The disease causes confusion and progressive memory loss and may harm the affected person’s ability to communicate and respond to their environment. Still, it seems that two elements — music and faith — can bring them comfort. 

 

Enrique Mendoza, a parishioner in St. Mary Parish in Elgin, recalls how music and faith have helped his mother-in-law.

 

“My 89-year-old mother-in-law sometimes doesn’t recognize by name her own family.  She doesn’t know how old she (is), and she has forgotten many aspects of her life. Recently she had COVID.

 

“Amusingly, during her worst night being sick with the virus, she grabbed a paper very tight in her hand. She didn’t let anyone remove it and kept holding it tight during the whole night. Next day, we realized that she was hiding in her fist an image of the Infant Jesus of Prague. 

 

“She has always had a huge devotion for Him, and she showed that she continues having a strong faith in Him regardless of her advanced stage of Alzheimer’s. Eventually, she recovered from COVID,” Mendoza said.  

 

What To Do in Church

 

Going to Mass could be a challenge for people with the illness, the caregivers and for churchgoers. 

 

For instance, a person in the early to medium stage of Alzheimer’s may not follow the steps of the rituals at Mass or may stand when they should be seated or kneeling.  The person may speak inappropriately during the Mass or have difficulty connecting with the celebration. 

 

In these situations, parishioners are called to exercise their Catholic values with kindness and compassion. Offering to assist the family with caregiving, shopping or prayer visits can be a wonderful act of charity. Sharing your family story with fellow parishioners and your pastor can also help.

“Sometimes elderly people come to me asking for a blessing, then turn around and minutes later come back asking again for a blessing, like they haven’t received yet. I understand them and give them the blessing again,” said Father Juan Arciniegas of Sacred Heart Parish in Aurora.

 

When it is time to receive holy Communion, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops recommends that for those “baptized Catholics who have been regular communicants” and are affected by Alzheimer’s, “Holy Communion should continue to be offered as long as possible, and ministers are called to carry out their ministry with a special patience.” 

 

“And for those who are confined or have difficulty swallowing, “decisions… (are) to be made on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with the individual, those closest to him or her, physicians, and the pastor.” 

 

It is important to realize that Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging. The number of people in the U.S. affected by the disease is projected to be close to 14 million by 2060. While there is no cure for the disease, there are treatments to delay the progression of the disease and greatly improve a person’s quality of life.

 

Early diagnosis, awareness and education on Alzheimer’s disease can help the patient, their families and their caregivers make better plans for disease management.

 

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America encourages people to use social media to spread the word by sharing facts, found at  https://lighttheworldinteal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Facts-About-Alzheimers-Disease-FINAL-1.pdf. Other activities are available at https://alzfdn.org/.