A Northwest Indiana Life in the Spotlight: Andrew Koch

Born and raised in Valparaiso, Andrew Koch has always been invested in being a part of the community around him, whether at home or at school. Currently, Koch is a student at Indiana University Northwest studying Psychology, doing research on emotion, particularly on the emotion of disgust. As a senior project, Koch and two colleagues will be partaking in a study that looks at disgust sensitivity towards the elderly.

"We aim to identify if people are more likely to be disgusted by children, adults, or seniors who have been afflicted by some disease or physical injury. This research will be critical for helping others understand the need for compassion and empathy training," Koch said as he spoke about beginning his final year at IUN.

Outside of class, Koch is an active member of the IUN Student Alumni.

"I believe my involvement was not a coincidence," he said.

In his first semester at IUN, Koch participated in the 2011 Walk to End Alzheimer's where he had a great time and learned to love being involved in charity work. Soon after, the breast cancer walk occurred and he again became passionate in helping others. In his time with the IUN's Student Alumni, he has participated in various walks, attended fundraisers, placed fliers, and raised money for charitable causes. His biggest accomplishment with the Student Alumni came in 2012. That year, he was honored to become Chair for the Alzheimer's Walk. That fall, they had about twenty students walking from campus and raised over a thousand dollars.

"It was a coordinated effort, and I cannot express my thanks to Louise Thompson of the Alzheimer's Association and Jessica Palfi, who was my co-chair," Koch said.

Andrew had is first encounter with Comfort Keepers when he was directed by one of the professors to attend a "middle-stage" 3-week Alzheimer's education program at the Highland Library.

"I was excited! I was ready to learn! Throughout the series I answered some questions and offered advice to first-time caregivers as a Certified Nursing Assistant," Koch said.

Once the programs were nearing an end, Koch was approached by Jorge Ramos, who was looking for someone to assist educating caregivers at Comfort Keepers.

His main focus at Comfort Keepers is educating caregivers through a Home and Safety class since the clients are always at home. Furthers, he does a "Virtual Dementia Tour" where students will be equipped with goggles, gloves, and an auditory track that will simulate dementia. He also is in charge of social media for his company and runs their Twitter and Facebook pages. Occasionally, he has the opportunity to speak at various forums, where he's been privileged to teach family members at a few nursing homes. His next upcoming program is with the Alzheimer's and Dementia Services of Northwest Indiana on February 28th at the Lake County Public Library in Merrillville, which will take place between 12:00-1:30 pm and will cover the Top Ten Dementias.

In the past, Koch has worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant doing everything from companionship to bed-baths. At first, he was all set to start a nursing program at Ivy Tech when his mom insisted that he try CNA work first. Hesitant at first, Koch soon fell in love with caregiving, so much so that he sopped pursuing nursing. As a CNA, Koch is also responsible for post-mortem care, or after-care, which is the process of preparing the person for family visitation after they pass.

Despite the mental and emotional tolls CNA work can take on a person, Koch said, "Even if they cannot speak, you can tell by the look on their faces how grateful they are for you. The one thing that makes it all worth it are two simple words: Thank you."

After graduation, Koch plans to apply for and begin a Dual Ph.D. program at Purdue University studying Behavioral Neuroscience and Gerontology.

"My goal is to teach and educate everyone from caregivers to family members all about dementia, caregiving and compassion," he stated.

In his free time, Koch loves to fish and hunt, spend time with his brothers, leading study groups on campus, and playing good strategy games that challenge the mind. With a very active life, Andrew Koch continues to have and show compassion to those around him.

Photo credit: Loryn Eaton Photography