The fine motor movements would help dementia to stay away from you that’s for certain, how this elderly woman stays healthy in the mind, translated…
Twenty years, and inside of my mother-in-law’s refrigerator, it’s always, filled up with her own homemade dumplings! With cabbage, chives and shrimp as fillings.
from the preparation stages, photo from online…
We loved my mother-in-law’s filling dumpling that resembled the shape of the gold pieces, every time we’d gone home to visit, we’d always picked out our favorite flavors, and as she saw how we’d all enjoyed the dumplings she’d made, she’d always told us, “I’d made more, do take more with you when you go home!”
Three years ago, my eldest brother-in-law told my mother-in-law to make more dumplings, that the fridge is emptied out, and because my mother-in-law was having leg problems, she’d said sadly, “I can’t do it anymore, it’s, so tiring now!” We knew, that she wanted to, but can’t.
One day, she’d asked me to shop around the markets with her, for the stuffing of the dumplings, we were very excited! “I feel more energetic today, I think I’ll be able to manage!”, she’d told us.
to actually making the dumplings…photo from online…
To prevent her from standing too long, we’d pulled up a chair for her to sit while she minced up the fillings, to wrap the dumplings up with her, to watch T.V., carried on in conversation, seeing how she’s no longer, as agile as she used to be anymore, but after she’s, finally done making the dumplings, she’d, let out a sigh of relief, and, I’d, cleaned up the bowls, and everything else that was used, so she could, take a break.
My mother-in-law, at eighty-one, doesn’t enjoy going out or exercising, but, she’d loved keeping her place cleanly, and dustless, she’d, kneeled on the floor, to wipe it up, all her household chores, gone to the markets to shop for her own groceries, and made dumplings.
We all knew, that doing the household chores can prevent the onset of dementia, didn’t know, that making the dumplings can do the same, my mother-in-law can call out the granddaughter she only sees once a year by her full name, perhaps, it’s because of how often she’d worked around the house, and made the dumplings, that’s, kept her mind sharp continually, I’m truly glad, that I have the memories of making the dumplings, with my elderly cherished mother-in-law who kept dementia out of her life!
the fine motor movements required to do this…image found online…
And so, this, is how important it is, to not just exercise your mind, but also, work your hands, because, the fine motor movements which are needed, to make the dumplings, is probably what kept dementia away from this woman’s mother-in-law, and because she’s very optimistic and active in her own life, and interacts with her loved ones daily, that, is why this woman is able to, age so very, gracefully.
Life, the Obstacle Course 