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Monday, January 30, 2012

Learning Journal 7

My project, dealing in studying the social repercussions of Alzhiemers disease on the Tongan people (or at least on those individuals whom I will come into contact with) is slowly shaping up into something of substance that makes a little sense. As this is happening I have been thinking about different ways to accomplish my project while out in the field. What I want to do (at this point) is to interview families who are caring for a person with the disease, friends of those families, and then even the patients themselves. The problem that I foresee, however is first and foremost in coming to contact with and finding these individuals. There is no way that Tonga will be filled with signs that say "Our Grandpa has alzhiemers, call this number!"

The second problem that I foresee is the ethical portion of my project. In no way is asking people how their alzhiemers is going something that is going to bring up happy feelings. I need to find a way to accomplish my project by finding the people first, and going about it in an ethical and well thought-out manner.

I have a few ideas at this point, in solving my problems stated above. First of all, I will need to find the Alzhiemers patients before I can study anything. Therefore, I plan to look up (before going to Tonga) and see if I can find a healthcare facility that deals (at least in some part) with alzheimers patients. From there I will see if volunteering in such a healthcare facility is an option, if not I will still go and interview the doctors and see if from there I can be referred to patients. I plan to ask the doctors questions about the disease and gain thier professional opinion regarding it. In terms of the ethics of my project, I will think about formulating questions that are tactful and don't necessarily talk about the disease in particular but will still be helpful in gleaning information about what families and individuals are feeling as a result of it. I plan to be very observant, as pictures are worth thousands of words. I will work on finding out what needs to be done in order to make my project proposal as ethical as possible.

As I further delve into what my project is and how I am to accomplish it, I come across better ideas, unforeseen difficulties and the like. I want to be able to work all these out so that when I do go to Tonga in May, I will have a solid project to work off of.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Learning Journal 6

Wednesday in class we went over some more Tongan history, the first time we did we focused on the legends and ancient history, which was interesting because it gave me insight into more of their culture and beliefs. This time we talked about more recent history, about how Tonga became a democracy and we read different accounts of riots that took place in 2006. Key word being 'different' accounts, because each article dealing with the riots had a different focus or main idea. This just goes to show that no matter who is telling you the story, you will never really understand the whole story. You will only gain a full understanding of the side of the story the person telling you is saying. So basically, when I go to Tonga, I can't generalize what people say, I can't generalize what people do, and I can't understand all Tongans based off the few I speak with. This also means that, to gain a full understanding (or a better one at the very least) of the social affects of Alzheimers on the Tongan people, I will need to talk to AS MANY people as I can. A broader scope will provide more accurate results.



Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Learning Journal 5

We did an activity in class on Monday essentially in ranking individuals based on how right or wrong we thought their actions had been. It's interesting, in such a situation, to see different people's responses and thoughts to actions regarding morality. Even in a classroom where we all (probably) share the same religious views, there are differences in how certain aspects on moral decisions are viewed. How right or how wrong people perceive others' actions. This can easily be applied to spending time in another culture because no matter where you go in the world people and societies will feel differently than you on issues. It's important to remember that even in a close knit community differing views arise, and that if they didn't the world would not progress as it has.

In that same light, I think it is also important to recognize that you also cannot generalize an entire group based off what just one or two people from that group say and do. For example, I am a kid from Alaska, and although I am considered just as American as a kid from New York City would be, you couldn't say that my lifestyle, views, and actions are what defines an American. That kid from New York City has been raised differently, probably thinks about and lives differently from me too. And yet, regardless of our immense differences, we are both Americans. You cannot generalize a population, you cannot generalize a nation, you cannot generalize a culture based off of what one or two people are like.

I will traveling to Tonga this summer, learning many new things about the world, myself, and the people of Tonga. I am excited to spend three months in a country that fascinates me studying a subject I enjoy. I am a white kid from 'the last frontier' ready to head south to the beautiful islands of Tonga. Such a contrast from where I was raised I am excited to expand my worldview and experiences.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Statement of Intent

I intend to study the social aspects of the disease alzhiemers/dementia in Tonga. I plan to find how the disease is viewed culturally, is it accepted? What different age groups feel about the disease and how families taking care of elderly members with alzhiemers feel about it. What is their take on having the disease in the family and does the Tongan culture influence that. I plan to accomplish this primarily through interviews and observations of people.
I hope to learn about another culture, to become integrated into another society such that I will learn more about myself and about the people with whom am I living.

