all right so Alzheimer’s does anyone here know what this means the raise of
here know what this means the raise of
here know what this means the raise of hands to whoever knows what this means
hands to whoever knows what this means
hands to whoever knows what this means well sign to say that Alzheimer’s is
well sign to say that Alzheimer’s is
well sign to say that Alzheimer’s is actually a progressive disease that kind
actually a progressive disease that kind
actually a progressive disease that kind of it decreases your memory and kind of
of it decreases your memory and kind of
of it decreases your memory and kind of gives a lot of problems to your motor
gives a lot of problems to your motor
gives a lot of problems to your motor functions so I’m going to ask you
functions so I’m going to ask you
functions so I’m going to ask you another question
another question
another question what does Alzheimer’s mean to you I’ll
what does Alzheimer’s mean to you I’ll
what does Alzheimer’s mean to you I’ll give you some time to think about this
give you some time to think about this
give you some time to think about this so to me
so to me
so to me Alzheimer’s is something that is kind of
Alzheimer’s is something that is kind of
Alzheimer’s is something that is kind of close to me my grandpa or as I used to
close to me my grandpa or as I used to
close to me my grandpa or as I used to call him my Nana had it this disease
call him my Nana had it this disease
call him my Nana had it this disease lasts a very long time for him he almost
lasts a very long time for him he almost
lasts a very long time for him he almost had it for ten years about a year ago he
had it for ten years about a year ago he
had it for ten years about a year ago he passed away so I’ll give you some
passed away so I’ll give you some
passed away so I’ll give you some background on his life he was about a
background on his life he was about a
background on his life he was about a teacher and a principal for almost 50
teacher and a principal for almost 50
teacher and a principal for almost 50 years in India he was an English
years in India he was an English
years in India he was an English professor and even after school he would
professor and even after school he would
professor and even after school he would give tutoring and he would um tutor kids
give tutoring and he would um tutor kids
give tutoring and he would um tutor kids with science and English after school
with science and English after school
with science and English after school every day after school so he was a very
every day after school so he was a very
every day after school so he was a very very smart man and seeing this disease
very smart man and seeing this disease
very smart man and seeing this disease take so much away from him it was kind
take so much away from him it was kind
take so much away from him it was kind of heartbreaking so a symptom of
of heartbreaking so a symptom of
of heartbreaking so a symptom of Alzheimer’s is called retro Genesis
Alzheimer’s is called retro Genesis
Alzheimer’s is called retro Genesis which I had seen in him so what might
which I had seen in him so what might
which I had seen in him so what might this be a symptom of Alzheimer is what
this be a symptom of Alzheimer is what
this be a symptom of Alzheimer is what is that what this is raccho Genesis is
is that what this is raccho Genesis is
is that what this is raccho Genesis is when a person the brain is basically
when a person the brain is basically
when a person the brain is basically backtracked into their childhood so as
backtracked into their childhood so as
backtracked into their childhood so as he got older he started hoarding a lot
he got older he started hoarding a lot
he got older he started hoarding a lot of things like my books or my hair pins
of things like my books or my hair pins
of things like my books or my hair pins or my hair clips and I felt like this
or my hair clips and I felt like this
or my hair clips and I felt like this was something he may have done when he
was something he may have done when he
was something he may have done when he was younger he would always ask me my
was younger he would always ask me my
was younger he would always ask me my sister or my cousins to go and try to
sister or my cousins to go and try to
sister or my cousins to go and try to find them like hide-and-seek in his case
find them like hide-and-seek in his case
find them like hide-and-seek in his case as I told you he was an English
as I told you he was an English
as I told you he was an English professor so he used to forget how to
professor so he used to forget how to
professor so he used to forget how to speak English and then he would go back
speak English and then he would go back
speak English and then he would go back to talking in his native language like
to talking in his native language like
to talking in his native language like he did when he was a kid so sometimes my
he did when he was a kid so sometimes my
he did when he was a kid so sometimes my not I became anxious and this is another
not I became anxious and this is another
not I became anxious and this is another symptom of Izar MERS they get angry
symptom of Izar MERS they get angry
symptom of Izar MERS they get angry emotional and you didn’t understand what
emotional and you didn’t understand what
emotional and you didn’t understand what was happening so I kept asking myself
was happening so I kept asking myself
was happening so I kept asking myself why what
why what
why what do to deserve this and then as years
do to deserve this and then as years
do to deserve this and then as years went on and as I got older and as he got
went on and as I got older and as he got
went on and as I got older and as he got older it started getting worse and I
older it started getting worse and I
older it started getting worse and I came to understand that this really
came to understand that this really
came to understand that this really isn’t his fault and another question I
isn’t his fault and another question I
isn’t his fault and another question I would ask myself is how can I help so I
