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(Japanese translation published in 2004 by DHC Corporation, pp. 292, \1600 + taxes) | ||||||||||
Shibata Yukinori (Jesuit Social Center, Tokyo) |
"I want to live long, but I don't like to grow senile," such
is most probably the wish of many. The director of our center just celebrated
happily his 70th birthday. They say that his is the average age for Jesuits
in Japan!! The citizens of industrial countries face the problem of old
age and this has become a serious issue for religious organizations.
Dr. David Snow conducted a research on the Alzheimer disease based on American
Sisters. The book he has published reports on the results of the research
done from 1986, known as "Nun Study" that is still going on,
to which 678 American Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame have participated.
The "Nun Study" focuses on over 75 years old Sisters. It keeps
records of their life histories, checking regularly their psychological
health and at the time of death, using autopsy, examines the condition
of their brains. The research looks for any kind of relationship between
the life environment and the state of health, during senility, and the
origins of Alzheimer disease.
There were several reasons to select the Notre Dame Sisters to cooperate
in the study.
Firstly, they were living in similar environments and it was comparatively
easy to perform the research. Secondly, since they are dedicated to education
they have many old-age members (it seems that high level education assures
long lives). Thirdly -- this becomes the main reason -- the Notre Dame
Congregation makes all members write their life records upon entering the
convent and after joining the Congregation detailed personal records are
kept. In other words, it is possible to obtain perfect personal life records
of each Sister. Thinking of research on senility this was a very valuable
situation.
The research goes on, and up to date, no special revolutionary results
could be found yet. Nevertheless, there are some clear findings. One of
them might be that, seemingly, there could be established some close relationship
between the life patterns, especially languages used during the youth and
the state of health of the brain at old age.
The Sisters that became objects of the study have, after joining their
Congregation, similar life styles and educational levels.
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Thus, on the opposite, by studying their life environments when they were
young, one can clearly find out the relationship that has with the state
of mind during the old age. The result seemed to be that somehow "during
youth the intensity of their emotions was positively high and the more
people wrote difficult sentences their brains at old age were healthier."
In other words, Alzheimer disease does not easily occur among those who
during childhood enjoyed children tales for boys and girls. I would like
to repeat it again, this is not a specific remedy for Alzheimer disease
and the author of the book is not a salesman that offers cheaply secrets
to live healthy long lives.
Mr. Snowdown has studied the life records of 678 Sisters during the last
15 years and has accompanied about 60% of them at death time. He has experienced
very warm and deeply faithful religious communities. To some respect their
life environment looked even more familiar than common families have. Senior
Sisters, no matter they suffered from bodily or mental diseases or they
remained healthy till the end, were all the same way radiant with full
respect.
The author of the book stresses that surely many lessons to live healthy
at old age are gathered inside the life style of this religious congregation.
Certainly, this book is full of recent informative knowledge concerning
Alzheimer. But, what is most valuable is that it makes one reflect on the
meaning of becoming of old age and of living together with senior people.
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