Description
The purpose of this activity is to get you to think about something none of us wants to face: The possibility that we will, one day, develop a debilitating condition that fundamentally changes the way we live. To prepare for this critical thinking assignment, first watch the video “How I’m Preparing to Get Alzheimer’s” (https://www.ted.com/talks/alanna_shaikh_how_i_m_preparing_to_get_alzheimer_s; it’s about 6 minutes long and also has subtitling capability as well as a transcript(https://www.ted.com/talks/alanna_shaikh_how_i_m_preparing_to_get_alzheimer_s/transcript). In the video, Alanna Shaikh describes the things she is doing not only to try to prevent Alzheimer’s disease but also to prepare for successful adaptation to Alzheimer’s disease if she does develop it. She identifies three things she is working on so that her adaptation, if necessary, is as smooth as possible.
After watching the video, write at least one paragraph that addresses the following question:
- Assume that one day, you will no longer be able to function the way you do now, either because you are elderly or because you have developed some disabling condition. What three things can you change about your current life that would help you prepare for this? In answering this question, you can either think of a specific disabling condition (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, etc.) or just a broad outcome such as cognitive impairment, old age, or physical decline. In answering this question, you would be thinking along the lines of Shaikh’s life changes.
