Emily Balicanta participated in her internship at Alzheimer’s San Diego in California.
Tell us about your experience. What were your responsibilities?
My role as an ALZ Companion Intern was to provide companionship to individuals living with dementia by hosting meaningful virtual visits. These visits aimed to improve the individual’s day through fun activities or conversations that recalled memories, while also giving family care partners a much-needed break. I was also responsible for researching, reading, and writing about Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, caretaking, support platforms, and the involvement of social media to spread awareness and support. This information was used in future training and other informational settings.
What was the best thing about the experience? What was the worst?
As an aspiring physical therapist, understanding how to effectively communicate with patients, especially considering their age and abilities, was essential. The opportunity to be an ALZ companion gave me insight into interacting with older people and understanding how Alzheimer’s affects an individual, which was useful for my future career. Additionally, this opportunity allowed me to put my passion for helping others into action, especially during challenging times when in-person interaction was prohibited.
What was the most memorable moment of your experience?
My most rewarding experience was building a strong relationship with two families living with dementia. Working with a population that struggled with technological difficulties, it was a challenge at first to find the best way to connect with the families. For instance, one family faced technical difficulties using Zoom during our initial visits. However, I persevered, researched other ways to communicate and share my screen, and discovered YouTube live stream. This platform allowed me to display pictures on my computer, which we discussed over the phone and had a lovely conversation about. In the end, I found the best way to connect with the family and give the care partner a much-needed break.
BU + Beyond 