Alanna ShaikhHow I’m preparing to get Alzheimer’s

TED Talks Presents

“I’m preparing to get Alzheimer's.”

There is no way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, you can only prepare for it because if it is in your genes, you will eventually develop it.

Alanna Shaikh is a global health and development specialist with a vendetta against jargon. She has been dealing with her fathers Alzheimers disease for about a decade and has come up with a way to prepare herself for when her time to develop the disease comes.

Alanna begins her speech by explaining Alzheimer's and the symptoms that are often tagged with the disease. Her own father being her prime example, brings the audience onto a personal level with Alanna.

Alanna seemed to keep the audience’s attention with her different prospective towards Alzheimer’s disease.

Preparation. Alanna believes that people expecting to develop Alzheimer’s should not try and prevent it, but PREPARE for it.

“If the monster wants you, the monster will get you.”

Alanna’s speech consists of her telling us about three main ways she’s going to start improving herself now, so that she will be able to hopefully live a happier life when she develops Alzheimer's.

I noticed that Alanna seems to value commandment six the most throughout this speech.

She isn’t afraid to put herself or her heart on her sleeve. She is brave enough to go onto stage and present herself in an extremely vulnerable way.

She speaks of how she has not always been kind and loving, but when she develops Alzheimer's she will be stripped of everything but her heart so she wants to improve it.

DYNAMISM

I would give Alanna a 5 for Dynamism. Her speech really touched myself on a personal level even though I have never dealt with Alzheimer's. She connected with the audience in a sincere manner that caught attention and moved her point from the stage to the audience throughout the entire presentation.

During Alanna’s presentation I learned that when speaking to an audience don’t address them as a group, talk to them as if you were just talking to another person. Make it personal.

Sir Ken Robinson and Alannah Shaikh are both very talented

speakers. Though they both have a very different procedure for presenting their thoughts and

ideas.

Alanna speaks very fluidly and uses a serious tone, that throughout her speech turns into a hopeful and comforting tone of voice which makes it easier to listen too. She connects with the audience on a personal level that allows you to see the battle she will soon have to face with Alzheimers. She spoke smoothly throughout entire speech.

Alanna Shaikh

Sir Ken Robinson

Sir Ken Robinson speaks very informatively. He takes everyone's prospective into account when he delivers his speeches. His speeches may consist of some added dry humor, but they are in depth. Well thought out and well planned. His speeches are delieved in a comfortably urgent matter. He speaks as if he is in the process of change.

I think that Sir Ken Robinson’s speeches are maybe not as personal and as appealing to my own sense of humor (in some parts) but are more informative and even a little bit confusing.

Alanna’s speech was easy to grasp and understand. She left margin for the audience to feel sympathy for her and her fathers cases, but did not beg or plead for it.

A tip to my classmates.

A tip that I would give to my classmates would be to try and attempt to address an audience not as a whole, but personally so that the communication from you to them can move less confusingly and more fluidly.

Thanks for watching!