would ask myself is how can I help so I
would ask myself is how can I help so I just decided that maybe he just needs
just decided that maybe he just needs
just decided that maybe he just needs patience as teenagers that’s the one
patience as teenagers that’s the one
patience as teenagers that’s the one thing we can give him so he would always
thing we can give him so he would always
thing we can give him so he would always ask me every single time I saw him how
ask me every single time I saw him how
ask me every single time I saw him how old was I what grade was I and what did
old was I what grade was I and what did
old was I what grade was I and what did I want to be when I grow up and this was
I want to be when I grow up and this was
I want to be when I grow up and this was the three questions he would ask me
the three questions he would ask me
the three questions he would ask me constantly any time I would see him it
constantly any time I would see him it
constantly any time I would see him it would be after school in the morning
would be after school in the morning
would be after school in the morning every day and I used to get frustrated
every day and I used to get frustrated
every day and I used to get frustrated but then I had to remember that to step
but then I had to remember that to step
but then I had to remember that to step back and understand that this isn’t his
back and understand that this isn’t his
back and understand that this isn’t his fault this was just the disease talking
fault this was just the disease talking
fault this was just the disease talking so what I decided to do is um I wanted
so what I decided to do is um I wanted
so what I decided to do is um I wanted to help him in some way so after he
to help him in some way so after he
to help him in some way so after he passed away I didn’t really know what to
passed away I didn’t really know what to
passed away I didn’t really know what to do without him so I started attending
do without him so I started attending
do without him so I started attending Alzheimer
Alzheimer
Alzheimer Vox and I used to walk around all the
Vox and I used to walk around all the
Vox and I used to walk around all the time with across Lansing in Grand Rapids
time with across Lansing in Grand Rapids
time with across Lansing in Grand Rapids anywhere where they would have won and
anywhere where they would have won and
anywhere where they would have won and then I decided why don’t I just start
then I decided why don’t I just start
then I decided why don’t I just start attending some support groups and some
attending some support groups and some
attending some support groups and some seminars so one day I actually took my
seminars so one day I actually took my
seminars so one day I actually took my family along with me to a seminar about
family along with me to a seminar about
family along with me to a seminar about Alzheimer’s and I saw this thing called
Alzheimer’s and I saw this thing called
Alzheimer’s and I saw this thing called a virtual dementia tour and this tour
a virtual dementia tour and this tour
a virtual dementia tour and this tour itself is actually quite heartbreaking
itself is actually quite heartbreaking
itself is actually quite heartbreaking because you get to step into people’s
because you get to step into people’s
because you get to step into people’s shoes with Alzheimer’s and see what they
shoes with Alzheimer’s and see what they
shoes with Alzheimer’s and see what they deal with on a daily basis so I thought
deal with on a daily basis so I thought
deal with on a daily basis so I thought well researchers and scientists and
well researchers and scientists and
well researchers and scientists and doctors are trying to find a cure for
doctors are trying to find a cure for
doctors are trying to find a cure for this I thought maybe maybe I could do
this I thought maybe maybe I could do
this I thought maybe maybe I could do something to bring peace with my family
something to bring peace with my family
something to bring peace with my family and other families who are dealing with
and other families who are dealing with
and other families who are dealing with this so I decided to attend a
this so I decided to attend a
this so I decided to attend a certification program for the virtual
certification program for the virtual
certification program for the virtual dementia tour it was a six-hour course
dementia tour it was a six-hour course
dementia tour it was a six-hour course and after that I was certified so in
and after that I was certified so in
and after that I was certified so in this tour basically what you do is you
this tour basically what you do is you
this tour basically what you do is you have gloves you have glasses you have a
have gloves you have glasses you have a
have gloves you have glasses you have a headset you have these things in your
headset you have these things in your
headset you have these things in your shoes that hurt a lot and these are just
shoes that hurt a lot and these are just
shoes that hurt a lot and these are just a few of the things that people with
a few of the things that people with
a few of the things that people with Alzheimer’s may have and what it does is
Alzheimer’s may have and what it does is
Alzheimer’s may have and what it does is you walk into a room a very dark room
you walk into a room a very dark room
you walk into a room a very dark room with strobe lights and with these strobe
with strobe lights and with these strobe
with strobe lights and with these strobe lights what they do is they kind of show
lights what they do is they kind of show
lights what they do is they kind of show you what the person is seeing when they
you what the person is seeing when they
you what the person is seeing when they walk in somewhere and the headset itself
walk in somewhere and the headset itself
walk in somewhere and the headset itself has very loud noises like sirens people
has very loud noises like sirens people
has very loud noises like sirens people talking so it’s like there’s voices in
