Today we’re joined by Ben Molina. Originally from Bolivia, Ben is passionate about elder care and his work at the Alzheimer’s association is making a difference in the Hispanic community. Ben opens up about his journey with depression, finding love and his calling in his field. He discusses the challenges of a disease that disproportionately affects Hispanics and gives us some advice on the conversations and planning that we should start to have in our own families.

Ben’s superpower is Empathy! “I don’t know how I discovered it. I was always very sensitive to other people and very observant of other people. Also, my mom had a wonderful way of always encouraging us to think positive about people and situations. It’s helped me a lot in the field of social work”, says Ben.

What does living Autentico mean to you?

Autentico means being comfortable in my own skin regardless of the situation. If I am comfortable and honest in who I am, then you are getting the best version of me that I can be.

About Ben

Ben Molina is a Bolivian-born St. Louis City resident. He’s been living in St. Louis for 8 years. Ben has a master’s degree in social work from Washington University and currently serves as Program Manager for the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Missouri Chapter. Ben is also on the Board for Social Work Leaders in Healthcare.

Mentioned in this episode:

What is Alzheimer’s: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers
Latinos & Alzheimer’s Disease: New numbers behind the crisis: https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/sites/default/files/Latinos-and-AD_USC_UsA2-Impact-Report.pdf
Links to power of attorneys/ financial: https://missourilawyershelp.org/legal-topics/durable-power-of-attorney-for-health/
Poder Notarial Duradero para el Cuidado de Salud y Directiva de Cuidado Médico: https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Durable-Power-of-Attorney-Full-Booklet-4-25-17-Spanish.pdf

Connections:

Connect with Ben Molina on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennmolina

Music Guide:

Segment 1

Good As Hell (Clean Version) - Lizzo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QskZIrbRt7c
Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande - Rain On Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoAm4om0wTs

Segment 2

Segment 3

Thanks for listening in - what’s your story? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know what you love about We Live Here Auténtico and the stories of our community. Or maybe you are ready to share your own story - send us an email at info@autenticopodcast.com.

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