Kumpatsa Ulemu Wodwalayo
MASIKU aŵiri Sally asanapite ndi mwamuna wake kukaonana ndi dokotala wazamaganizo, ku South Africa kunachitika chisankho cha nduna yaikulu yaboma yatsopano. Ndiye pamene dokotalayo anafunsa Alfie mmene chisankho chinachitikira, iyeyo anangomuyang’ana ngati sanamve ndipo sanathe kuyankha. Ndiyeno, dokotalayo atatha kupima ubongo, ananena mwansontho, kuti: “Munthuyi sangathe kuphatikiza 2 ndi 2. Palibenso zaubongo apa!” Kenaka anamuuza Sally kuti: “Muyambe kusunga ndalama. Mwamuna ameneyu angakuukireni ndi kukhala wachiŵaŵa.”
“Kutalitali!” Sally anatsutsa, “osati mwamuna wa ine!” Kutsutsa kwa Sally kunali koona; Alfie sanamchitirepo chiŵaŵa, ngakhale kuti ena odwala matenda a Alzheimer (AD) amakhaladi aukali. (Kaŵirikaŵiri zimenezo zimachitika chifukwa chakuipidwa, koma kuipidwako mungakuthetse malingana ndi mmene mukuchitira ndi munthuyo wodwala AD.) Ngakhale kuti dokotala uja anakhozadi kulitulukira vuto la Alfie, nzachionekere kuti sanadziŵe kuti anayenera kumpatsabe ulemu wodwalayo. Anangofunikira kumtengera pambali Sally nkumfotokozera mmene Alfie analili basi.
Buku lakuti When I grow Too Old to Dream, limati: “Chinthu chofunika kwambiri kuchitira anthu odwala nthenda ina yowononga ubongo ndicho kuwapatsa ulemu, kuwalemekeza, ndi kuwapangitsa kudzipatsa okha ulemu.” Bungwe la Alzheimer’s Disease Society la ku London, linafotokoza uphungu wabwino m’chikalata cha Communication, ponena za njira yofunika yompatsira ulemu wodwalayo, kuti: “Osamawanena [anthu odwala AD] pamaso pa anthu ena ngati kuti iwowo palibe. Ngakhale kuti iwo samamvetsetsa, koma angazindikire kuti akupatulidwa mwa njira ina ndipo angachite manyazi.”
Zoonadi nzakuti anthu ena odwala AD amazindikira zimene ena akunena za iwo. Mwachitsanzo, wodwala wina wa ku Australia anapita ndi mkazi wake kumsonkhano wa bungwe la oona za odwala matenda a Alzheimer. Nthaŵi ina iye anadzati: “Anali kulangiza anthu odwazika matenda zimene ayenera kuchita ndiponso kachitidwe kake. Zinandidabwitsa kuti ngakhale kuti ndinali pompo koma palibe amene anali kukamba za wodwalane. . . . Nzokhumudwitsa kwambiri. Chifukwa chakuti ine ndikudwala matenda a Alzheimer, zimene ndinganene nzopanda pake: palibe wozisamala.”
Khalani ndi Chidaliro
Pali njira zambiri zodalirika zothandizira kupatsa ulemu anthu odwalawo. Iwo angafune kuthandizidwa kuchitabe ntchito zatsiku ndi tsiku zimene kale anali kuzichita mosavuta. Mwachitsanzo, ngati kale anali okonda kulemba makalata, ndiye mwina mungakhale nawo pansi nkumawathandiza kuyankha makalata a mabwenzi owakonda. Sharon Fish, m’buku lake lakuti Alzheimer’s—Caring for Your Loved One, Caring for Yourself, anafotokoza njira zina zabwino zothandizira anthu odwala AD, kuti: “Pezani zinthu zina zopindulitsa koma zosavuta kuti muzichite nonse: kutsuka mbale ndi kuzipukuta, kusesa, kulongedza zovala, kuphika zakudya.” Ndiyeno anafotokozanso kuti: “Munthu wodwala matenda a Alzheimer sangathe kusesa nyumba yonse kapena kuphika zakudya zonse, komabe kulephera kwake kuchita zinthu nkwapang’onopang’ono. Mungagwiritsire ntchito maluso amene munthuyo adakali nawobe ndi kumthandiza kuwasungabe kwa nthaŵi yaitali. Pamene mukuchita zimenezo, mukhala mukumthandizanso mnansi wanuyo kudzipatsa ulemu.”
