Metro Detroit physician volunteers for mother who can't any longer
(CBS DETROIT) - "Here, it's like I actually have time to spend and talk to people and connect with people," says Dr. Asha Shajahan, who, on her weekends, can be found volunteering her time at places like the Pope Francis Center in Detroit.
"When you have time to spend with people, you hear their stories, and I think that's the part that I like the best," says Shajahan.
It's those stories, Shajahan's mother once heard during her time volunteering too. She now volunteers for her mother who isn't able to anymore. Over a decade ago, her mother developed a rare form of dementia that impacts vision. She first started showing symptoms at only 58 years old.
"Growing up, my mom was a big volunteer. She spent a lot of time working with underserved populations and really ingraining that in my upbringing," Shajahan said while talking about her mother. "She got diagnosed at 62, which is pretty early to have dementia and she was devastated," she added.
Shajahan says her mother was hoping to do more volunteer work in her retirement, particularly in the healthcare field. Now, continuing to volunteer as her mother would, Shajahan says you have to celebrate one day at a time when it comes to being the child of a parent with dementia.
"When there is a good day, what can you do, so things like you can volunteer," Shajahan said while discussing her mother.
"My mom can't travel. I can travel. What are the things you can do try to think about the things that I can do to make this situation positive," she added.