Understanding the Impact of Alzheimer’s Through Personal Narratives and Research

Sample Pre-Drafting Assignment Two 

Sample One: Argument

Need answer to this question?

Unit 6

Item 1 (Summary)

Item 2 (Exploration – 2 questions)

Item 3 (Skepticism/ Questioning – 1 question)

Unit 7

Locate Sources

Unit 8

Annotated Bibliography

Sample Two: Narrative

Unit 6

Item 1 (Summary)

Item 2 (Exploration – 2 questions)

Item 3 (Skepticism/ Questioning – 1 question)

Unit 7

Locate Sources

Unit 8

Annotated Bibliography

Sample Two: Narrative 

By Anonymous, Winter 2021, Shared with permission 

Unit 6

Item 1 (Summary)

The article “The Day His Journal Went Blank: Modern Love” by Annabelle Allen

published by the New York Times is about the author’s father who is dealing with Alzheimer’s. Allen mentions the difficulties individuals might face when a parent or loved one has acquired this disease and the limitations this could bring to their life. Allen herself experienced and made difficult decisions to accommodate her father’s illness. Because of this she had more responsibilities and a lack of freedom. She also states, how most can feel disconnected from these ill individuals. In the author’s case, she tries  to reconnect with her father through his journals, trying to understand the person he once was since he no longer remembered. Allen states that although rummaging through your loved one’s past can provide closure, it can also provide false hope. She states that once you know someone’s vibrant past self-it’s hard to compare that to the fading person sitting in front of you.

Item 2 (Exploration – 2 questions)

1. Many individuals have loved one’s who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. The author by writing about her father’s illness can shed light on how these individuals live in their day to day lives. The author by presenting her own struggles and emotions can make

individuals who are in the same position feel less alone. Allen struggles with her own

identity and also tries to understand her father’s past. Some of these individuals might

want answers, some might be afraid of losing their parent/loved one and some might

struggle with the fact that the person they once knew is gone. People who have family

who suffer from this disease can relate and understand to what the author is going

through. The author shares how she gave up a lot to help her family and some might

know the hardships of having to put their life on hold to help someone they love.

2. Allen makes the assumption that anyone associated with someone with this disease has to risk everything and put their life on hold. However, that is not the case for everyone. Some people might not be close to their families and therefore not be concerned with their family members who suffer from Alzheimer’s. The author chose to help her father, but some individuals could send their loved ones to a special home instead of actively taking care of them on their own. Allen also makes it seem as if all individuals’ experience with this disease is the same and as troubling as her father’s. However, not all Alzheimer’s cases are the same, some could have less severe cases and it isn’t always a bad experience. In the overall representation of the article, the author doesn’t provide much hope to those with ailing parents. She makes it seem as if these individuals are miserable and being held back from living their life.

Item 3 (Skepticism/ Questioning – 1 question)

After Allen’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she thought she had lost her father.

While trying to understand his past self she lost sight of who he currently was. She

wished the same man in front of her was the same as she read in the journals. When

reading the last page in her father’s journal, “she felt afraid of how much he had lost and

would continue to lose” Allen (2021). Instead of embracing who her father had become,

she was “in denial and didn’t want the journaled version of her father to be over” (Allen,

2021). She didn’t try to understand the man sitting next to her and in doing so, also

disregarded the current ways he showed his love and affections. Although it wasn’t in the same way, her father would always find a way to show her and his family how much he cared through his simple actions. When asked how much he loved her mom he answered One quart…” (Allen, 2021). These simple yet powerful words indicate that her father is still capable of expressing some affection and love. The author should stop trying to recapture her dad’s past self and instead should start appreciating him for all that he is in the present moment.

Unit 7

Locate Sources

1. Brainstorm a list of keyword search terms (5-10 phrases or strings)

• Alzheimer’s family relationships.

• Recollection of memories Alzheimer’s

• Effects Alzheimer’s loved ones

• Prevention Alzheimer’s

• Alzheimer’s other ways help.

2. List sources that appear relevant (locate 2 of each type; for each, briefly indicate

the relevance of the source). Make sure to complete the first three types in full (2

sources per type). As noted below, the last one for “additional sources” is

optional.

