Infierno, Madre de Dios (Amazon region)

To meet Juana, I traveled to the community of Infierno, located in the southern rainforest of
Peru, a few hours away from Puerto Maldonado. Juana was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and
her family knew there was nothing they could do for her. Juana is blind and deaf, and she lives
in an isolated jungle location. Her daughter works at a bodega to support the family. She was
forced to stay in a hut every day or risk becoming lost in the forest. I was locked in with her.

Juana was dismantling her bed — frail as she is, finding something to do with the only object
in her cabin. It was a difficult task. I knew she couldn’t see or hear me; I could touch her, but
she would forget I was there. I felt like an intruder and told the family so. But they begged me
to keep taking pictures and, if I could, to show them to people who could do something about
this terrible disease.

I felt the enormous burden and frustration that family members and caregivers of people with
dementia carry every day: the absence of information, medication, and health professionals to
guide them through the difficult process of caring for a loved one.