By Kara Jacobsen
Simone Fraga has always loved working with older adults as she had strong bonds with her grandparents. She finds learning from their lifetime of memories and experiences so valuable. For the past year, she has been interning at Alzheimer’s San Diego as part of her master’s program in Social Work. When choosing her program, she realized if she wanted to work with this population, she would need to learn more about dementia, something she describes as still being “on the whole, very misunderstood.”
Simone is originally from the Bay Area and earned her Bachelor’s in Sociology from San Francisco State University. Throughout her internship, she has assisted in answering phone calls through our support line and helped facilitate support groups and our special Take Charge program.
She has also spent time with people living with dementia at our social activities. Together, they have discussed history and politics, and movies from the old Hollywood era, which she especially enjoys.
“It’s amazing that they have so much to share and first-hand knowledge having lived through those events,” Simone shares. “It’s nice to talk with them about movies and TV shows because peers my own age usually have no idea what I’m talking about!”
During her time, Simone has felt even more connected to the cause. She appreciated how welcoming the team at Alzheimer’s San Diego has been and the level of thoughtfulness that goes into the programs. She also is grateful for how much she’s learned about dementia and human relationships. With older adults she has realized you do not just work with the individual but the entire family. Simone feels glad to have learned the role family dynamics play and hopes to bring this awareness into her future career.
“I think the stigma surrounding dementia can sometimes create a distance between the individuals and their family and friends. Yet, all the individuals I’ve had the pleasure to speak with throughout my internship at Alzheimer’s San Diego are extremely intelligent. I’ve learned so much from them and from the organization about how best to interact with them and their care partners. Communication just requires a different skillset, but minor alterations in our behavior can go a long way,” she explains.
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