# data[].attributes.body
1. “The Danger of Stories” delves into the stigmas people with memory loss face. This can be heavily be correlated by the images that come to mind when thinking of memory loss. It surprised me that a stereotype of memory loss was associated with low life expectancy. Regardless of the reason, these two variables in a human being should never correlate side by side.

2. I found Roger’s story very captivating. My knowledge in regards to how inevitable memory loss affects relationships is very limited. It really spoke to me when I read that Alzheimer’s is not just a disease of memory loss, but an environment as well.

How can we cater the environment for a loved one dealing with severe memory loss? What are some queues and mannerisms we can begin to help mitigate their memory loss?

# data[].attributes.body
“Tangles” challenges the complicated views in a way the prompts us to have a sense of sympathy. As readers, we are drawn into the personal experiences of this family. We see the vulnerability of the mother and her family. While reading this, I kept in the back of my mind, the text, “Forget Memory.” This text emphasizes that individuals with dementia are treated poorly. In fact, it states that most people would prefer to distant themselves from those with dementia. This idea ins opposed in the comic, “Tangles” as we see the family of Midge displaying constant love, care, and tenacity to seek help. Still, my question is, what exactly causes a person to enter the stages of dementia?
- ARCHI ALEXANDER

# data[].attributes.body
I feel like dementia is viewed in a very broad and general way. A lot of people don’t treat each individual with dementia different depending on the person. There should be. Better understanding of that person personally and they should be handled differently. Whatever works for them should be what is most important.

Before this reading I had a decent understanding of Alzheimer’s and Dementia.  I think what I got from this was more of the experience of the people around them and their reactions.  I got the general idea of how others reactions and responses may be harmful. Talking about their condition in front of them and coming up with things were one of the things I noticed. It’s’ s like they didn’t care that they were right in front. Of them.Not to mention because they are sometimes unpredictable or random they treat them like a child. My question is how are you supposed to go about taking care of them?

# data[].attributes.body
1. How does “Tangles” complicate or challenge dominant views of dementia and Alzheimer's disease? It challenges dominant views of dementia by having the husband not want to accept that something  is wrong with his wife , when his daughter can see clearly that there is something wrong with her mom and they need to find out what is wrong with her or talk to her . Not just ignore the fact that something is going on with her that is not right

2. What are specific examples of ways that ageism and ableism manifest for people with dementia?  They start to forget things , or they forget how to use their body to move normally.

3. How did your understanding or views of dementia or Alzheimer's change after reading Forget Memory and Tangles? Provide examples .

It changed a lot because I didn't know the seriousness that the brain and the dementia had so much control over you , you could forget the relationship of your foot and the ground and make you not be able to get up and walk as I read in Tangles , I felt that really stood out to me. In forget Memory that someone you know can walk into a room and you know exactly who they are and then once they step out they can be wiped from your consciousness , this gives me more of a understanding what these people go through and if i'm ever in a situation with someone with a disability like this I know to be patient with them

1. How might we apply the social model to people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia? We might apply it by believing what is out there on social media or just from examples that we see with disabled people and apply it to each one of them and think that all of them are crazy or weird and useless , but that is what is wrong with the social model we should not jump to conclusions because disabilities does not mean any of that it just means that some people have to overcome some obstacles than other but it does not mean they are crazy or weird they just have their own path of doing things.

Suggestions

1. I thought that these reading were really helpful and feel like anyone that does not know how to treat people with these disabilities should read these as it gives you a quick insight into what it is like

# data[].attributes.body
I understood the affects Alzheimer’s and dementia have on an individual, the fears behind it, the fear of being a burden..but something I couldn't wrap my head around fully is how it really takes a toll on the family. Tangles was a good to see how it affected everyone and not just the mom. And the first book showed the fears and stigmas behind it.
It’s scary, but how can we flip the narrative? How can we begin to help our loved ones who have this in different ways? What do we think we can do to help the loved ones of the individual suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s? Because it is hard and put your life on pause for years, it is very expensive in today’s world to care for someone. Hospital bills piling up, visiting, caring for them, making appointments, getting medication for them, etc. how can we try to help these families to make their lives a little easier, which will help their loved one who they are trying to be there for..what kind of programs can be implemented to help?
Maddison rakestraw

# data[].attributes.body
I feel as if i know a bit more about dementia / Alzheimer’s. Before reading these i would say i did not know much about them.

Some observations i saw was in the first reading, where she would know he was important to her when he visited but when he left she forgot about him. During one of the times he returned he saw her with someone else and got jealous, mad, and demanded they be separated. I do think this is pretty wrong to do in this situation but what would you think?