talking so it’s like there’s voices in
talking so it’s like there’s voices in your head you’re given five tasks and
your head you’re given five tasks and
your head you’re given five tasks and they might be easy tasks like fill Oh
they might be easy tasks like fill Oh
they might be easy tasks like fill Oh fill a cup with water or maybe hang some
fill a cup with water or maybe hang some
fill a cup with water or maybe hang some clothes or even write writing a simple
clothes or even write writing a simple
clothes or even write writing a simple letter writing just a word and you may
letter writing just a word and you may
letter writing just a word and you may think it’s easy but having the headset
think it’s easy but having the headset
think it’s easy but having the headset having everything happening with the
having everything happening with the
having everything happening with the gloves as arthritis and as the glasses
gloves as arthritis and as the glasses
gloves as arthritis and as the glasses as cataracts it’s kind of it’s harder
as cataracts it’s kind of it’s harder
as cataracts it’s kind of it’s harder than what you would think it would be so
than what you would think it would be so
than what you would think it would be so I have taken this tour twice and each
I have taken this tour twice and each
I have taken this tour twice and each time I probably only gotten one or two
time I probably only gotten one or two
time I probably only gotten one or two tasks and I thought when walking into it
tasks and I thought when walking into it
tasks and I thought when walking into it that oh this is going to be easy I’ll be
that oh this is going to be easy I’ll be
that oh this is going to be easy I’ll be able to figure it out I can do this but
able to figure it out I can do this but
able to figure it out I can do this but walking out of that it
walking out of that it
walking out of that it I have changed not I wouldn’t say it
I have changed not I wouldn’t say it
I have changed not I wouldn’t say it changed me as a person I would say that
changed me as a person I would say that
changed me as a person I would say that it changed my mindset that all these
it changed my mindset that all these
it changed my mindset that all these people are getting frustrated with
people are getting frustrated with
people are getting frustrated with people who have dementia they’re getting
people who have dementia they’re getting
people who have dementia they’re getting frustrated because they keep asking the
frustrated because they keep asking the
frustrated because they keep asking the same questions they can’t do a simple
same questions they can’t do a simple
same questions they can’t do a simple task and after experiencing this I saw
task and after experiencing this I saw
task and after experiencing this I saw them in a whole new light that they go
them in a whole new light that they go
them in a whole new light that they go through daily struggles just to get out
through daily struggles just to get out
through daily struggles just to get out of bed just to pour a glass of water
of bed just to pour a glass of water
of bed just to pour a glass of water just to wash their hands or their face
just to wash their hands or their face
just to wash their hands or their face or anything and this is a whole
or anything and this is a whole
or anything and this is a whole experience for me it opened up a new
experience for me it opened up a new
experience for me it opened up a new light and I kind of advise everyone if
light and I kind of advise everyone if
light and I kind of advise everyone if you have the chance go find someplace to
you have the chance go find someplace to
you have the chance go find someplace to take this tour the tour is actually was
take this tour the tour is actually was
take this tour the tour is actually was made by this company called second wind
made by this company called second wind
made by this company called second wind dreams and they do a lot of research
dreams and they do a lot of research
dreams and they do a lot of research into Alzheimer’s they do a lot of
into Alzheimer’s they do a lot of
into Alzheimer’s they do a lot of Alzheimer’s awareness and this is where
Alzheimer’s awareness and this is where
Alzheimer’s awareness and this is where the tour started itself so as a
the tour started itself so as a
the tour started itself so as a conclusion to what I’m trying to say is
conclusion to what I’m trying to say is
conclusion to what I’m trying to say is that you ever encounter someone you have
that you ever encounter someone you have
that you ever encounter someone you have a grandparent or an aunt or someone is
a grandparent or an aunt or someone is
a grandparent or an aunt or someone is showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s who or
showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s who or
showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s who or who has Alzheimer’s it’s is something
who has Alzheimer’s it’s is something
who has Alzheimer’s it’s is something that you should try to understand and
that you should try to understand and
that you should try to understand and try to see and a lot see their point of
try to see and a lot see their point of
try to see and a lot see their point of view in this case it’s heartbreaking to
view in this case it’s heartbreaking to
view in this case it’s heartbreaking to see them go through this but there’s
see them go through this but there’s
see them go through this but there’s things that you can do to help there’s
things that you can do to help there’s
things that you can do to help there’s obviously the whole theme of this TED
obviously the whole theme of this TED
obviously the whole theme of this TED talk is empathy so you can just try to
talk is empathy so you can just try to
talk is empathy so you can just try to give them some of that they deserve that
give them some of that they deserve that
give them some of that they deserve that at least thank you
at least thank you
at least thank you [Applause]
”
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