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Dementia and Alzheimer’s are topics that many adults avoid. This leaves children at a serious disadvantage in terms of being informed about them and in seeing adults modeling positive, proactive, dementia-related behaviors. By engaging children with information about these topics at school and at home, adults can impact future generations of healthcare recipients, service providers, and caregivers. Listening to young people’s concerns and encouraging them to become involved are major steps toward transformation. Family discussions can be helpful for everyone, particularly as more family members are becoming caregivers for loved ones with cognitive decline.
Children have meaningful stories to tell that can help others understand their candid and sincere perspectives. Meet Dan, a boy who shares his heartfelt story about his Nan before and after she developed dementia. He explains his confusion and distress when he didn’t know what was happening to her. Now, he has learned more about the disease and enjoys visiting her at the nursing home. Dan has adjusted to his new Nan, one of his “most important people.” Many say, “It takes a whole village to raise a child.” But it also takes a whole village to make a village whole.