As for tangled i noticed the mother got quite irritated. Would this be part of dementia / Alzheimer’s or is this her troubled and irritated because she knows something is wrong. I don’t know much about them but its an observation.

# data[].attributes.body
The first article talks about this idea of caring for someone with an illness that can last up to 15 years may well leave one with little to no resources left in the future.
I chose to talk about family as the synthesizing aspect between the two articles because taking care of a family member is something somebody does if they have genuine love for another, most of the cases being family.
This aspect of family and love connects to the second article because it shows us families are corky, weird and annoying but in the end, there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for each another because the love is unconditional.

What makes a family’s bond so strong?

Kyle Adams

# data[].attributes.body
1.) something that stood out to me was when they were talking about learning to live with the stigmas of dementia and moving through fears instead of seeing it as a death sentence. I believe it could’ve changed the way the people were living in all of the stories.
2.) Another thing that stood out to me was how the dad was in denial. The mom wasn’t getting the right help she needed because the dad could’ t except that she has Alzheimer’s.
3.) A suggestion that I had after reading was to change the way you see dementia. When we have a negative mindset on it, the person who has it suffers the most. We need to be educated on it and learn to be excepting.

# data[].attributes.body
1. I think that Tangles seemed to humanize those that have Alzheimer’s— and also showcase the negative and challenging parts of watching someone you love struggle with dementia. My first impression was honestly that having to go through something like that, or be a family member and having to put your life on hold to be a caregiver, sounds extremely exhausting. I like how the comic humanized the mother, but at the same time gave a real-world perspective that made it feel more real.
2. I thought that the section in Forget Memory that discussed television portrayals of dementia, and media representation of aging in mainstream media, was very fascinating. Personally, the representation of dementia/Alzheimer’s that I’ve seen in media has always depicted it as this taboo thing, and once the diagnosis comes things immediately start to rapidly decline. It doesn’t really take into account a realistic timespan for the symptoms to increase in severity. Additionally, it seems as though many of the characters with Alzheimer’s— like the text says— are either a tragic tale of someone great/a role model succumbing to Alzheimer’s until they’re almost unrecognizable, or just waiting for a medical miracle to happen so they can be “cured”.
3. As such, I wanted to ask what other’s interpretations/experiences they’ve had where/when characters with dementia or Alzheimer’s are portrayed in media (like tv shows, movies, etc.) or even online on social media?

# data[].attributes.body
“Tangles” complicates and challenges dominant views of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by stating people in their fifties are just as susceptible to getting Alzheimer’s disease as the elderly, people forget motor functions as well as cognitive functions, people will be angered easily and forget what they like, and the caretakers will suffer on behalf of the patient as well.

Specific ways ageism and ableism manifest for people with dementia are loved ones pretending everything is fine, people and friends stop hanging around, doctors only caring for a diagnosis, and people viewing the sufferer as incompetent.

My understanding and views of dementia and Alzheimer’s changed by seeing how the effects of memory loss affect the people around the sufferer. It made me aware of much people have to sacrifice in trying to preserve a relationship.

The social model could be applied to people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia by people do not fully grasp the pain of memory loss and see it only as a sign of growing old and the time is growing close to be put in a home.

# data[].attributes.body
Question: On page 27 of Forget Memory (page 10 of the pdf), we learn that “A study by Becca Levy, Stanislaw Fasl, and Suzanne Kunkel found that negative self-images about aging among elderly people were associated with an average loss of 7.5 years from their life expectancy.” Is it possible that this is also true for other negative stigmas? If not exactly true, what are the potential effects of negative other negative stigmas (besides just feeling like absolute crap)?

Observation 1: I noticed how “Tangles” sort of captures the “grace” that is mentioned in Forget Memory (page 48, or page 28 of the pdf). In “Tangles”, there is part where we see the mother actually happy instead of angry and depressed, which I think demonstrates grace in a way.

Question 2: I know I’m supposed to make a second observation, but I can’t help but wonder…

In Forget Memory, we learn of a film called Away From Her. In it, we see a portrayal of dementia that isn’t all doom and gloom, which is nice, considering how the negative side of dementia is what is primarily focused on. Here’s my question: is there such a thing as focusing on the positive side too much? I know “positive side” is a weird way to put it. What i mean is, is there such a thing as not acknowledging the negatives? If so, how could it be harmful? I know these sound silly, and may even have obvious answers, but I thought I would ask them anyways.

