Of 350 people aged 65 or older at least 33 will have dementia. And another 99 will be family or friend caregivers. Caregivers suffer as much, if not more, caring for a loved one who's brain is using a foreign operating system that doesn’t match with ours. After 15 years of caring for her husband, Susan shares the joys and sorrows of caregiving and how to live in the land of Alzheimer's.



Susan and her husband Bob had a dream to live in another country and learn another language. Together they forged a life in Bali. Ten years later Bob showed signs of Alzheimer's disease.

Susan vowed to keep Bob with her in Bali and give him the best life possible. From that experience she created a blog called Alz World, writing about being a caregiver and hoping to inspire other caregivers. "Tell your loved one you love him, over and over, each time you visit," Susan writes in one of her blogs, "Don't expect anything in return. But know that your love seeps in and caresses his or her spirits".

Susan is an American artist, jewelry designer, and writer, has lived in Bali for 26 years. She has 14 years experience as the primary caregiver for her husband, Bob. Her book Piece by Piece: Love in the Land of Alzheimer's is now available.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx