Kuxi si Le Dɔnɔdzikpɔkpɔ Me

“MEDINA ɣeaɖewoɣi be masi le enu. Gake ɣemaɣie wòhiã nye kpekpeɖeŋu wu. Metsia yaa ŋutɔ ɣeaɖewoɣi.”—Jeanny, amesi kpɔ srɔ̃a si xɔ ƒe 29 dzi ɣleti 18 hafi ahɔhɔ̃ me nutete aɖe wui.a

“Danye ƒe nu vea dɔme nam ɣeaɖewoɣi, ke emegbe medoa dziku ɖe ɖokuinye ŋu. Ne nyemete ŋu kpɔ nɔnɔmea gbɔ nyuie o la, metsɔnɛ be ɖe medo kpo nu.”—Rose si xɔ ƒe 59 eye wòkpɔ dadaa nyagãɖeɖi si xɔ ƒe 90 hetsi aba dzi la dzi.

Ne wose be dɔléle sesẽ alo dɔlémadɛ aɖe dze ame dzi la, ƒometɔwo kple xɔlɔ̃wo tɔtɔna. Jeanne Munn Bracken gblɔ ɖe Children With Cancer me be: “Ne wokpɔ dɔlélea ko la, ƒometɔ ɖesiaɖe tsia yaa. Ðewohĩ womenya ame bubu aɖeke si hã dzi nya sia dzɔ ɖo o.” Azɔ zi geɖe la, “woluluna eye womexɔnɛ sena o,” abe alesi wòdzɔ ɖe Elsa dzi ene esi wòse be dɔdzẽ lé exɔlɔ̃ vevi Betty si xɔ ƒe 36. Sue ƒe dɔme “tsra vevie” esi wòva nya be dɔdzẽ ye nɔ ye fofo wum.

Ðewohĩ vlavo ko ƒometɔwo kple xɔlɔ̃wo akpɔe be ele be yewoazu dɔnɔgbɔnɔlawo—yewoakpɔ dɔnɔa ƒe ŋutilã kple seselelãme nuhiahiãwo gbɔ. Ðewohĩ ahiã be woaɖa nuɖuɖu nyuiwo, woakpɔ egbɔ be ezã atikeawo, woawɔ ɖoɖo ɖe ekɔkɔ yi kɔdzi ŋu, axɔ amesiwo vaa dɔnɔa gbɔ, woaŋlɔ dɔnɔa ƒe lɛtawo, kple nu gbogbo bubu geɖewo. Zi geɖe la, esiawo katã va kpena ɖe dɔ gbogbo siwo li xoxo la ŋu.

Gake ne dɔlélea le sesẽm ɖe edzi la, nenemae dzikpɔkpɔdɔa hã sesẽnae. Nukawoe esia ate ŋu abia? Elsa si xɔlɔ̃ Betty tsi aba dzi la gblɔ be: “Nusianu! Tsilele kple nuɖuɖu dodo nɛ, egbɔkpɔkpɔ ne eɖe xe, eƒe aɖuɖɔ tsɔtsɔ ƒu gbe.” Kathy nɔa dɔ me ŋkeke bliboa katã, gake ele be wòakpɔ dada si dze dɔ hã dzi. Sue si míeyɔ do ŋgɔ gblɔ be “medzidzea [fofonye ƒe] lãmedzoxɔxɔ aɖabaƒoƒo blaetɔ̃ ɖesiaɖe heŋlɔnɛ dana ɖi, metsɔa tsi tutua ŋuti nɛ ne eƒe lãme xɔ dzo, eye meɖɔa li eƒe awu kple abadzivɔ gaƒoƒo ʋee ɖesiaɖe.”

Ne amesiwo le dɔnɔa dzi kpɔm li nyuie la, nenemae woalé be nɛ nyuie. Gake zi geɖe la, womeléa ŋku ɖe dɔnɔdzikpɔlawo ƒe seselelãmewo kple nuhiahiãwo ŋu o. Ne dɔnɔa dzi kpɔkpɔ naa dzime kple abɔ vea ame ɣesiaɣi la, ke asesẽ ŋutɔ. Gake abe alesi dɔnɔdzikpɔla akpa gãtɔ aɖo kpe edzii ene la, seselelãme gome koŋ ye wokpea fu le.

“Ena Ŋu Kpem Ŋutɔ”

The Journals of Gerontology gblɔ be: “Wokpɔnɛ le numekukuwo me enuenu alesi [dɔnɔ ƒe] amenuɖiaɖia kple amedzudzu vea amee.” Le kpɔɖeŋu me, Gillian gblɔ nusi dzɔ esi exɔlɔ̃ aɖe gblɔ nɛ le Kristotɔwo ƒe kpekpe me be yeava do gbe na dadaa tsitsia. Gillian gblɔ nublanuitɔe be: “Ðeko Danye kpɔe dũ meke nu o. Ena ŋu kpem ŋutɔ eye avi ʋẽ ɖem.”

Joan si srɔ̃ ƒe tagbɔ gblẽ la gblɔ be: “Eteƒe menya kpɔna kura o.” Eɖe eme be: “Ewɔe be megaléa eɖokui le naneke wɔwɔ me o. Ne mía kple ame bubuwo míele nuɖuɖudzraƒe le nu ɖum la, etsona ɣeaɖewoɣi yia kplɔ̃ bubuwo ŋu, etsɔa jam la heɖɔnɛ kpɔ, emegbe etsɔa gatsi si wòzã la gadea jam-tukpa la me. Ne míeyi aƒelikawo gbɔ la, ete ŋu ɖea ta ɖe mɔƒome le aƒea me. Bubu be ɖewohĩ ame bubuwo le nu ƒom le nɔnɔme siawo ŋu eye ɖewohĩ woagblɔ be agbe menyo nɛ kura o menya ɖena le susu me o. Etena ɖe dzinye vevie.”

“Mevɔ̃na be ne Míekpɔ Nyuie O La . . .”

Lɔlɔ̃tɔ si dze dɔ vevie dzi kpɔkpɔ ate ŋu ana woavɔ̃ ŋutɔ. Ne dɔlélea le sesẽm la, edzikpɔla ate ŋu anɔ vɔvɔ̃m na nusi ava dzɔ—anɔ vɔvɔ̃m na eƒe lɔlɔ̃tɔa ƒe kuku gɔ̃ hã. Ate ŋu avɔ̃ hã be ŋusẽ alo ŋutete manɔ ye ŋu yeakpɔ dɔnɔa ƒe nuhiahiãwo gbɔ o.

Elsa gblɔ nusita wòvɔ̃na ɖo be: “Mevɔ̃na be mava wɔ nuvevi Betty, esi agadzi eƒe vevesese ɖe edzi alo be mava wɔ nane si ana wòaku kaba.”

Ɣeaɖewoɣi la, nusiwo doa vɔvɔ̃ na dɔnɔa kee doa vɔvɔ̃ na dɔnɔdzikpɔla la hã. Sue ʋu eme be: “Fofonye vɔ̃na ŋutɔ be gbɔgbɔtsixe ava tsi ye ƒo, eye dzidzi ƒonɛ vevie ɣeaɖewoɣi. Mevɔ̃na be ne míekpɔ nyuie o la, gbɔgbɔtsixe atsi eƒo eye wòavɔ̃ atso eme.”

“Ðewohĩ Alesi Wonɔ Tsã Ana Nàxa Nu”

Caring for the Person With Dementia gblɔ be: “Amesiwo le lɔlɔ̃tɔ si dzi dɔlémadɛ aɖe dze dzi kpɔm la xaa nu godoo. Ne dɔlélea le sesẽm la, wò zɔhɛa ate ŋu agblẽ wò ɖi eye kadodo vevi ma abu ɖewò. Ðewohĩ alesi wonɔ tsã ana nàxa nu.”

Jennifer gblɔ alesi dadaa ƒe lãmegbegblẽ te ɖe ƒomea dzii be: “Eve mí ŋutɔ. Megate ŋu ɖoa eƒe dze viviwo na mí o. Míelé blanui vevie.” Gillian ɖe eme be: “Nyemedi be danye naku o, eye nyemedi be wòakpe fu hã o. Mefa avi kakaka.”

“Metsɔnɛ be ɖe Wògbem, Dɔme Venam”

Ðewohĩ dɔnɔdzikpɔla abia be: ‘Dzinye ko wòadzɔ ɖoa? Nukata ame bubuwo makpe ɖe ŋunye o? Ðe womekpɔe be ewu tsɔtsɔ nam oa? Dɔnɔa hã ɖe, mase nu gɔme nam vie oa?’ Ɣeaɖewoɣi ne edze be dɔnɔa kple ƒometɔ bubuwo le dɔ ɖom na dɔnɔdzikpɔla akpa la, dzi ate ŋu akui vevie. Rose si míeyɔ gbã la gblɔ be: “Medoa dziku ɖe ɖokuinye ŋu zi geɖe—le ememe. Gake Danye be edzena le mo nam.”

