Education

How Advocates And Editors Used A Word Game To Reach 50 Million People About Alzheimer's Disease


Long before the smart phone or Sudoku or even the “Bathroom Reader,” Americans spent hours here, there and just about everywhere with crossword puzzles. It’s been said doing them keeps the brain sharp, and might even prevent Alzheimer’s. And though most scientists disagree about whether the puzzles really do offset the effects of aging, no one can deny the relationship Americans have with them.

Will Shortz, crossword editor for the New York Times and co-creator of the “Hardest Crossword.”

(photo courtesy of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA))

How appropriate then, that the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) would use the crossword to spread awareness about one of the most puzzling medical mysteries of our time.

With the help of Will Shortz and Fred Piscop, crossword editors for the New York Times and USA Today respectively, the AFA set out to create a public awareness campaign that people would not soon forget and at the same time give them a brief glimpse into what someone with dementia lives with on a daily basis. Simply put, they took a common hobby, and transformed it into a way of experiencing Alzheimer’s.

They called it the “Hardest Crossword,” and described it in this way: “Only one person knows all the answers, but she doesn’t remember them anymore.”

The AFA started out by learning facts about patients’ lives by interviewing their relatives. Shortz, an enigmatologist, known as the “Philosopher of Puzzles” and the world’s only academically accredited puzzle master, then created puzzles based on each patient’s life and the answers they could no longer find. They worked with the biggest newspapers in the United States to have the puzzles covertly published, making enthusiasts struggle to find the simplest answers. And with unsolvable crossword puzzles, they helped many find the answers they needed.

The puzzles themselves are based on the true lives of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease, made up of questions derived from real testimonials shared by family members of individuals living with the disease. The clues of each puzzle are derived from facts about one of these individual’s lives. For example, some clues ask to identify “Kat’s son” or “Kat’s neighbor” or “what Kat likes to cook.”

No one can solve the puzzles. And in the confusion of the attempt, the cruciverbalist (or crossword enthusiast) comes to understand in some way the effects of Alzheimer’s disease that no one can solve and that plague sufferers.

The “Hardest Crossword” is based on the questions that individuals living with Alzheimer’s have lost the ability to answer because of the disease. It’s aimed at spreading awareness of the insidious disease and how difficult it is to function in everyday life when one begins to lose their memory and thinking skills.

“Individuals attempting the ‘Hardest Crossword’ for the first time don’t know the story behind it and why it’s impossible for them to solve,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., president and CEO of the AFA.  “As a result, they often experience confusion, frustration and an inability to unlock the answers, something that individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease frequently do as well.  They’re unknowingly experiencing common Alzheimer’s symptoms for a brief period.  Because it’s so unique, people talk about it with others.  And that’s the goal.

Alzheimer’s disease—the most common cause of dementia or loss of intellectual functioning in older adults—is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest of tasks. It’s estimated that more than 5.5 million Americans, most of them age 65 and older, are living with Alzheimer’s disease today, and that number is expected to triple by mid-century. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, but according to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), recent estimates indicate that it may rank third, just behind heart disease and cancer, as a cause of death in older people.

Crossword puzzles are said to be the most popular word game in the world. And though the first crosswords appeared in England during the 19th century, ironically, the first known published crossword puzzle was created and published on December 21, 1913 in the Sunday edition of the New York World by journalist, Arthur Wynne from Liverpool. And so, he is usually credited as the inventor of the crossword puzzle.

Fuschillo called the “Hardest Crossword” initiative “tremendously successful.” He said the goal was to “raise awareness and let people know there is a place to turn if Alzheimer’s is (or becomes) part of their lives.” Each crossword had AFA’s National Toll-Free Helpline (866-232-8484) and website listed on it to help connect people with any information and support they may need.

“We reached more than 50 million people nationwide using this unique, creative awareness tool, including through some of the country’s biggest media outlets,” Fuschillo said. “Our website had a 159% increase in traffic, which helped connect people to valuable information about Alzheimer’s disease, caregiving, memory screenings and support services. We also saw a 62% increase in calls to our National Toll-Free Helpline, which connects callers with our team of licensed social workers to provide guidance, support, services and referrals to local resources in the caller’s area.”

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) signs in Times Square.

(photo courtesy of Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA))

Fuschillo said The Atlantic provided free ad space for the crossword, and the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and New York Daily News offered significantly reduced ad pricing to have the crosswords run in their publications. Superior Digital Displays donated billboard space in Times Square in New York City to raise awareness about the “Hardest Crossword.”

“’The Hardest Crossword’ is centered on public awareness and has generated tremendous reach,” Fuschillo said. “But it is never enough, because the number of Americans affected by Alzheimer’s is growing.  We want to continue raising awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and the help and support services that are available to help those in need.”

Interested in trying the puzzles? Visit this site.

 



READ NEWS SOURCE

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.