Staying connected with your loved ones during the holiday season
The holiday season is upon us, and many caregivers are facing the difficult challenge of finding ways to stay connected with their loved ones amidst the continued closures of care facilities. Even if in-person visits are not in the picture for your family this year,...
Feel-good stories to celebrate National Family Caregivers Month
The news headlines have been heavy and filled with sadness lately, so I thought I would share a few uplifting stories. November is National Family Caregivers Month and these are great reminders that, beyond the darkness, there is so much light to be found in caring...
Ways you can become Dementia Aware
Whether you are a professional who is caring for many, a family member who is caring a loved one with dementia symptoms, or a community member who interacts regularly with people living with dementia, you will benefit from becoming dementia aware. When we raise our...
Stepping into the mind of someone with dementia
Living with dementia can be frightening, disorienting and noisy. Perhaps the most anxiety-provoking aspect about it is that the people who care for the person living with symptoms often don’t truly understand what the daily experience is like. This can make it...
Tips: Avoiding stress as a possible risk factor for dementia
Stress is a widely known culprit for many health issues and living in uncertain times is having many negative effects on both mental and physical health. While the long-term effects of the pandemic are not yet known, past studies seem to indicate that increased stress...
Sleep used as a tool for predicting dementia
Sleep has many benefits; energy, focus, muscle repair and the list goes on. Researchers may have discovered another reason to get a good night’s sleep. A team at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center published their findings...
What it means to be ‘Dementia Aware’ in the medical community
Being a dementia caregiver can be both rewarding and frustrating, and sometimes both in the same day. It’s not uncommon for health care providers to have very little experience interacting with people diagnosed with dementia, which reinforces the importance of...
The principles of being Dementia Aware
As you’re probably aware, individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or who are showing dementia symptoms require very specialized care. That’s why I’ve spent the last two decades working to raise dementia awareness among both family members and professional caregivers who...
Tips on preventing someone with dementia symptoms from wandering
As you are likely aware, there are many challenges that come along with caring for someone who is living with dementia symptoms. Every week, I discuss a new topic with my online Dementia Awareness community on Facebook Live. A recent important topic we talked about...
Supporting our frontline workers with online CE dementia training for nurses
As the pandemic continues on and widespread closures of residential facilities remain in place, frontline workers in the medical field are being depended on more than ever before. This is especially true in skilled nursing and residential facilities, where health care...
Study: Link found between gum disease and dementia
Brushing your teeth and maintaining great oral health just got even more important. A new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that bacteria that cause gum disease are likely linked to the development of dementia later on in life. Gum disease...
‘Good’ cholesterol could decrease risk for dementia
A new study has found that HDL cholesterol, sometimes referred to as “good” cholesterol, may be linked to a decreased dementia risk. The study reported that adults who have higher levels of the protein apolipoprotein E, found in HDL cholesterol, have higher cognitive...