4839. A 86-year-old man feels it is better to have dementia

 Fri 9 Jun 2023

I had a quick walk to Lentor Place Playground to achieve some 3000 steps and exercise before going to see Dr Alexander Chung at SGH M Clinic to consult him about my 11-cm liver cyst which was of similar size in 2021.

Mr Ong, a 86-year-old wheel-chaired man was on the pavement alone. The maid had to do housework and he had an electric wheel chair.

"It is good that you have no dementia," I said. "Many as young as 50 years old, can't remember or communicate due to dementia!"

"It is better to have dementia," he said in a soft voice. "I am unable to walk since I fell and had pins onto my neck vertebta. I could move my neck after the surgery but I am paralysed from the waist down." I noticed his thighs have shrunk to the bones,  due to sarcopenia (muscle wasting due to inactivity).

"I used to work from the age 10 to 81," Mr Ong said. "I had a stroke and now only my right hand is mobile." He wriggled his right hand which controlled the switch to his electric wheel chair.

"I have to be careful that the wheel chair does not run out of electricity," he pointed to the 2 green, 2 amber and 1 red light on his wheel chair arm. "Once I was stranded out on Lentor Road as my battery was flat. The passing cars would not stop to help me!"

"Maybe the motorists have to rush to work in the morning," I asked.
"No, it was in the afternoon. The residents would not help me."
"Why don't you phone the police for help?" I asked.
"I don't have a phone. I live nearby and I don't need a phone."

"A mobile phone is important as the police will help you in such situations. Who helped you eventually?"
"My adult daughter who came out," he said. "But the patrolling police car had stopped to check on me 3 times.  At one time, the car reversed and came to ask if I was abandoned by my family!"

A police patrol car does its round of Lentor Estate on most days.

My wife phoned as we had to go to the SGH at 8.30 am if we were to take a Lentor subway. I took leave of Mr Ong. He is a gentleman, but with long life, he is unable to use his left hand and two legs. In retrospect, I think he does not want a handphone or a spare replacement charged wheel chair battery because he has only a functional right hand.

Sometimes, it may be better not to live to a ripe old age if one is infirmed or diabled.