Many years ago I began lecturing and educating professional and informal caregivers because I had seen first hand the impact that ignorance of dementia and how to deal with it, was having on caregiver and loved one alike. For the sake of clarity, my definition of ignorance is “a lack of knowledge or information.”Anger and frustration on the part of […]

So how are you doing with your New Years Resolutions? If you’re like most, you’ve probably done a little backsliding but if you’ve held fast and not given in, then good for you. Not surprisingly, my next questions is how have you been doing with your “caregiving resolutions?” In case you missed it, on January 4th, this article focused on […]

Well it’s that time again. A new year and a time for resolutions that are hopefully designed to make things better. Someone once said that every January 1st we have the opportunity to write a new 365 page book and that we should be doing everything in our power to make it a great book. I agree. If you’re a […]

Here we are again in what is considered in song and verse to be… “the most wonderful time of the year.” I love the Holiday Season because, like so many, it brings back wonderful childhood memories of anticipation, of getting together with extended family members and the joy of now knowing that my own Grandchildren are building their own special […]

Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in this country and it’s the only disease in the Top 10 Causes of Death without a way to cure or prevent it. If that doesn’t give you pause, how about the fact that there are nearly 5 million Americans with Alzheimer’s and approximately 5% of them or nearly 250,000 individuals are […]

When asked about slavery, Thomas Jefferson said…”It’s like having a wolf by the ears; you don’t like it very much but you don’t dare let go.” When I think about the challenge that those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s have, I know that many, pretty much feel the same way. Sadly, I hear all to often of those situations […]

My wife and I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to live where we do since 1973 when I finished College. I have also been blessed, that in that time, I have had only two Primary care physicians. It’s no secret that your relationship with your Doctor is one you should feel pretty good about, after all, you […]

You’re a caregiver of someone with Alzheimer’s and they say “Where’s my money? Someone must have stolen it” How do you deal with it?  First, remember that carrying a wallet is something we all have done most of our lives. Many individuals are also used to always carrying a good amount of cash and now they aren’t. If your loved […]

If you’re caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s dementia, one of the most important things you can do for that person is insure they are seeing a specialist in that area. In the past, I have written about the symptoms of Alzheimer’s but what I haven’t done, until today, is address when those symptoms occur. Depending upon whom you […]

I’ve talked a lot about going to the right Dr. if you suspect your loved one has Alzheimer’s but what’s that Dr. going to do?  Before we go any further the 100% sure way to know if you’re dealing with Alzheimer’s is by an examination of brain tissue which is usually done by an autopsy. So barring that from the […]