Instead of the fear, stigma and shame many associate with the phenomenon of dementia, reveal the resilience, human connection and wellbeing that is available to us all.
Dementia, Alzheimer’s, senility, forgetfulness. All of these words point to an experience. But do they point to the same one? Are they different? Are they the same? I often hear these words thrown around interchangeably. Here I hope to give some etymological clarity. Aging in America is confusing. By using clear language, I hope we can communicate […]
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Recently, I was giving a talk about what I do at Elder Care Alliance, and I realized that I needed to start with the question: What is a dementia-inclusive community? The answer is simple: A dementia-inclusive society is one in which people living with dementia, care partners and professionals work side by side to make a better […]
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Do people with dementia really “live in the past”? Wow, this question led me down a rabbit hole. And then I thought about Alice in Wonderland and that rabbit hole. Hmm, that is so meta. In Alice in Wonderland, when Alice follows the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole, a common interpretation is that she […]
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We know what the experience of Alzheimer’s looks like from the outside and its correlation with age is undeniable. We do not know the exact culprit, or combination of culprits, of these experiences; therefore, classing it as a disease to be eradicated is to put the proverbial cart before the horse.
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Over the last year, we’ve had the honor of being part of a growing movement of care partners, people living with dementia, health and helping professionals, artists, activists and advocates across the U.S. and globally who are bringing new, radically humanizing visions of care and policy to the dementia conversation.
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Yoga is a practice and science of connection. Yoga is shown to have positive effects on the mind (cognition), body (physical), and soul (emotional) that can greatly benefit all of us including people living with dementia. Mind The brain is an adaptable organ that is continually creating new pathways, or neural connections, as it encounters […]
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1. The human right of all people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is to be with people who know their life story including cultural habits and religious faith (Bell & Troxel, 2003). 2. Developing friendships, relationships, and trust with people with dementia is the foundation of person-directed care (Bell & […]
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People living with dementia are stigmatized in multiple ways, one of which is treating the activities the rest of us do for pleasure as “therapies.” My view is that we need to ditch the word therapy, and provide activities that engage, activate and enhance life as an integral part of care.
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