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COMMUNITY BUILDING –
A TEEN’S IMPACT ON THE FIGHT AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S
In our busy lives as teenagers, it is easy to ignore the
impact Alzheimer’s disease has on millions of people,
including teens like myself. An estimated five million
Americans are currently afflicted with the disease, and
that number is expected to rise to 7.7 million by 2030,
and could climb to 16 million by 2050. Alzheimer’s
patients come from all walks of life, ethnicities,
educational backgrounds and income levels. They are
my family, and yours. As a teenager, it is hard to imagine
your own parent with Alzheimer’s, but it is possible.
As I have become more involved in Alzheimer’s
advocacy, I have come to understand the tremendous
importance of community-building in fighting this
disease. For one, social isolation appears to have a
meaningful impact on how people get Alzheimer’s.
Many studies have suggested that social isolation is linked
to dementia. Most recently, a large study looked at the
impact of social connections on dementia in the lives of
over 800 elderly patients over a period of four years. The
study found that the risk of developing Alzheimer’s
increased by 51% for each point on the loneliness score.
The study demonstrates a clear link between less social
activity and a higher risk of Alzheimer’s and leads to the
possibility that improving social connections may have a
positive impact on mental health.
As the number of elderly rises, families deeply affected
by Alzheimer’s will increasingly become more common.
The community then becomes a source of strength as we
work together to solve a widespread problem, one that
requires a significant commitment of resources. Since
this disease will increasingly impact so many, the impact
of each dollar funding research will become magnified.
It is important to be the voice of tomorrow’s Alzheimer’s
community today by raising awareness of the need for
new technologies as well as generating funding for medical
progress. As I have learned, teens have a special role
to play in raising awareness and helping raise funding to
fight the disease.
As part of the younger generation, it is easy for teens
to believe their actions are insignificant compared to the
work of older adults; however,we cannot let age discourage us. Alzheimer’s affects us, too, and we should do all
we can to raise awareness and be proactive. My
Grandmother has Alzheimer’s, but I never believed I had
the capacity to make a difference. It is exactly this mindset
that we teenagers must overcome. After much reflection,
I concluded that I could either sympathetically
watch my Grandmother deteriorate from the sidelines,
or I could be proactive. I decided to join the fight and
sought an opportunity to volunteer at the Alzheimer’s
Association, NYC Chapter. I worked in their office over
the summer. I also formed a team of teens at my school
to join me at the NYC Memory Walk 2007. The Walk
was inspiring—the t-shirts, the posters, the smiles on
each person’s face: everything was geared toward finding
a cure. And my team raised over $500! I was inspired to
make more of an effort to raise money. I channeled my
love of photography into something productive and held
a photo show in Brooklyn, all proceeds going to the
Alzheimer’s Association. I raised $860 for the cause! It
is remarkable how much productivity can result from
combining two projects you care about.
Raising money is critical, but it is important not to
forget the most fundamental ways of coping with the
disease. Spend a little extra time with your grandparents,
hug whomever you may know with the illness, even if
they are so far into the disease that they do not realize
who you are. Teens can go to nursing homes, help aunts
or uncles or even other caregivers of Alzheimer’s
patients. Community-building opportunities are right in
front of us everyday. It’s important to realize that your
small efforts can make a sufferer’s day.
One day this summer I was in the car with my
Grandmother and I put on a Frank Sinatra tune. She
knew every word despite the fact that she cannot even
remember my Grandfather’s name. “Grandma!” I said,
“You know all the words!” “Of course I do!” she
responded. At that moment, I felt great optimism. If tiny
miracles like these can happen, then we teens can make
even bigger miracles happen. It is never too early or too
late to join the fight against this disease, and as teens, the
role we play can be meaningful.
— Brynn Sullivan Wallner
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