Balancing school, work and caring for a grandparent living with dementia
Indo-Canadian Voice Balancing school, work and caring for a grandparent living with dementia posted by: Rattan MallAshley Sharma lives in Abbotsford and cares for her grandmother, who lives with dementia. Young caregiver honoured at Walk for dementia on May 31 Ashley Sharma grew up in a close-knit South Asian family in Abbotsford, where her grandmother – her Nanni – was at the centre of daily life. When her Nanni began showing […] The post Balancing school, work and caring for a grandparent living with dementia first appeared on Indo-Canadian Voice.Indo-Canadian Voice
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Ashley Sharma lives in Abbotsford and cares for her grandmother, who lives with dementia.
Young caregiver honoured at Walk for dementia on May 31
Ashley Sharma grew up in a close-knit South Asian family in Abbotsford, where her grandmother – her Nanni – was at the centre of daily life. When her Nanni began showing confusion and frustration, Sharma stepped into a caregiving role while balancing work and studies.
“Sometimes it feels like I’m living in two worlds,” she says.
Sharma is being honoured at the Alzheimer Society of BC and Yukon’s largest fundraiser, the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s, presented by Go Auto, in Abbotsford on Sunday, May 31. By sharing their stories, honourees put a face and voice to dementia, breaking down stigma and inspiring change. You can walk in honour of your community’s honouree or in support of someone in your life who has been affected by dementia. Funds raised help the organization deliver vital programs and services and enable critical research to change the future of the disease.
Sharma first noticed her Nanni was changing when a small but confusing moment caught her attention. Her Nanni had brought home several empty juice bottles from Subway.
“I remember thinking it was weird, but I brushed it off,” Sharma says.
That moment was one of the first signs of dementia, the beginning of a journey that would reshape Sharma’s life and her role in the family. Nanni had always been at the centre of it all as the storyteller, the problem-solver and the person everyone turned to for guidance. But when her Nanni began showing confusion and frustration, Sharma found it difficult to speak up. In their household, even as one of the eldest grandchildren who was in university and working, her opinion often didn’t carry weight.
“The adults would hush any concerns,” she says. “We didn’t talk about dementia.”
The family’s hesitancy came from fear. Sharma’s grandfather had experienced racism and mistreatment in hospitals when he first immigrated to Canada. The trauma lingered and taking her Nanni to a doctor felt impossible. When her Nanni was hospitalized in 2020 after losing feeling on one side of her body, the family had no choice but to seek medical care. Doctors confirmed she had dementia and significant aphasia. That diagnosis shifted Sharma into a role she never expected: a young caregiver navigating complex health and cultural dynamics.
“My friends are starting new jobs or going out,” Sharma says. “I’m home making sure my Nanni is okay.”
Sharma’s caregiving is shared with family, but her responsibilities include managing routines, helping with medications and providing comfort. Even during hospital stays, she finds small moments of connection reading beside her Nanni or playing her favourite YouTube shows at her bedside.
“Life can be so hard and there’s resiliency in our heritage and culture,” Sharma says. “Being a caregiver has given me the chance to practise unconditional love. I can’t ask anything from my Nanni, but I can love her regardless.”
Sharma has learned to balance care for her Nanni with care for herself. She leans on her friends, reads and attends therapy. She also credits the Alzheimer Society of BC and Yukon’s caregiver support group for helping her navigate the challenges of being a young caregiver. Sharma hopes to encourage others, especially those within the South Asian community, to reach out for help and break the stigma around dementia.
Learn how to join a Walk near you and honour people like Ashley Sharma.
If you are affected by dementia, the Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s First Link® South Asian Dementia Helpline can help. It provides culturally appropriate dementia support in Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The Helpline is available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To learn more, visit alzheimerbc.org or call 1-833-674-5003.
The post Balancing school, work and caring for a grandparent living with dementia first appeared on Indo-Canadian Voice.Indo-Canadian Voice