# data[].attributes.body
The first reading discussed the fear many people have of dementia itself, and how even the topic in general makes many uncomfortable. This leads to a sense of helplessness for people (and loved ones of people) with dementia. Before this reading, I felt uncomfortable with the topic, but it has informed me about how dementia doesn’t have to be scary and helpless if I take the time to understand it.

The first text discusses how the media has a significant impact on our implicit biases. Most of the time old people with dementia in media like TV are portrayed to be scared, helpless, and sad. This is likely why so many people feel uncomfortable with the subject. More positive representations of old people with dementia in the media would likely lead to people becoming more educated about the subject because it wouldn’t seem so daunting.

In the graphic novel, there was a pretty typical family dynamic. The beginning of the symptoms affecting their daily lives seemed like it was the tensest. The narrator mentioned that almost no friends came to visit the parents anymore. A community of people who are going through similar experiences seems like it would have benefited the whole family. A support group might have helped with the fear, and also may have helped with the loneliness. Are there support groups for people (and families/ friends of people) who have dementia? If so, how many are there around the country?

# data[].attributes.body
Alzheimers is defined as mental deterioration. Dementia is defined as progressive loss of intellectual functioning. Its hard to understand what to do when a family member or friend is faced with a diagnosis like alzheimers and dementia. After reading the assigned reading tangled I got a greater understanding of what its like to be living with alzheimers or dementia. You can clearly see within the reading that the mom is having a hard time accepting that she is mentally declining, you can see this because she gets agitated when asked to talk about the changes the family is seeing. With the reading it gives us a insight on what goes on between all parties involved.

It really gave me a new perspective on alzheimers and dementia after reading tangled especially because I didnt realize that its hard on the families as well. I think that people believe that people with dementia and alzheimers understand they are mentally decling but what I learned from this weeks readings that that is not the case. People with these diagnoses dont understand why they are mentally declining and most times believe they are not.

# data[].attributes.body
1. “Tangles” makes it complicated because she does not want people to know that something is wrong with her so she doesn’t want to talk about it and that makes it hard for everyone.
2. I think that it is very interesting how patient the dad was with his wife and how important that was to help.
What do you think the best way to help people with this disease is?

# data[].attributes.body
While reading the pages from “Tangles” I’ve noticed some things that I just wanted to talk a bit about. Firstly, I was angry at the doctors for not taking Midge seriously in the beginning. If you look on page 26 you kind of get the impression that the doctor was just brushing off Midge’s symptoms and prescribing her a bunch of random supplements instead of investigating further. Yes, the doctor named some things that it could be, but when I go to the doctor’s office, I would not want to leave without a concrete answer of what is going on. Secondly, later page 96, after the diagnosis and a gap in time, the way Midge’s family treated her is just unacceptable; asking her random questions and just laughing and her replies. Finally, the series of passages ended in a way you do not classically think about dementia, where Midge became very happy and active instead of just sitting there unable to do anything. I find this more haunting than the happiness the chapter was meant to focus on.

The other passage just made me think about Ageism in general and how integrated it is in media such as movies or shows. When I started off reading this passage, I was not able to remember any examples of Ageism, other than workplace discrimination as I’ve taken a bunch of business courses as electives. However, when I got to the part talking about the stories portrayed in popular culture, it made me notice a lot more ageist stereotypes that we just brush off as being funny or the way old people are written in movies or shows.

When reading the pages from “Tangles”, how would you take care of someone who has dementia? Would you do something different, or would you generally do the same things the family did (minus the abusive parts)?

# data[].attributes.body
The selections from Tangles really cracked open some memories for me, and not in a good way. I found this really heard to read. It was interesting and a very accurate depiction of memory loss, but it was not enjoyable. My papa suffered from dementia during the last year of his life, and I have spent so much time and energy into conjuring up only good memories from before that last year. It was like these little undid all of that work in 22 pages. In many ways, my experiences with memory loss were similar to the narrator's. The confusion, frustration, and sorrow sprinkled with bits of laughter was familiar.

After reading the selected material from "Forget Memory," I am not entirely upset by the resurfacing memories of my papa's experience.  It did shine a nuanced light to my memories in some ways. I particularly resonated with the emphasis on eliminating fear surrounding memory loss because look back, I can see that my dad was fearful, I was fearful, and likely as a result, my papa was fearful of the unknown. The concept of an identity threat was new to me, yet it made perfect sense and I can understand a bit of my papa's outbursts. The stigma of memory loss was affecting his concept of self and I found this quote to be an interesting insight: "We fear becoming a burden because we imagine the caregivers given people with dementia take and take and take until there's nothing left to give-- financially, physically, or emotionally."

