When I first started working with dementia more than a decade ago, I didn't know much about dementia.

Prior to this point, I had a lot of experience working with older adults and their families. I loved working with older adults, but I had very little experience working with older adults with dementia and their families.

My first thoughts were, "What can I do with folks with dementia? What can I do with families? I don't know." I was at a loss for how to help.

Watch this week's episode to discover the most valuable lesson I needed to learn to become a dementia care expert!

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And so, I got busy learning everything I could about dementia. I went to conferences, I signed up for webinars, I interviewed experts, I read text books and journal articles. You name it! I devoured it. 

And you know what happened? Over time, I actually developed an expertise in caring for families with dementia disorders and now I educate other...

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. And so please find some ways to take care of yourself. This episode will give you some resources for self-care. So, read (or watch) until the end!

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1. Nearly half of all caregivers provide care for someone with dementia

Nearly half (48%) of all caregivers provide care for somebody living with dementia. So of all the illnesses that older adults experience, all the...

Dementia is one of the most important, but often overlooked, health care issues related to older African Americans.

In fact, research shows that African Americans are two to three times more likely to develop a dementia disorder (compared to European Americans) and at the same time are less likely to be diagnosed early in the disease process and provided with adequate treatment.

The burning question is "WHY?!!".

Luckily there are experts, like Dr. Vonetta Dotson, Neuro-Psychologist, who can help us understand why this is happening and what we can do about it.

In this week's interview, Dr. Dotson shares biological, genetic, and social factors that increase the risk for dementia. She also shares what you can do to ensure that your loved ones are getting the best, most comprehensive health care. AND, she shares tips for keeping your own brain healthy!

So, take some time to watch it now!

 Here’s a sneak peek at what...

In my work with people caring for loved ones with dementia, I often hear that it can be hard to connect with a loved one as the illness progresses. Comments like: "they've become a stranger to me" or "I don't even recognize them anymore".

Dementia is a devastating illness that often robs families of the opportunity to connect and experience joy.  Because of this, it's essential that we find a way to share connecting moments, enjoy one another, and see a little piece of the person eclipsed by the shadow of this devastating illness.

And, I have just the person to help us with this!

In this week's episode of the Caring for Aging Parents Show, I interview Gary Glazner, the founder and Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project. In this interview, Gary generously shares with us four strategies for using poetry to enhance connection with our loved ones with dementia and he even shares about his own experience bringing poetry to his mom at the end of her...

In this episode of the Caring for Aging Parents Show, I interview Lauren Dykovitz, author of Learning to Weather the Storm: A Story of Life, Love, and Alzheimer's about:

• Her journey as a caregiver over the past 10 years
• The challenges of being 25 when her mom was diagnosed with dementia
• Tips for young caregivers
• What she’s learned about her mom and herself since her mom has been diagnosed with dementia
• Ways to find gratitude in the midst of loss.

Watch this episode, now!

Lauren Dykovitz is a blogger and author. She lives with her husband and two black labs. Her mom, Jerie, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2010 at age 62. Lauren was only 25 years old at the time. Jerie is still living with late-stage Alzheimer's. Lauren writes about her experience on her blog, Life, Love, and Alzheimer’s. She has also been a contributing writer for several other Alzheimer’s blogs and websites. Lauren self-published her first book, ...

Worried Your Aging Parent Has Memory Loss?

It's normal for an older adult to forget where they put their keys, look all over for their glasses, then realize that they're wearing them, or have trouble remembering someone's name. But, there are times when memory loss can be really scary and concerning.

Here are 5 tips for for helping your aging parent when you're concerned they may have memory loss

Watch, read, or do both! You choose

1. Write down what you observe.

If you're noticing changes in your parent's memory, or changes in cognitive function (this is a fancy term for the way the brain thinks, remembers, processes information, etc), it is really important that you keep track of specific examples that you notice.

For example, My mom got lost the other day driving home from a store that she's been going to for years. Or, My dad’s been leaving the stove on and burning food. Or, my mom has been rummaging through drawers and can never find...