![]() ![]() Studies have shown that Latinos, like my family, are more likely to develop Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia at a younger age and are also more likely to be diagnosed later in the disease. Approximately 21.3% of Black Americans and 13% of Hispanic Americans live with Alzheimer's disease, and cases among people aged 65 and older from the Black and Hispanic/Latino population are expected to quadruple by the year 2060. I didn't understand, yet, how it would affect my grandpa and my family.Īlzheimer's disease is one of the leading causes of death in adults aged 65 and older. I was busy hanging out with my friends, reading comic books, building Legos, and making stop-animation videos. I was 9 years old at the time of his initial diagnosis, and my family had just moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. However, as time passed, it became clear that he had Alzheimer's disease, a more severe form of memory impairment. (Courtesy Ethan Maggio)Ībout six years ago, at the age of 70, my grandpa was diagnosed with dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities. The author’s grandfather, “Papi,” holding him as a one-month-old baby (left) and the author at age 4, with his grandfather, in 2010 (right). ![]() Whenever I became frustrated, when the ball kept flying over the fence, he would laugh and encourage me to try again. With my endless energy, my grandparents regularly took me to the park, where my grandpa would try to teach me how to play tennis. We built cities out of my Lightning McQueen car characters and role-played games in which I was a Marvel hero, and he played the villain - always ending in me tackling him. Growing up, my grandpa was always by my side. He remained dedicated to their well-being, despite the challenges he faced. My grandpa’s relentless determination and prudent choices enabled him to persevere and ultimately provide for his family. He arrived with a small carry-on and $10. He settled in New York City, determined to build a new life. My grandpa, Hugo Palavicino, immigrated from Chile in the 1970s amid political and social unrest. ![]() Facebook Email The author’s grandfather, Hugo Palavicino, in the 1970s, on his first flight to JFK airport on Lan Chile, photographed by his brother, the author’s great-uncle. ![]()
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