Dɔnɔa ŋutɔ ƒe dziɖeleameƒo kple dzikudodo ate ŋu azu agba na amesi le edzi kpɔm. Ðk. Ernest Rosenbaum ɖe eme ɖe agbalẽ si nye Living With Cancer me be dɔnɔ aɖewo “ate ŋu ado dziku alo alé blanui vevie ɣeaɖewoɣi ale be amesiame si ate ɖe wo ŋu la, woaɖee ɖe eŋu . . . Zi geɖe la, nya suesue aɖewo siwo ne ɖe amea medze dɔ o la anye ne makpe kpe gɔ̃ hã o ta koe wodoa dziku ɖo.” Gɔmesese le eŋu be esia ate ŋu ana nu nagati kɔ na lɔlɔ̃tɔ siwo le agbagba ɖesiaɖe dzem be yewoakpɔ dɔnɔa dzi la.

Le kpɔɖeŋu me, Maria dze agbagba alesi dze kpɔ exɔlɔ̃ si nɔ kukum la dzi. Gake ɣeaɖewoɣi la, xɔlɔ̃a ƒe dzi hona kabakaba eye susu manyomanyowo vaa tame nɛ. Maria gblɔ be: “Edzua ame vevie heɖia ame nu, si na ŋukpe léa lɔlɔ̃tɔwo.” Aleke esia kpɔ ŋusẽ ɖe Maria dzii? “Ne edzɔ teti la, mesea ‘egɔme’ na dɔnɔa. Gake ne meva bu eŋu emegbe la, metsɔnɛ be ɖe wògbem, dɔme venam, nyemeganyaa nusi mawɔ o—eye megadzroam be malɔ̃e alesi dze o.”

Numekuku aɖe si wota ɖe The Journals of Gerontology me ƒo nya ta be: “Dɔmedzoe nu te ŋu sẽna vevie le dɔnɔdzikpɔkpɔ me [eye] ɣeaɖewoɣi la, ena wosẽa ŋuta alo ɖonɛ.” Numekulaawo kpɔe be dɔnɔdzikpɔla 1 le 5 ɖesiaɖe me kloe vɔ̃na be ɖewohĩ yeava sẽ ŋuta. Eye wo dometɔ siwo wu 1 le 20 me sẽ ŋuta le woƒe dɔnɔ ŋu.

“Etena Ðe Dzinye”

Nu tena ɖe dɔnɔdzikpɔla geɖe dzi. Ɣeaɖewoɣi la, ne wodo dziku vɔ ye wòtena ɖe wo dzi—efia be etena ɖe wo dzi be yewodoa dziku ɣeaɖewoɣi. Seselelãme mawo ate ŋu awɔ fu wo ale gbegbe be woase le wo ɖokui me be agba wu yewo.

Le ame aɖewo gome la, naneke meganɔa anyi woawɔ wu be woakplɔ dɔnɔa yi dɔnɔdzikpɔƒe alo kɔdzi ne woakpɔ edzi le afima o. Esia ate ŋu anye nyametsotso sesẽ si ate ŋu aɖe fu na dɔnɔdzikpɔla la vevie. Jeanne gblɔ be: “Esi wòhiã kokoko be makplɔ Danye ayi dɔnɔdzikpɔƒee la, ɖeko wòwɔ nam abe ɖe megblẽe ɖi alo tsɔe ƒu gbe ene.”

Kɔdzie woxɔ dɔnɔa ɖo o, ate ŋu ate ɖe eƒe lɔlɔ̃tɔwo dzi be yewomele kpekpem ɖe eŋu alesi dze o. Elsa gblɔ be: “Eɖea fu nam zi geɖe be vovo mele ŋunye o. Ɣeaɖewoɣi la, xɔ̃nyea medina kura be madzo o.” Woate ŋu atsi dzi hã be yewole ƒomegbanɔamedzi bubuwo gblẽm ɖi, vevietɔ ne dɔnɔdzikpɔla la nɔa kɔdzi ɣeyiɣi didi alo ne ele be wòawɔ dɔ ɣeyiɣi geɖe wu bene wòatsɔ axe fe siwo le dzidzim ɖe edzi. Vidada aɖe fa konyi be: “Ele be mawɔ dɔ akpɔ ga míazã, gake etena ɖe dzinye elabena nyemete ŋu nɔa vinyewo gbɔ le aƒeme o.”

