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| Sonata, you’ve been at Klaipeda University for three decades. How did it all begin? I came to Klaipeda University from Plungė at the age of seventeen. I dreamed of becoming an architect and, unlike many girls, never imagined being a teacher. I enrolled in political science undergraduate studies, later continuing with a master’s degree. From the very beginning, I was interested in social inequality and poverty – as political phenomena. That was the starting point of my academic journey. In the spring of 2000, I began working at the Department of Social Work, within the Faculty of Health Sciences. That was during my first year of graduate studies, and I never left. I started from the very bottom – as a secretary. Looking back, I see how symbolic that beginning was. My thesis supervisor, Prof. Vaidutis Laurėnas, then Vice-Rector, must have seen potential in me – as did Prof. Elvyra Acienė, then Head of the Department. Gradually, I became part of academia, teaching social policy, social program management and administration, and social gerontology. Today, I consider myself a specialist in applied social policy and gerontology. |
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| Your research focuses on aging processes. When did that become your main theme?
At first, aging seemed like a very distant topic. When, in 2003, the Head of Department asked me to prepare a social gerontology course, I was only 25 and, to be honest, thought it was unfair – why should someone so young delve into old age? Now I understand that nothing in life happens by accident.
By 2014, when I became Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, my mother had already been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. At that time, I knew very little about the brain and neurodegenerative disorders. Personal experience and witnessing daily changes became my teachers – sometimes painfully so. Looking back, I realize I spent a long time living in a state of burnout.
| How did you manage to balance caring for your mother with such a demanding university role?
To be honest, in the final years it was almost impossible. My mother lived with me and required 24-hour care. At that time, I was serving as Vice-Rector for Studies. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, and later the emotional weight of the war in Ukraine.
In the last year of her life, my mother moved into a nursing home. It was a decision that still weighs on me. If I had known then what I know now, I would not have made that choice.
In Lithuania, advance care planning – when a person, while still cognitively capable, decides on their future care – is still rarely practiced. We didn’t do it in our family, simply because we didn’t know about it. Yet such inclusion is not a privilege; it is a human right.
“Parkinson’s disease is more than a trembling body.”
For many, Parkinson’s is associated only with tremors. But tremor is just one symptom. When someone’s hand or another body part begins to shake, dopamine production in the brain has already dropped by about 80 percent – an irreversible process. The disease develops silently over decades. In some cases, Parkinson’s is accompanied by Lewy body disease symptoms, such as hallucinations. It is shocking to watch a loved one change so profoundly, as their condition reshapes not only their life, but also that of their family.
| How did this experience influence your academic path?
While serving in administrative positions – as Vice-Dean, later Vice-Rector – I had almost no time for research. But as COVID hit and my mother’s condition worsened, she moved into a care home. That gave me time to learn about Parkinson’s and other brain diseases, and to explore care methods for people living with them.
I discovered online courses at the University of Tasmania (Australia) about dementia, which helped me understand what happens inside the brain of a person living with it. Then, I came across the Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health Program – a prestigious initiative run by the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI).
Competition is fierce – only about 10% of applications are successful. Over ten years, I became only the third Lithuanian fellow accepted into the program. I spent a year in Ireland, as GBHI operates jointly between Trinity College Dublin and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
There were 32 fellows from diverse fields – neuroscientists, neurologists, engineers, artists, psychiatrists, doctors, researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators. The program fosters deep interdisciplinary exchange. For example, one participant had directed museums in Ireland, Australia, and the U.S., and his project was to make art spaces more accessible for older adults.
The fellowship deepened my understanding of the brain, aging, and prevention, and introduced me to global perspectives on health systems, health economics, and epidemiology, as well as leadership development. It was an extraordinary experience, culminating in August.
The fellowship also opened doors to a lifelong membership in the Atlantic Fellows global community, which now spans seven programs across continents, collaborating on health, social, and economic equity.
| Age-friendly and dementia-friendly cities.
I realized that brain health is not just a medical issue – it’s a social and cultural one. In Ireland, I saw cities and public spaces marked as age-friendly or dementia-friendly, where every employee knows how to interact with a person with memory or cognitive difficulties.
That experience taught me that aging is not a disease, it’s a life stage – but it must be supported with knowledge, understanding, and empathy.
During the program, I developed a project proposal that will be funded by the Alzheimer’s Association (USA), Alzheimer’s Society (UK), and GBHI. It’s a pilot program for family medicine teams in Western Lithuania, aimed at improving their competence in recognizing neurodegenerative diseases early. Once diagnosed, these teams will help patients and families live fully with conditions for which effective treatment is not yet available.
My goal is that no one facing a neurodegenerative disease feels alone. I want the system to be more responsive, to provide earlier support, and to prevent families from falling into crisis. This is not just a project – it’s the continuation of my professional life’s purpose.
I’m 48, and the age of risk is not far away. I hope that when I need help, it will be of better quality than what my mother received. My goal is for the environment to change – if my knowledge and work can help even one family sooner, that will be my true achievement.
| These diseases are not just a part of old age.
Lithuanian society is visibly aging, and indeed, the risk of neurodegenerative diseases increases with age. However, it’s important to understand that these are not only diseases of the elderly. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and frontotemporal dementia are increasingly diagnosed in younger people – even in their fifties, while still working and raising children.
Each case is unique. The diseases can change behavior, social adaptability, and even personality. But it’s crucial to know that people can live with these conditions for many years – if we help them adapt, preserve dignity, and maintain independence.
| Famous people have helped to break the stigma.
Indeed, public figures have helped change perceptions. Actor Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at just 29, though the world learned about it later – many of his awards came after his diagnosis. Robin Williams’s case revealed how severely Lewy body disease can affect the brain; he was never correctly diagnosed in life. Fans can see the difference in his later performances, such as in Night at the Museum, compared to his earlier comedic roles. Actor Bruce Willis is now living with frontotemporal dementia.
These public stories and the courage of those who share them remind us that behind every disease stands a human being, not a diagnosis.
| Will your experience become a book?
Perhaps. Maybe not a traditional academic one, but something more creative. During my fellowship, I was deeply inspired by examples of how art and photography can change perceptions of illness and help those affected by these diseases.
