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Igniting the Spark of Life in people with dementia

Real Life Story – Zambia, Africa

Daviness’s Story – As told by Spark of Life Master Practitioner, Anderson Simfukwe
Daviness Namusukuma

This is Daviness Namusukuma, she lives in Nakonde district. She is 92 years old and is living with her son John Ng’andu. Daviness had ten children and of all the children only the last born, John is alive today. John is a brick layer with a low income job which falls short of minimum standard of living for an ordinary Zambian.

John is a passionate man as this is evidence in the manner he cares for the mother who hardly walks. The wife is pregnant and all the care needs of his mother are dependent on him as the only surviving son. The day to day activities of John include carrying Daviness, the mother from the house to sunbathe in the sun and taking her back in the house. The wife is equally an excellent carer to the mother-in-law as she too prepares meals for her and takes care of her incontinence and other sanitary chores.

John’s wife Gift at their home

Daviness recounts her old days and recalls very well all the names of her children and their ordeals. Tears roll down her skinny face as she narrates the misfortunes that befell her children.

The spirit in her eyes shows the signs of life and can be reignited and rekindled by employing focused attention of unconditional love coupled with more improved health and dietary needs.

Daviness looking much happier & healthier than before

Aged Care and Service Centre is taking keen interest in Daviness looking after both her emotional and compassionate needs through regular visits by the Spark of Life trained volunteers from the Centre. The period the Centre engaged with Daviness, indicated improvement in her appearance and looks as she is now able to look up and there is life in her eyes as can be seen in the picture on the next page. This proves that through the Spark of Life Philosophy and Education, life can be revived in our aged people at a minimal cost of care.

Aged Care and Service Centre is currently running a Spark of Life Program in the community, which has proved effective and pragmatic approach to reigniting and rekindling the spirit in older people through the Spark of Life Philosophy.

Daviness’ spirit was ignited through the emotional connection provided by Spark of Life Philosophy.

Daviness was unable to speak and look at people before our Spark of Life Trained volunteers engaged her in the Spark of Life Journey. After two weeks of active engagement with the volunteers, Daviness was able to talk and recount some of the past stories in her life. She is much happier and healthier than she was at first encounter with the volunteers, remarks one of the Aged Care and Service Centre volunteers. Another volunteer observed that there was indeed life assurance in the Spark of Life Philosophy and was quick to mention that the philosophy requires unconditional love, compassion, commitment, passionate, diligence and hard work.

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