Edze ƒã be dɔnɔdzikpɔlawo hiã kpekpeɖeŋu geɖe, vevietɔ ne amesi dzi wokpɔ la va ku. Ðk. Fredrick Sherman si tso Huntington, New York gblɔ be: “Dɔ sesẽtɔ kekeake si nɔa dzinye [ne dɔnɔ aɖe ku megbe] . . . enye be maɖe nuteɖeamedzi ƒe seselelãme siwo dzi dɔnɔdzikpɔlawo miãa nu ɖo zi geɖe la le wo me.”

Ne womiã nu ɖe seselelãme siawo dzi la, woate ŋu agblẽ nu le dɔnɔdzikpɔla kple dɔnɔa siaa ŋu. Ke nukae amesiwo kpɔa dɔnɔwo dzi awɔ anɔ te ɖe seselelãme siawo nu? Eye nukae ame bubuwo—ƒometɔwo kple xɔlɔ̃wo—ate ŋu awɔ atsɔ akpe ɖe wo ŋu?

[Etenuŋɔŋlɔ]

[Aɖaka si le axa 5]

Migagblẽ Dɔ ɖe Wo Dzi O!

MYRNA I. LEWIS si nye nufialagã ƒe kpeɖeŋutɔ le atikewɔƒe le Mount Sinai Atikewɔsuku me le New York nutoa me gblɔ be: “Míenya be le ame tsitsiwo dzi kpɔkpɔ me le aƒeme la, nyɔnuwoe wɔa dɔa akpa 80 le alafa me.”

Numekuku aɖe si wowɔ le nyɔnu dɔnɔdzikpɔlawo ŋu wota ɖe The Journals of Gerontologyb me ɖee fia be nyɔnuawo dometɔ 61 le alafa me gblɔ be ƒometɔwo alo xɔlɔ̃wo mekpena ɖe yewo ŋu kura o. Eye wo dometɔ siwo wu afã (57.6 le alafa me) gblɔ be yewo srɔ̃wo mekpe ɖe yewo ŋu le seselelãme gome boo o. Jeanne Munn Bracken gblɔ ɖe Children With Cancer me be ne vidadaa le dɔnɔdzikpɔdɔa akpa gãtɔ wɔm la, “vifofoa made asi eme o eye wòabiã ŋku ɖe eƒe dɔ ŋu.”

Gake Ðk. Lewis gblɔ be ŋutsuwo hã wɔa dɔ geɖe le dɔnɔdzikpɔkpɔ me. Le kpɔɖeŋu me, ŋutsu siwo srɔ̃wo ŋu Alzheimer-dɔléle le la sɔ gbɔ ŋutɔ. Eye woawo medo le tukaɖa si le lɔlɔ̃tɔ si dze dɔ dzi kpɔkpɔ me la me o. Lewis yi edzi be: “Ðewohĩ ŋutsu siawo ŋue ɖeɖi ate wu elabena zi geɖe la, wonyea xoxo na wo srɔ̃wo eye ɖewohĩ lãmesẽ manɔ woa ŋutɔwo hã si o. . . . Womefia wo dometɔ akpa gãtɔ alesi woakpɔ dɔnɔ dzi ŋutɔŋutɔ o.”

Ehiã be ƒomewo nakpɔ nyuie be woagagblẽ dɔwo katã ɖe ƒomea me tɔ si te ŋu wɔa dɔwo nyuie ɖeka ko dzi o. Agbalẽ si nye Care for the Carer gblɔ be: “Zi geɖe la, ƒomea me tɔ ɖeka koŋue zua dzikpɔla, eye ɣeaɖewoɣi ekpɔa ame geɖe dzi. Amesiawo dometɔ geɖe nye nyɔnu siwo ŋutɔ hã le tsitsim. . . . Wobua nyɔnuwo hã be wonye dɔnɔdzikpɔlawo tso ‘dzɔdzɔme’ . . . , gake mele be ƒometɔwo kple xɔlɔ̃wo nagblẽ dɔ ɖe wo dzi gbeɖe o.”

[Etenuŋɔŋlɔ]

[Nɔnɔmetata si le axa 6]

Dɔnɔdzikpɔlawo hiã kpekpeɖeŋu be woanɔ te ɖe nuteɖeamedzi kple dzikudodo ƒe seselelãmewo nu