Alzheimer’s, Healthcare and AI

AI is changing the way we treat Alzheimer’s Disease

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A few years ago, I volunteered at a long term care facility near my home. I was interested in the healthcare field. I wanted to learn more about what it means to take care of someone around the clock at a nursing home facility. There I was, naive and full of energy. I was assigned to the Alzheimer’s floor as a visiting volunteer.

There’s a misconception that Alzheimer’s patients are not lucid.

In fact, the rate of disease progression in Alzheimer’s patients differs widely from patient to patient. Some patients can lead an active lifestyle in the lucid state for years before languishing between the lucid and non-lucid states.

In this nursing facility, on the same floor, I encountered patients who were in their lucid states: lively, energetic and full of life. I also encountered patients who were mostly catatonic and withdrawn into their own world.

For patients at the beginning of their Alzheimer’s journey, the facility offered activities such as board games, card games and sing along concerts.

For patients in the middle of their Alzheimer’s journey who were in and out of their withdrawn states, the facility offered activities such as flower arrangement, manicures, and taking care of stuffed animals.

My most vivid experience was with a patient who I will call Shelly. Shelly was an artist. She did not have children. She loved sitting by the window and bask in the sunshine of the day. When I visited her, she told me about her life as an artist, her fun dating history and why she never married. I visited with her for several weeks before she descended into her darkness. On my last visit with her, I showed her my mother’s artworks. She was grateful to share a moment of joint appreciation for art with me. We hugged when we said goodbye.

A week later, when I visited again, she didn’t recognize me. The nurses told me that she was now in this state almost 24 hours of the day.

I’m not related to Shelly. I only spent a few hours with her in the weeks I visited her.