I have heard of StoryCorps before but I cannot place where. Anyway, the Memory Loss Initiative of StoryCorps is completely new to me, and I am really interested in the concept of telling stories that are not always told. I was wondering... is there perhaps a story forum for people with disabilities to share their stories in a similar fashion? Is anyone familiar with such a thing?

# data[].attributes.body
Prompt 2-
Specific examples of how ageism and ableism manifest are speaking louder or slower when talking to someone experiencing dementia or Alzheimer's. another example being that doctors or the people around them don't speak to them directly, but instead to those around them as if they are a type of translator for someone who is experiencing dementia or Alzheimer's. This is shown well in the comic with the family friend that would speak in louder volume, slower and eventually give up trying and the doctor who address the father instead of the mother regarding how she has been doing.

Prompt 3-
After reading Tangles, I realize that while I knew everyone has different experiences with dementia and Alzheimer's just how much they can actually vary. I realized just how much it can affect the families of people going through this and just how important they are to continuing to maintain or improve the quality of life for the people being affected as they go through this. everyone involved plays an important part families, doctors and the patients themselves. An example of this is when Roger and Rocille McConnell are visiting the psychiatrist and he walks out as if his job is done and leaves the nurse to provide them with any information they may need in the form of a packet.

Question(s)-
While there is some legal stuff involved, do you think that it was right (morally) of the staff members in Alice's nursing home to change her care plan to separat her and her walking buddy because of Bob even thought it clearly had an impact on Alice?

Where do we draw the line of listening to the wants and needs of people seeking care for their family member(s) and the best plan of care for the "patient" mentally and physically that maintains quality of life as best as possible?

# data[].attributes.body
A way that ageism presents itself when talking about dementia is the stereotype that it only happens to the elderly. For this reason people overlook early onset Alzheimer’s, or adjacent memory disorders like Korsakoff’s syndrome (b1 deficient memory loss typically brought on by alcoholism) and childhood dementia. I was a caregiver for my grandmother with dementia and it can be exhausting. She did the exact same thing as on page 30 of Tangled with me in the car once. There were a few similar behavioral patters/symptoms I noticed presented in Tangled like anxiousness, sleep regression and sun downing. We have this stereotype about dementia that it’s only memory loss and aggression. I wouldn’t necessarily call it ableist. Just unawareness or ignorance. But what I wasn’t the fondest of is how Forget Memory automatically started out with these negative stereotypes of people with Alzheimer’s. On the first page we establish that Roger and Alice are angry, senile, old people and to me that feels like negative reinforcement. But I think it was redeemable by the end when it said to face concerns about dementia we have to “insist on complex stories of dementia”.

# data[].attributes.body
1. “Tangles” shows a side of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease that isn’t in the forefront of people’s minds. It shows how normal it is for the family of those with dementia to experience extreme stress, and how relieving it can be to get time away from those individuals. It is completely understandable that these family members can experience burnout and extreme stress at the prospect of returning to care.

2. “Tangles” opened my eyes to a few symptoms of dementia that didn’t necessarily come to mind before reading. There are certain signs, behaviors, and actions that most people think of when they hear dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Severe mood swings are a symptoms that I wasn’t aware of, the Mom’s inability to regulate her emotions or refrain from expressing them fully. I also didn’t fully understand the amount of physical struggles came with dementia, there were a number of times when the Mom was unable to remember how to do certain physical activities, such as going up stairs, getting in the car, or packing a suitcase.

Does the way the story is presented in “Tangles” make it easier to understand the experience of those with dementia and their families?

# data[].attributes.body
Tangled- Thought it was cool and interesting to see the different povs with being a caregiver of someone with dementia and something having dementia

Forget Memories- Interesting that in the article they mention that because people have such a stigma against dementia it affects the care that people need. They talked about how people waited years to get diagnosis because they were afraid of the disease. This is bad because this is care they could’ve gotten had they not been stigmatized to be afraid.

Question- Why do doctors treat people with dementia that they’re lessen than other people? In both articles it mentioned examples where doctors wouldn’t even acknowledge the person with dementia and instead would talk with the family or caregiver.

