Like walking in the shoes of a person with dementia Innovative immersive videos enabling People Without Dementia (PWoD) to experience how a Person With Dementia (PWD) perceives and navigates life—from trying to interpret what one sees and forgetting simple instructions to becoming disoriented with h[...]
What’s it like when Dad doesn’t remember? I think of all the dads who live with memory loss due to dementia. How do you feel when your father looks at you but doesn’t remember your name? How do you think he feels? I was raised in a family with two parents and three children. The ol[...]
The use of multiple medications, also known as polypharmacy, leads to nearly 30 percent of all hospitalizations in the U.S. It is the country’s fifth leading cause of death, according to HealthResearchFunding.org. Because seniors often face a wider range of medical issues, they are particularl[...]
“You don’t look like you have Alzheimer’s.” This is what Mary Howard Read hears often when speaking on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Association. Whether she’s speaking or setting up and then (wo)manning a table at a conference, people treat her like any other profess[...]
Caregivers need to be reminded: Take a respite break. After all, we humans are a bit stubborn. “I can do this.” “If I just get through this, I’ll be able to manage.” We doggedly march on before the ground gives way and soon, we’re sinking in quicksand. Have you ev[...]
The Caregiver’s Voice Newsletter – Are You Gettin’ It? Sometimes, all the information we receive is just too much. When you’re getting blasted by a firehose, it’s a good idea to step aside to avoid drowning and look for a garden hose. The Caregiver’s Voice Newslet[...]
Learning to Dance in the Rain – A Story of Unexpected Caregiving Guest article by Connie Goldman I met Julie and Tom shortly after Julie was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease at age 57. Theirs is a story of a lifetime of devotion to one another. Julie and Tom knew each oth[...]
I attended weekly support group while caring for my father who was diagnosed with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. We felt we could go on forever when caregiving was uneventful. The reality was that caring for a loved one with dementia is unpredictable and the road zig-zags quite a bit. Durin[...]
PhD candidate, Jessica Bibbo's research looks at care recipients and their interaction with pets... it may be beneficial if it encourages social and cognitive engagement.[...]
Newly retired health care executive, 69-year old Geri Taylor knew something was wrong, but she kept her composure, according to a recent feature in the New York Times. Starting as a nurse who then rose through the ranks, she knew something was woefully wrong when she didn’t recognize her reflection [...]
It seems a little strange to hear “Dementia Friendly Community” after working on this month’s VOICES with Dementia column featuring Helga Rohra. She asks (paraphrased), “What if we said, ‘Cancer Friendly Communities’?” Munich-based Ms. Rohra delivered the Ke[...]
Helga Rohra Voice with Dementia Inspires by Example You wouldn’t know it by her schedule, but Munich-based Helga Rohra is on the go “giving awareness talks about 100 times a year,” she writes via a Facebook message. She adds that speaking before audiences (often as many as 200 peop[...]