Munthu wodwala AD ntchito zina sangazichitedi bwino, choncho mwina mungafunikire kusesanso m’nyumbamo kapena kuzitsukanso mbalezo. Komabe, mukamamthandiza wodwalayo kudzimva kuti ngwofunika, mukhala mukumthandizanso kukhutira ndi moyo. Muyamikirenibe ngakhale ngati ntchito yake sili bwino kwenikweni. Kumbukirani kuti wachita zimene iye angathe. Anthu odwala AD amafuna kuwalimbikitsa ndi kuwayamikira nthaŵi zonse—makamaka pamene akumka nalephera pang’onopang’ono kuchita zinthu izi ndi izi. A Kathy, omwe mwamuna wawo wazaka 84 ali ndi nthenda ya AD, anati: “Pamphindi iliyonse—mosayembekezera, wodwalayo amalefuka chifukwa choganiza kuti ngopanda ntchito. Munthu wodwazika matendayo afunikira kumtonthoza msanga mwa kumlimbikitsa wodwalayo kuti ‘akuchita bwino.’” Buku lakuti Failure-Free Activities for the Alzheimer’s Patient limavomereza kuti: “Tonsefe timafuna kumva kuti tikuchita bwino, ndipo zimenezi nzofunika kwambiri kwa anthu odwala nthenda yowononga ubongo.”
Mmene Mungachitire ndi Khalidwe Lochititsa Manyazi
Anthu odwazika matenda ayenera kuphunzira mmene angachitire ndi mnansi wawoyo akamachita zinthu zopangitsa manyazi. China mwa zinthu zimene amaopa kwambiri nchakuti wodwalayo azingovutitsa pakati pa anthu. Dr. Gerry Bennett, m’buku lake lakuti Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Confusional States, anati: “Zimenezo sizimachitikachitika ndipo kaŵirikaŵiri mungaziletse kapena kuzichepetsa. Munthu wodwazika matendayo ayenera kuzindikira chimene chili chofunika kwambiri kuchita, popeza kuti choyenera kumdetsa nkhaŵa si zimene wodwalayo akuchita kapena zimene anthu oonawo angaganize, koma ayenera kusamala kuti wodwalayo asataye ulemu wake.”
Ngati zinthu zochititsa manyazi zonga zimenezo zachitika, musamkalipire wodwalayo. M’malo mwake, tayesani kumvera uphunguwu: “Ingodekhani, musavutike maganizo ndipo kumbukirani kuti wodwalayo sakuchita dala kukupsetsani mtima. Ndiponso, odwalawo angakugonjereni kwambiri ngati mukulankhula nawo mwaulemu ndi motsimikiza koma osati mutapsa mtima ndipo mutanyansidwa. Chitani chilichonse chimene mungathe kuti musalole vutolo kukudanitsani ndi wodwalayo.”—Chikalata chauphungu chakuti Incontinence, cha bungwe la Alzheimer’s Disease Society la ku London.
Kodi Amafunikiradi Kuwongoleredwa?
Nthaŵi zambiri anthu odwala AD amanena zinthu zolakwika. Mwachitsanzo, angatero kuti akuyembekezera kulandira wachibale wina koma yemwe anafa kalekale. Kapena angamaone zideruderu, kungoona zinthu m’maganizo mwawo basi. Kodi nkoyenera nthaŵi zonse kumuwongolera munthu wodwala nthenda ya AD ngati wanena mawu olakwika?
Robert Woods, m’buku lake lakuti Alzheimer’s Disease—Coping With a Living Death, anafotokoza kuti: “Pali makolo ena amene samatha kudziletsa kuwongolera mwana wawo ngati walephera kutchula bwino mawu kapena ngati walakwitsa kulankhula. . . . Ndiyeno mwanayo amangosunga mkwiyo kukhosi kapena amangokhala chete chifukwa akati ayese kulankhula za m’maganizo mwake amatsutsidwa, m’malo moyamikiridwa. Munthu wodwala AD naye angamve chimodzimodzi ngati amangowongoleredwa nthaŵi zonse.” Baibulo limalangiza za njira yochitira ndi ana, kuti: “Atate inu, musaputa ana anu, kuti angataye mtima.” (Akolose 3:21) Ngati ana angataye mtima chifukwa chowongoleredwa nthaŵi ndi nthaŵi, nanga zili bwanji ndi munthu wachikulire! Chikalata cha ARDA Newsletter cha ku South Africa chinati: “Kumbukirani kuti munthu wodwalayo nthaŵi ina anali munthu wodzidalira ndipo wodzichitira zinthu.” Munthu wodwala AD mutamamuwongolera nthaŵi zonse si kuti zimenezo zidzangomunyansa komanso zidzapangitsa kuvutika maganizo ndi kukhala wandewu.
Osamala anthu odwala AD angaphunzireponso kwa Yesu Kristu phunziro limene lingawathandize podwazika matenda. Iye sanali kuwongolera nthaŵi yomweyo chilichonse chimene ophunzira ake analakwa. Kunena zoona, nthaŵi zina iye anali kuwabisira chidziŵitso china chifukwa iwo anali asanafike poti angachimvetsetse. (Yohane 16:12, 13) Ngati Yesu anakomera mtima anthu osadwala, ndiye kuti nafenso tiyenera kufunitsitsa kuchita mwachifundo ndi achikulire odwala kwambiri akamanena zinthu zosamveka bwino komabe zosakhumudwitsa. Kuyesetsa kumpangitsa wodwalayo kuzindikira zimene iye akulakwitsa kungakhale kumyembekezera—kapena kumlamula—kuchita zinthu zimene sangathe. M’malo mokangana naye, bwanji osangokhala chete kapena kusintha nkhaniyo mwanzeru?—Afilipi 4:5.
Nthaŵi zina, chinthu chachikondi kwambiri chingakhale kuyerekezera kuti inunso mukuziona zideruderu zimene wodwalayo akuona m’malo moyesa kumtsimikizira kuti zinthuzo palibe. Mwachitsanzo, wodwala nthenda ya AD angavutike maganizo chifukwa “choona” nyama ina yakuthengo kapena munthu ataima kuseli kwa makatani. Imeneyo si nthaŵi yoyesa kumpangitsa kuganiza bwino. Kumbukirani kuti zimene “akuona” m’maganizo mwake kwa iyeyo nzenizeni, ndipo akuchitadi mantha, pafunikira kuti muthetse mantha akewo. Mwina mungafunikire kusuzumira kuseli kwa chitsekocho ndiyeno nkunena kuti, “mukamuonanso mundiuze, kuti ndikuthandizeni.” Madokotala Oliver ndi Bock, m’buku lawo lakuti Coping With Alzheimer’s: A Caregiver’s Emotional Survival Guide, anafotokoza kuti mukamachita mogwirizana ndi maganizo a wodwalayo, mukhala mukumthandiza “kulimba mtima poona zideruderu zimene amaziona m’maganizo ake. . . . Amadziŵa kuti angakudalireni.”
“Timakhumudwa Tonse pa Zinthu Zambiri”
Kugwiritsira ntchito malingaliro onse amene tatchulawa kungakhale kovuta, makamaka kwa amene ali ndi ntchito yaikulu limodzi ndi maudindo ena apabanja. Munthu wodwazika matenda a AD nthaŵi zina anganyansidwe mpaka nkulephera kumpatsa ulemu wodwalayo. Zimenezo zitangochitika, nkofunika kuti musadziimbe mlandu mopambanitsa. Kumbukirani kuti chifukwa cha mtundu wa matendawo, wodwalayo angaiŵale msanga zimene zachitika.
Ndiponso, wolemba Baibulo Yakobo analemba kuti: “Timakhumudwa tonse pa zinthu zambiri. Munthu akapanda kukhumudwa pa mawu, iye ndiye munthu wangwiro.” (Yakobo 3:2) Popeza kuti palibe munthu wodwazika matenda yemwe ali wangwiro, tingayembekezere kulakwitsako pochita ntchito yovuta yosamala munthu wodwala AD. M’nkhani yotsatira, tikambitsirana zinthu zina zimene zinathandiza anthu odwazika matenda kupirira—ndipo ngakhale kusangalala—posamala munthu wodwala nthenda ya AD.
[Mawu Otsindika patsamba 17]
Odwala amamva bwino akamalimbikitsidwa ndi kuyamikiridwa nthaŵi zonse
[Mawu Otsindika patsamba 17]
‘Wodwalayo angazindikire zimene mukunena. Choncho osamanena za mkhalidwe wake kapena kunena zokhumudwitsa pamene muli pafupi ndi kama wake’
[Bokosi patsamba 14]
Kodi Muyenera Kumuuza Wodwalayo?
ANTHU ambiri odwazika matenda amathedwa nzeru kuti kaya amuuze wokondedwa wawoyo kuti akudwala nthenda ya Alzheimer (AD) kapena kuti asamuuze. Ngati inuyo mwasankha kumuuza wanuyo, mungamuuze bwanji ndiponso liti? M’chikalata cha bungwe la South African Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Association munali mawu ena osangalatsa ochokera kwa woŵerenga wina:
“Mwamuna wanga wakhala akudwala nthenda ya Alzheimer kwa zaka zisanu ndi ziŵiri. Pano ali ndi zaka 81, ndipo ndikuyamikira kuti kuwonongeka kwa thanzi lake kukuchitika pang’onopang’ono kwambiri . . . Kwa nthaŵi yaitali ndakhala ndikuganiza kuti kumuuza kuti akudwala nthenda ya Alzheimer kungamkhumudwitse, ndiye tinkangokhala choncho, tikumayendera mawu ake ‘odzikhululukira’ akuti: ‘Munthu wazaka 80 sangachitire mwina ayi!’”
Kenaka woŵerengayo anatchula buku lina limene linalangiza kuti wodwalayo ayenera kuuzidwa mwachifundo ndipo mosavuta za nthenda yomwe ali nayo. Koma mayiyo sanamuuze wakeyo poopa kuti kumvera uphungu umenewo kukanamkhumudwitsa mwamuna wake.
Anadzapitiriza kuti: “Kenaka tsiku lina mwamuna wanga anandiuza kuti ankaopa kukhala chitsiru pakati pa mabwenzi ake. Mwayi wanga unali womwewo! Choncho (mwamantha) ndinagwada pansi pambali pake nkumuuza kuti anali ndi nthenda ya Alzheimer. Zoonadi, zinamvuta zedi kumvetsetsa zimenezo, koma ndinamfotokozera kuti inali nthenda imene inali kumlepheretsa kuchita zinthu [zimene] kale anali kuzichita mosavuta, ndi kutinso inali kumpangitsa kuiŵala zinthu. Ndinamsonyeza mizera iŵiri yamawu a m’brosha lanu lakuti Alzheimer’s: We can’t Ignore It Anymore: mawu akuti, ‘nthenda ya Alzheimer imawononga ubongo ikumachititsa munthu kuiŵala zinthu ndipo imawononga kwambiri maganizo . . . Iyo ili nthenda ndipo OSATI KANTHU KOKHUDZANA NDI UKALAMBA.’ Ndinamlimbikitsanso kuti mabwenzi ake ankadziŵa kuti iye ali ndi nthendayo ndiye anali kumvetsetsa. Mwamuna wangayo anakhala chete kwa kanthaŵi, ndiyeno nkudzati: ‘Mwachita bwino kundiuza! Ndithudi zimathandiza!’ Mukhoza kuyerekezera mmene ndinamvera pamene ndinaona kuti kudziŵa kwake zimenezo kunammasula zedi!
“Ndiyeno tsopano, nthaŵi ina iliyonse akamaoneka ngati akufuna kuipidwa ndi kanthu kena, ndimamkupatira ndi kumuuza kuti ‘Kumbukirani kuti sindinu ayi. Nthenda yonyansa ija ya Alzheimer ndiyo ikukuvutitsani,’ ndipo nthaŵi yomweyo amadekha.”
Nzoonadi kuti matenda onse a AD samafanana. Ndiponso, mmene anthu odwazika matenda amachitira ndi odwala awo amasiyanasiyana. Choncho, kaya mukufuna kumuuza mnansi wanu kuti akudwala AD kapena kusamuuza, zili ndi inu.
[Bokosi patsamba 16]
Kodi Ilidi Nthenda ya Alzheimer?
NGATI munthu wachikulire wasokonezeka maganizo kwambiri, musafulumire kuganiza kuti mwina ali ndi nthenda ya Alzheimer (AD). Zinthu zambiri, monga kufedwa, kusamuka mwadzidzidzi, kapena matenda ena, zingachititse munthu wachikulire kusokonezeka. Kaŵirikaŵiri anthu achikulire akasokonezeka maganizo kwambiri, nkotheka kuwakhazika mtima pansi.
Ngakhale kwa anthu odwala AD, kuwonda msanga, ngakhalenso kudzikodzera, si kuti kumachititsidwa ndi nthenda ya AD yoononga ubongo. AD imayamba pang’onopang’ono. Buku lakuti Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Confusional States, limati: “Kunyentchera kwadzidzidzi kaŵirikaŵiri kumatanthauza kuti munthuyo akumva ululu waukulu (chifukwa mwina m’chifuŵa kapena mumkodzo mwaloŵa matenda). Anthu oŵerengeka odwala [AD] amaonekadi kuti akunyentchera msangamsanga . . . Komabe kwa ambiri, kunyentchera kumachitika pang’onopang’ono ndithu, makamaka ngati munthuyo akusamalidwa bwino ndiponso ngati anafulumira kupatsidwa mankhwala amphamvu.” Anthu ena odwala AD akamadzikodzera limakhala lili vuto lochiritsika. Chikalata cha Incontinence, cholembedwa ndi bungwe la Alzheimer’s Disease Society of London, chinati: “Chinthu choyamba kuchita ndicho kukaonana ndi [dokotala].”
[Zithunzi patsamba 15]
Kuthandiza odwala nthenda ya Alzheimer pantchito za tsiku ndi tsiku kumawapangitsa kudzisungira ulemu wawo