Why a global health expert is planning for her own dementia
In short: Most people respond to the threat of Alzheimer's with denial or intense prevention efforts. But Alanna Shaikh, a global health expert, decided to approach the disease with a different strategy: preparing for the moment it might eventually arrive.
Watching her father struggle with Alzheimer's disease prompted Alanna Shaikh to develop a three-part strategy for her own future. Rather than focusing solely on physical prevention, she focused on building resilience through physical strength, cultivating lasting hobbies, and a profound shift in character. While her physical goals have not always gone as planned, the psychological and social aspects of her plan have yielded unexpected results.
A central pillar of her preparation has been the deliberate practice of kindness. Shaikh describes her former self as judgmental and critical—even a college friend once noted her tendency to have something 'bitchy' to say about others. Through her experience with her father, she realized the importance of being a 'nice' person, which she defines as being passive or not making a fuss, versus being a 'kind' person, which requires the active effort of giving the best of oneself and seeking the positive in every situation.
This shift in perspective, which she calls a 'generosity of spirit,' involves reframing frustrations. She recalls a period of frustration in a crowded office elevator, where she initially viewed colleagues as 'damned idiots' for delaying the lift. By consciously choosing to see them as 'happy people' simply enjoying their lives, she practiced the mental discipline required to find value in the present. For Shaikh, this transformation into a kinder person has become a natural way of being, even as she continues to navigate the uncertainties of the future.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How I'm preparing to get Alzheimer's - Alanna Shaikh
- Also: On origami, Alzheimer’s & kindness | TED Blog
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