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In 2006, Gina Martin's mother, Diane, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease and died 5 years later. In a tragic yet poetic twist of fate, her father died 3 months later on his birthday of a "broken heart".

To honor her parents and raise awareness about dementia, Gina created the Bob and Diane Fund, which grants a $5,000 award each November to an artist depicting the dementia journey through the lens of photography.

 Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll learn from my interview with Gina Martin:

• [05:31] Gina Martin shares about the inspiration for creating the Bob and Diane Fund
  
• [11:11] Each November, the Bob and Diane Fund offers a $5,000 grant to a photographer telling a visual story of dementia. Gina describes the selection process and the esteemed group of judges.
  
• [18:28] Visual stories of dementia are touching and compelling. Gina shares a little background on each of the past grantees (see...

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A few weeks ago, I received an email from a listener:

"Hello, Dr. Regina,

"I work in an assisted living facility. As the election approaches, family members of residents on memory care units have asked to have residents vote. Residents on this unit are here because they're unable to make informed decisions and don't have a grasp on reality. Also, the particular resident shows no interest in wanting to vote. It's the family that essentially wants to cast a vote for the individual, which seems unethical to me. I've tried reaching out to professional groups for some guidance to no avail.

Do you have any thoughts regarding this topic?"

Older adults tend to vote more often and more consistently than other age groups. According to a US News Report, in 2018, 64% of adults age 65 and older voted in the November 2018 election, the best turnout of any age group. With this said, 10% of older adults, however, will experience a...

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There's a common misconception that when somebody is diagnosed with dementia, they lose their independence and can no longer live alone. While down the road in the illness course of dementia, this may be true, there is A LOT that a person with dementia CAN DO to remain living independently and safely in their home.

This episode is a must listen if you or someone you know is newly diagnosed with dementia and looking for what to do next.

In today's episode, I share

5 key strategies for helping adults living with dementia remain independent and living safely in their home for as long as possible

Here's a peak inside the episode:
 

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Caregivers often approach me with the question: "my parent had dementia, does that mean I'll get it too?"

It's a scary thing to devote years of your life caring for a loved one with dementia and all the while wonder if you will end up developing dementia, too.

Today on the podcast, our favorite Neuropsychologist, Dr. Vonetta Dotson, is back to talk with us about genetic risk for dementia and reminds us that even if you have an increased risk for developing dementia, there's a lot that you can do to prevent it. Listen all the way through and you’ll learn several easy to use strategies you can start using today to reduce your risk of developing dementia.

To help you navigate the turbulent waters of memory loss and dementia, I created a memory loss guide for you to use. In this guide, you’ll get  a checklist of memory loss warning signs, learn more about the benefits of early diagnosis of dementia and...

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I hear from caregivers pretty regularly that"nobody really understands how hard caring for a loved one with dementia is!"

So, I decided to share some facts about dementia caregivers in the hopes that it will provide some understanding and support for the dementia caregiver's journey!

If you're caring for somebody with dementia, I see you and I value what you're doing. Please, please, please take care of yourself because we know that depression and anxiety and stress and strain will not only affect your, your sense of self and well-being, it will affect your health.

 At the end of this episode (and at the bottom of this page), I share some resources for self-care. So, read (or listen) until the end!

Here's a peak inside the episode:

• [01:35] Fact #1: 48% of all caregivers (of any condition) provide care for a loved one with dementia.
  
• [02:13] Fact #2: The majority of people living with dementia live with a...

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You’ve heard people say “she’s doing great! She’s old, but she’s all there!” or “he’s 90 and still so sharp!”

These statements about older adults make the assumption that with aging comes serious cognitive problems, like dementia! But, these ideas are actually not supported by science and in fact, are a myth.

In today’s episode, I answer the question...

Is Dementia a Normal Part of Aging?

Witnessing memory problems in your older loved one can be really scary. You might not know what's causing the memory loss and fear the worst case scenario. You may think, if it is dementia, there’s nothing I can do about it, right? WRONG!

On the other hand, you might notice signs of memory loss in your loved one and brush it off thinking “everyone experiences significant memory loss as they age, right?” WRONG!

I've seen many individuals and families put off getting an evaluation to identify what’s causing memory loss for the reasons above and so many other reasons as well. But putting off an evaluation to determine what is causing memory loss can be more harmful than helpful. 

In this article, I set the record straight about the benefits to early detection of dementia disorders. There's actually a lot that we can do to make your life and your loved one’s life with dementia easier- early detection is key. 

Here are 7 benefits of...