Bible Say About Mental Health

    Jesus Heals Dementia and Alzheimers

    The mental health topic is a challenging topic to discuss because of the millions of lives that are affected by mental illnesses every year. NAMI, which is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, reported that in the United States over 46 million people are plagued by mental illnesses each year. This is 1 out of 5 adults.

    Additionally, NAMI also reported that 1 out of 25 adults in the U.S. suffer from serious mental illnesses. This costs America over $190 billion in lost earnings per year. These are staggering numbers. However, the statistics are even more distressing than you might think. NAMI reported that mental health disorders are seen in over 90% of all deaths by suicide. In 2015 Elizabeth Reisinger Walker, Robin E. McGee, and Benjamin G. Druss conducted a study that was published on JAMA Psychiatry.

    This study revealed that roughly 8 million deaths each year are linked to mental health conditions. What does the Bible say about mental health? How should we treat Christians struggling with mental health disorders? My goal is to assist those who are battling these issues by proposing helpful, biblical, and practical solutions.

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    The Power Of Gospel During Alzheimers

    God calls us to remember him in the midst of our difficulty, and I wanted to help people remember God in the midst of the confusing and sometimes terrifying journey of Alzheimers. But, even more importantly, I wanted to remind people that even when we forget, God never will. God is always present and he will never forget us.

    In reading the scriptures and listening to families tell their stories of faith in dementia, I was amazed at how lovingly near God can be in the midst of Alzheimers. God shows his grace in dementia in a variety of ways, when:

    • A husband, deep into dementia, who in a moment of clarity thanks his wife for taking such good care of him
    • Gods reminder that understands us, even when no one else can
    • A husband and wife seeking to live out Colossians 3:17 in the midst of dementia and its behavioral challenges
    • Gods unfailing promise to never forget us and to remain faithful, even when we can do neither
    • A daughter who feels the comfort of the Lord, knowing that God will be with her mother, even in the nursing home
    • An older woman, though confused and often angry, finds peace and connection with God through an old hymn

    Nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even Alzheimers and all the challenges that it brings. No matter how hard it gets, we are never alone.

    If you are dealing with Alzheimers or another dementia today, I wrote this book for you. I pray these things for you that you might overflow with hope in the promises of God.

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