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Wednesday 26 May 2010

Senile Dementia vs Wine/Beer Drinking

I just had an interesting conversation with an old lady of 70+ years. She said she dreaded the old-age disease Senile Dementia. She believed that by drinking wine & beer nightly she would thwart the onslaught of the dreaded disease. She said she does this practically every night - drinking at a coffee-shop at Bukit Merah Road & then taking a taxi back to her home (condo-unit) near Kheam Hock Road at Bukit Timah. She calculated that her total expenditure per night will be about $50 which totaled up to about $1500 p.m. She considers this amount worth spending vis-a-vis the amount that would be incurred if she will be striken down with Senile Dementia. To her simple mind the cost of hospitalisation, medical costs, etc to treat dementia will rachet to thousands of dollars if not ten thousands. She said her eye-sight and hearing are failing. She also said her children encouraged her to visit the Casinos but she was put off by the Levy. I admire her for her simple philisophy and wish her all the best in her Golden Years!!!!

2 comments:

Patrick Kee said...

It is utter folly! Her drinking will most likely lead to brain damage and to dementia. She should seek medical attention for her failing eye sight and hearing instead of wasting her money on alcohol! Being blind and deaf will also cause her to be isolated just as much as having dementia.
It is not a simple philosophy but simplistic thinking that will lead to the woes of old age that she fear will come to pass.

Koh said...

Most elders will stick to simplimstic thinking & rationalising just to cope with the pressures of living. I am sure her own physician & children will have counsel her of what is best for her.