Newspaper-of-Record/ Public Scholarship Sources

○ Source 1: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-the-odd-

encounter-that-pulled-dad-out-of-his-alzheimers-fog/

○ Relevance: The author talks about her father’s experience with Alzheimer’s and

how her father changed due to this disease.

○ Source 2: https://search-proquest-

com.ezcentennial.ocls.ca/docview/2219064392/F29D44E1B79B46AAPQ/7?acco

untid=39331

○ Relevance: The author talks about his struggles as a teen due to his mother’s

mental health problems as well as the regrets he has after his mother dies from

Alzheimer’s.

Videos/ Images

○ Source 1:

https://www.ted.com/talks/anne_basting_how_to_meaningfully_reconnect_with_t

hose_who_have_dementia/transcript

○ Relevance: Anne Basting talks about how we can reconnect with those who have

dementia or Alzheimer’s.

○ Source 2:

https://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_genova_what_you_can_do_to_prevent_alzheimer

_s/transcript?language=en

○ Relevance: Lisa Genova talks about what people can do in order to prevent

Alzheimer’s.

Library and/or Database Sources

○ Source 1: https://journals-sagepub-

com.ezcentennial.ocls.ca/doi/full/10.1177/1084822318775703?utm_source=sum

mon&utm_medium=discovery-provider#_i8

○ Relevance: This journal article talks about the social problems Alzheimer’s

patients and their families face.

○ Source 2: https://onlinelibrary-wiley-

com.ezcentennial.ocls.ca/doi/full/10.1002/bin.1655

○ Relevance: This journal article talks about experimenting with Alzheimer’s

patients by testing their ability to recall memories and recognize photos.

Unit 8

Annotated Bibliography

Basting, A. (2020, March). How to meaningfully reconnect with those who have 

dementia. (Video File).

In the Ted Talk, How to meaningfully reconnect with those who have dementia the guest

speaker Anne Basting, talks about ways people can connect with individuals who have dementia and Alzheimer’s. Basting walks the audience through her experience with some of these individuals and mentions which types of questions are appropriate to ask without demeaning the individual. She states how “beautiful questions” are open ended questions with no right or wrong answer. Instead of words, these individuals express themselves in different forms of art. Lastly, Basting, talks about her mother who also suffers from Alzheimer’s and how she approached the

situation. This relates to the research driven essay because it shows a way to communicate with those who have Alzheimer’s and dementia without creating shame or isolation towards the individual.

Stock, D. (2019). The odd encounter that pulled Dad out of his Alzheimer’s fog. The 

Globe and Mail.https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-

person/article-the-odd-encounter-that-pulled-dad-out-of-his-alzheimers-fog/

In this article The odd encounter that pulled Dad out of his Alzheimer’s fog published by

The Globe and Mail Deborah Stock, talks about a simple encounter she and her father- who suffers from Alzheimer’s had. She and her father were in a medical clinic and a woman across from them starting singing Celine Dion’s My heart will go on. The author mentions her thoughts in those moments and mentions how Alzheimer’s had affected her father over the years. She states, that although this disease can be hard to live with for those experiencing it firsthand and for those there to witness it, the positive side to it is being able to see a brand-new side of the individual. The author got to see her father sit silently in awe due to this woman’s singing- a new side of her father she had never witnessed. This relates to the research driven essay because it shows the small, albeit positive side to Alzheimer’s. This portrays that even though these individuals have lost their past memories, the ability to stay in the moment and be present with them is possible.

Walton, M. (2010). Holding fast, letting go. The New York Times

https://search-proquest-

com.ezcentennial.ocls.ca/docview/2219064392/F29D44E1B79B46AAPQ/7?accountid=39331

In the article Holding fast, letting go published by the New York Times, the author, Matt

Walton talks about the regrets, anger, and guilt he feels towards his mother after she passes away from Alzheimer’s. The author takes the readers into his past and dives deep into the emotional trauma he experienced. He mentions that while he was a teenager, his mother had mental health issues and made several attempts to commit suicide which resulted in her being in a mental institution. After mentioning his past, Walton talks about the path his life took during adolescence and how his relationship with his mother changed. This relates to the research driven critique because it shows another person’s experience and struggles with a loved one who has Alzheimer’s. This article displays the regrets an individual feels after losing a loved one and notes that time with them is precious.

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