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Volume 8
Journal of Alzheimers Disease & Parkinsonism
Dementia 2018
December 13-15, 2018
Page 45
Notes:
December 13-15, 2018 Abu Dhabi, UAE
13
th
Annual Conference on
Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease
Dementia and the cycle of role reversal
Lilly Naomi
Duke University, USA
M
y grandmother is an 88-year-old African American woman with dementia. My project seeks to explore the role
dementia has played within my family, specifically, how the cycle of role reversal has shaped the matriarch position my
grandmother once held within my family. Discussion of the topic will be facilitated by my grandmother, her children, and
grandchildren. Literary works include publications that focus on dementia as a symptom and dementia as it pertains to the
role of caretakers. These works were used to demonstrate differences between written text and what it means to face dementia
outside of text. The final project will take the form of a documentary that seeks to capture the emotions and realities my family
has had to face as a result of my grandmother’s condition. The documentary is different from a paper because in many ways, it
serves as a case study that helps to build personality and impact. This personality and impact will ultimately help viewers paint
an image of what life looks like for a person with dementia and how the conditions that are attributed to dementia, impact
surrounding individuals (i.e. family). The documentary will be guided by the recognition of a role reversal and reflections on
memories before and after my grandma’s condition began and continued to worsen. These memories help to allow individuals
to recognize the changes dementia can have on what may be considered a person’s everyday routine. These memories will also
help viewers connect to the content due to the raw nature of the responses given by interviewees and the unfortunate realities
dementia presents. The analysis of the interviews I have conducted has portrayed general disdain for my grandma’s health
status, but a fondness and admiration that can be attributed to the way she has helped to unite and lead my family throughout
the years. This admiration was reflected heavily amongst my family members and their acceptance of the role reversal, due
to the nurturing my grandmother has provided us throughout the years. Evidence for this claim can be greatly attributed to
the heartfelt answers provided by family members. These answers help to paint the image of a matriarch and a change in the
hierarchal roles within the family at large.
Biography
Naomi Lilly is a member of the class of Duke University 2020. Naomi is studying African American Studies and Gender Studies and pursuing a certificate in
Documentary Studies. At Duke, she is a member of the Penny Pilgram Cohort, the political chair co-president for Duke’s NAACP chapter, a member of the
Duke Deja Blue acapella group, and a content creator for The Bridge (an online publication). Her academic interests include gender and racial injustice, the role
of activism today’s society and the media’s growing impact with issues related to social injustice(s). After college, Naomi seeks to focus on accurate minority
representation in entertainment.
Lilly Naomi, J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 2018, Volume 8
DOI: 10.4172/2161-0460-C8-057