# data[].attributes.body
• In “Tangles” I noticed how the doctor wasn’t really speaking to the mom, rather he was addressing the dad about the mothers situation. I feel like this happens often where doctors may not address the patient regarding information about themselves and kind of treat them as if they’re not there or capable of giving any answers. This can be frustrating to some people and doctors should still treat their patients with respect, regardless of their condition.
• I like how the “Forget Memory” reading addressed how people might refrain from asking for help or getting services they may need due to stigma surrounding dementia. This is not only a problem with dementia, but many other diagnosis’ as well. The stigma surrounding certain things can be really impactful on people so it is important to try and reduce the stigma around not only dementia but others as well.
• What ways can we as a society help to reduce the stigma, stereotypes and discrimination around “old age”?

# data[].attributes.body
1. Tangles shows the later half of Alzheimer's that most people are not aware of. The "Lighter" times as the author calls it. The person with Alzheimer's is mostly unaware of their condition and unbothered by it. This is in contrast to the idea that people have that those with Alzheimer's are always suffering.
2. When people see those with early signs of Dementia they often disregard them as things that come naturally with old age. And when they are unable to do simple tasks people get frustrated with them showing ableism.

# data[].attributes.body
People should be educated regarding dementia and Alzheimer’s before it happens to them or a loved one. The fact that 93% percent of people in a poll had heard of Alzheimer’s, but 74% knew little of nothing about it is surprising. Especially because people are being diagnosed with it more and more each year.  If people understand dementia, they may not be as fearful of it and will be able to better help those suffering from it. Education will also help people to be more aware of the signs and symptoms and seek treatment sooner. The story of Alice finding a new male friend and walking hand in hand down the hallway in front of her husband Bob shows just how difficult it is for those caring for loved one’s with dementia. Support and understanding are hard to do in that situation, however, it is the best thing that can be done.

Something I found interesting was that Levy’s study suggested that memory loss can be a self-fulfilling prophecy due to negative stereotypes. As stated in the reading “Alzheimer’s is not only a disease of the mind, but also of the environment”.  We can learn from the visions of those with Alzheimer’s and that will lead to better care, support and understanding.

When a person with dementia hurts someone they love with behavior such as the situation that occurred with Alice and Bob, should someone try to talk to her about it or just let her be happy with her new friend? What is the best way to handle this situation? Should family and loved ones continue to try and remind them of the past even though it may be confusing and difficult for them?

# data[].attributes.body
-There was a line in Basting: Forget Memory that talked about how every time the woman with dementia looked away from a yellow flower she forgot the color and then when she looked back at it she was able to see it like it was brand new. She loved that she was able to do this. This leads me to my question, do you think there are any positives like this one to having dementia?
-both of the passages we read mentioned that people fear being around and talking to people with Alzheimer’s. I wonder why they fear it so much.
-in Tangles the author’s mom forgets who she is briefly. I feel really bad for people who experience this and their families because it can be heartbreaking to think that someone so close to you forgets who you are.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Personally, I really enjoyed reading Tangles. There were definitely parts that stuck out to me as complicating or challenging dominant views of dementia. One of those being seeking out a naturopath as well as a medical doctor. Naturopaths are not super common, but it was clear that they were not taking the standard, medicalized approach to dementia care since they sought out other options for care. In our society, a first instinct tends to be institutionalization and putting someone with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in a memory care unit. Midge was not put into a memory care unit and instead lived at home and in Mexico while her husband was on sabbatical. Midge’s family truly came together to care for her instead of put her into an institutionalized setting such as a memory care unit.

2. The social model of disability can be applied to people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia by recognizing the societal/environmental barriers that cause one’s disability to be perpetuated. In Tangles for example, Midge had challenges reaching her second floor bedroom as her condition progressed so her family moved her bedroom to the first floor. In Forget Memory, it mentions how many people with dementia do not interact with others and isolate from the world. There are programs available that challenge this and instead build a community for those with dementia to interact with one another while still receiving care in the community and not in an institutional setting.

3. One thing that really bothered me was this trend of doctors and other advanced providers seeming to not give patients the time of day. In Tangles, this was shown as the doctor only asking questions to the family and not to Midge. In Forget Memory, this was shown as the doctor leaving and letting their nurse explain the diagnosis further instead of explaining the dementia experience to the patient themselves. Do you think something can be done to improve these very common interactions with patients that have dementia?

# data[].attributes.body
1. How does "Tangles" complicate or challenge dominant views of dementia and Alzheimer's disease?

2. What are specific examples of ways that ageism and ableism manifest for people with dementia?

3. How did your understanding or views of dementia or Alzheimer's change after reading Forget Memory and Tangles? Provide specific examples.

4. How might we apply the social model to people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia?