During Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15), I want to lift up my great-grandmother, a strong, loving woman who worked hard to raise her nine children and challenge poverty. But Alzheimer’s stripped her away from her children and loved ones. My last memory of her is as clear as a photograph: My mother asked if she remembered who she was, and my great-grandmother said, “no,” as she held a baby doll she took to be one of her children.
In her small town in rural Jalisco, Mexico, resources are limited. Families take care of each other and look out for one another. My great-grandmother was loved by her family and all their neighbors. While she quickly declined, she was cared for by her children, siblings and grandchildren until she became aggressive. To this day, they still describe her as “losing her mind.”
My great-grandmother’s journey led me to work for UCSF’s Memory and Aging Center, and shaped my desire to work in the intersection of aging, cognition and mental health, particularly as it impacts Hispanics. Hispanics are 1 1/2 times more likely than whites to develop dementia, but most still believe dementia is a normal part of aging, which it’s not. There are ways to reduce dementia risk and help caregivers, but much education is still needed in our community.
I am grateful for everything U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier has done to advance Alzheimer’s research and education for our community, and hope to see the same leadership from whoever replaces her.
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