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Deborah Kan

Created on March 13, 2024

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Transcript

Introduction

Carrier of an Alzheimer's risk gene
Living with early-onset Alzheimer's

Michele Castro

Kim Reid

Two families share their stories

Alzheimer's Disease: Generations of Impact

Hear Michele Speak

Hear Kim Speak

Michele Castro, PSEN1 carrier

listen

Click to learn more about

Making Memories

Advocacy

Diversity and Dementia

A Latino family living with an 'Alzheimer's gene'

The PSEN1 Gene

"Within our community, a lot of people don’t want to get tested (Alzheimer's) The Hispanic community is very loving, caring, but they can also be very private. We don’t want people to know our business."

Click here to explore THE CASTRO Family Tree

Michele Castro

Click here to Explore THE REID Family Tree

Kim and Robert Reid

Robert Reid, Kim's husband, Main Caregiver

Love Story

Listen

Click to learn more about

Christmas Time

Advocacy

Diversity and Dementia

An African American family on living with Alzheimer's

"Historically, because of our lack of healthcare, because our lack of funds to even go to the doctor, those things were not prevalent to us to be able to recognize and to understand. So the more knowledge that we can put out here, “go get checked,” “do this,” “do that.” If they see a black face doing it, they are more apt to, first of all, they can see it can happen to them and also they can do something about it."

Son

Son

Son

Tyler Castro

Joshua Pagan

Joel Castro

AuntDiagnosed with Alzheimer's

Elba Ramos

Click on each person to find out more

Carmelo Castro

Husband

Father

Michele's Family Tree

Step Grandmother

Mercedes GonzalezPerez

Grandfather

Martin Gonzalez Perez

GrandfatherUndiagnosed Dementia

Jacinto Ramos

GrandmotherUndiagnosed Dementia

Maria Dolores Ramos

Raymond Ramos

Chris Castro

Crystal Merritt

Daughter

Michele Castro

No signs of Alzheimer's PSEN1 gene carrier

MotherHad PSEN1 Alzheimer's

Son

Older StepbrotherHad PSEN1 gene

José M. Montalvo

Rosa Belen Gonzalez

Click on each person to find out more

Father Undiagnosed Dementia

Kim's Family Tree

Robert Reid

Husband Main Caregiver

Earl Wilson

Brennan Reid

Brandice Reid

Daughter

Kimberly Reid

Early OnsetAlzheimer's

MotherParkinson's Disease and Lewy body dementia

Son

Younger sister

Tracey (Reid) West

Willie Louise Wilson

Special thanks to Robert Reid and Michele Castro and their families for providing personal photos and videos.

Embedded video: The Journey of Dementia

Meet the Reid Family

Read more on BeingPatient.com

Alzheimer's Disproportionately Affects People of Color

Meet the Castro Family

Kim's daughter, Brandice, reads the yearbook letter from her mom to her dad

Click on image to enlarge

Return to Kim's page

Listen

Kim's Letter to Robert in their High School Yearbook

Tracey West: Signs of my parent's dementia

Listen

Earl Wilson

Kim's father, Earl, was a cross-country truck driver. He was diagnosed with dementia around 2015, a year before his wife, Willie, was diagnosed with Parkinson's and Lewy body dementia. And two years before his daugther Kim was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Tracey and her husband became full-time caregivers to her parents.

Why Brandice decided to stay home

Listen

Brandice talk about Kim as a mother

Listen

Brandice Reid

Brandice is the oldest child of Kim and Robert. She teaches at an elementary school and lives at home so she can help take care of her mother and support her father as the full-time caregiver. Photos taken by Brennan Reid and the Reid family.

Click to see the recipe

Brennan talks about his mother's "Almost better than anything cake"

Listen

As a photographer, Brennan captures his family's ordinary and special moments.

Michele Castro: Grandmother Maria's Alzheimer's

Listen

Maria D. Rolon

Michele's grandmother, Maria, and her husband lived in Puerto Rico while two of her children moved to New York. She became blind in her late 40s but continued to work around the house. Later, when Maria developed dementia symptoms, her children took turns taking care of her.

Kim grew up in southern Kentucky in a small town called Hopkinsville. Although Kim is currently in the moderate to late stage of early-onset Alzheimer's, she still enjoys spending time with her family and visits her childhood home where her sister, Tracey, currently lives.

Michele and Carmelo developed instant chemistry across the dance floor in New York City. Since then they've been married for more than 25 years. Both had kids from previous marriages but they raised all their children in the same household, making one big blended family.

Rosa with Jose and Michele in New York City

Listen

Michele Castro: Finding out about her mom's diagnosis

Rosa Belen Gonzalez

Michele's mother, Rosa, was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. She met Michele's father in New York and became an active and respected member of the Bronx community. Rosa worked as an administrator for Section 8 housing helping people in her community. Rosa passed away before she turned 60 but it wasn't until Rosa reached the late stages of early onset Alzheimer's that Michele discovered she had the PSEN1 gene.

Michele Castro: Happiest childhood memories

Carmelo Castro: What made Joe special

Crystal Merritt: Taking care of Uncle Joe

José M. Montalvo

José (Joe) had a career as an Emergency Medical Service worker for the FDNY. He worked during the 9-11 World Trade Center attack and aftermath. Diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's when he was in his 40s, Joe passed away at 59. His big personality and jovial nature left an impact on his friends and family.

Michele's son, Chris, is a registered nurse and nurse educator. He uses his medical background to help navigate Michele's doctor's appointments. He chose to live 15 mintues away so he can lend hand whenever it is needed. Chris has no blood relation to Michele.

Tracey West: I have three family members with dementia

Listen

Willie Louise Wilson

Kim's mother, Willie, was a factory worker who also worked as a church secretary. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2016 and later with Lewy body dementia. Around the same time, Kim was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. Tracey and her husband moved back into her parents' home to help take care of them.

When Crystal found out her mother has the PSEN1 gene, she was just engaged to be married. Today she cherishes every moment she has with her mother. Crystal isn't sure if she wants to get tested for the PSEN1 gene.

What Michele wants for her husband

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Michele's concerns about Alzheimer's

Michele on the future

Listen

Michele is currently 55 years old and has yet to exhibit symptoms associated with Alzheimer's, but the fact that she carries the PSEN1 gene makes it likely that she will develops Alzheimer's before 65 years old. Her genetic status motivates her to plan for the future. After witnessing how the disease impacted her mother and brother, she hopes to make it easier for her family.

Listen

Tracey West: The first time I noticed Kim's memory loss

Tracey talks about her big sister Kim and what she was like growing up together.

Kim is currently in the moderate to late stages of early-onset Alzheimer's. Robert works from home and is the full-time care partner of Kim. Robert believes that Alzheimer's affects the whole family, but also brings him closer to his wife.

Listen

Michele Castro: "We think grandfather had Alzheimer's"

Jacinto Ramos