Monday, January 23, 2012

25 Questions

Here is my list of 25 questions to further develop my project ideas

1). What is alzheimers?
2). Does Tonga have a medical facility that treats for alzhiemers?
3). What is the typical age that the Tongan people show the disease?
4). Is that age typical for most people or does it vary person to person?
5). Socially, how are people with the disease treated?
6). Is there a correlation between the number of people with it and where they live?
7). Is there a Tongan remedy for alzhiemers?
8). How do Tongan's care for their elderly?
9). How respected are the elderly in Tonga?
10). Do families care for the old once they reach a certain age?
11). Approximately what is that age or is a case to case basis?
12). Is there active research going on in Tonga in relating to alzhiemers?
13). Do the elderly appear to be happy?
14). How well, if any, does Tongan medications for alzhiemers work?
15). Culturally, how is the disease viewed?
16). How is alzhiemers/ dementia viewed by all generations, young and old?
17). What is their word for alzhiemers? connotations?
18). Culturally, how are people with the disease treated?
19). What are different peoples views on death?
20). Do those views vary depending on the age group you ask?
21). How are people with the disease taken care of?
22). Are elderly with treated as if in a different social class?
23). Culturally is it feared?
24). What are the current levels of alzhiemers in the country?, or is it even recorded?
25). Is it seen as something of a curse?
26). Generally, what is known already about the study of the social affect of alzhiemers?

Overarching Question

The purpose of this post if to put my project ideas into one or two questions. So here goes:
What is the effect both socially and culturally of the disease Alzhiemerss on Tongan people?
What are the medications that are just from Tonga, and do they work?

Learning Journal 4

In class on Friday, we discussed things such as reactivity, which can be defined as the fact that someone's knowledge of something is likely to change their behavior. For example, say I'm in Tonga and I am doing a study I'm asking elderly people to chart when they wake up and go to bed for two weeks. Their knowledge that I am studying based on something like that, could easily have them change what they would normally do. This idea is something important to keep in mind for all projects, it can almost be equated to uncertainty in a physics or chemistry lab, but with real people.

This idea of reactivity can be related to my idea of  studying Alzhiemers in Tonga because I would be dealing directly with people, asking them questions, studying them, etc. It is important, in that case, that when someone knows you are studying them (or an aspect of thier lives) there will be some level of uncertainty in their answers.

I have been narrowing my focus for my project (well working on it) and am wanting to focus on the disease Alzhiemers in Tonga, how the people are treated, how common it is, how the culture accepts it, and remedies for it. I will be meeting with people this week to further discuss and develop my ideas for, and to gain feedback on them.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

In class on Wednesday we learned a bit about Tonga's history and folklore. It was pretty interesting and gave a little more insight into the country I will be spending this summer in. I'm also working on gaining a more direct focus for my project and am thinking about centering it more around the disease Alzhiemers. Perhaps see if I can do a comparison with smaller towns and larger cities and the level of Alzhiemers in each, or study current Tongan remedies for Alzhiemers and thier effectiveness. Anyhow, these are my ideas at the moment.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Well, we have yet to have class this week as monday was a holiday, so I have decided to focus this post on my project a little bit more. Describe my ideas for it and whatnot.
The broad scope of my project has to do with gerontology, the study of and social aspects of aging. I'm still working on gaining a more direct focus, and my ideas thus far have to do with studying the general scope of happiness of the elderly in the country; do they live at home with their families once they reach a certain age and how respected are they in their communities. I'm also curious to whether there is a high level of alzhiemers disease and if that level has any correlation to the culture or society.

Friday, January 13, 2012

So this is my first post, this blog is all about my own personal reflections, ideas, concerns, and thoughts as I prepare a research project to study in Tonga. This first week of class we have been discussing what we think 'culture' means. I heard many good definitions by other students, but to me culture is what an individual identifies with in a society. What we are comfortable with and what makes us who we are. Culture isn't something set in stone, it's always progressing and changing to the needs and desires of its people. Culture doesn't limit us, it allows us to branch out and learn.
  I am excited to go to Tonga this summer and learn all about their respective culture. I will be conducting a research project in the area of gerontology.