Still Alice

At the beginning of the fall semester, Eric asks Alice to meet with her to discuss her student evaluations. The evaluations, he notes, are mediocre, and would typically have been overlooked except that they were a stark departure from her previous evaluations. The written comments were particularly bad, painting a picture of her deterioration of which she had been unaware. He asks if she is having marital or substance-abuse problems, but she tells him that she has Alzheimer’s, and explains that she was diagnosed in January. She and Eric agree that, given her performance the previous semester and the fact that her condition will only worsen, she cannot continue in her current role. Eric suggests a medical leave that will take her into sabbatical, but she asks that she stop teaching but remain on as Dan’s advisor, to which Eric agrees.

At the first Psychology Lunch Seminar of the semester, Alice arrives early and eager; however, no one seems to want to sit next to her, preferring to stand in the back rather than sit with her—with the exception of Dan. One of Eric’s graduate students, Leslie, gives her talk, and Alice struggles to keep up, but manages to do so.