Blog
Dementia, Caregiving and Natural Disasters
Thirty years ago this month, I was a young wife and mother with two toddlers living in Hawaii when Hurricane Iniki hit. It was the most powerful hurricane to strike Hawaii in recorded history. I still remember the fear I felt as we tried to navigate all of the "what...
5 of the Most Common Elder Scams
My dad was in his 80s when he received the official diagnosis of Alzheimer's. My brother Sean and I joined our mom at Johns Hopkins to speak with the neurologist, and that was the first time his doctor told us that a person often shows symptoms many years (even...
How to Live a Life of Abundance as a Caregiver
I recently overheard a woman tell her friend that she wanted to live a "life of abundance." It got me thinking about how extraordinary our lives could be if we switched our mindset from surviving the stress of caregiving to living a life of abundance, despite carrying...
Tips for Caregivers to Engage In-Home Care
Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's can be immensely rewarding but challenging. We like to remind caregivers that there will likely come a time when you need help, but how do you safely bring a stranger into your home? There can be a great deal of fear when...
Data Driven Check-in Service for Older Adults
I can't believe that it has been over two years since the world shut down due to a global pandemic. What is your biggest takeaway? For me, I go straight to technology. I wouldn't say I get excited about technology. Still, I get excited about innovation and disruption...
Alzheimer’s and the Fear of Destruction
I was reading something that came across my social media feed from a woman battling stage IV metastatic cancer. As I read through her story, she said something so profound that I couldn't get it out of my mind. She said she wasn't afraid of dying; she was scared of...
How To Talk To Your Parents About The Rest Of Their Life
Do you remember a time when you were young and thought your parents were strong and could protect you from anything? When you were a teen and thought they didn’t understand anything? When you finally understood the value of their advice? These stages continue and at...
Tony Bennett’s Battle With Alzheimer’s
Legendary singer and his family have kept his secret. Now, they're breaking their silence By John Colapint Read the full story here.
Family Caregivers Need a Break!
It's October 2020, and many of us know adult daycares across the country that are serving a lower capacity of seniors with dementia. Many have shut their doors altogether, leaving countless people to continue to care for their loved ones with dementia in their homes...
It’s Never Too Early to Plan For Long Term Care
“It is vital for us to be able to talk about long-term care early and often with our aging parent, loved one, or selves.”
A Look at Alzheimer’s Through the Eyes of Our Children
The effects of an Alzheimer's diagnosis impact everyone in the patient's immediate family. Those who have assumed primary care roles often shoulder most of the burden, not only mentally but physically and financially. However, the younger members of our families also...
Why We All Should Care About the Emotional Well-Being of Unpaid Family Caregivers
I read startling statistics from the CDC this past week related to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on our mental health. While sifting through the statistics of the numbers of people whose mental health is suffering, I read that 30.7 % of surveyed unpaid...
Why We Need to Change the Narrative on Palliative Care for Alzheimer’s
Before my Dad died, I had only one encounter with the concept of palliative care. My beautiful friend's 18-year-old daughter was battling a recurrence of Ewing's sarcoma, a relentless bone cancer, and the prognosis was not good. I vividly remember getting word that...
Creating Joy with Loved Ones in Memory Care
A good friend of mine decided to move his Mom to a memory care facility days before the shelter at home orders began. It was gut-wrenching for him and their entire family. He had made promises to his Mom that he would visit daily and participate in activities, and...
Palliative Care And Living Well With Alzheimer’s
I speak a lot about palliative care and how it relates to families facing a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and am consistently shocked at the misconceptions that continue to exist. Many people think that palliative care is the focus in the last few weeks of life....
