Alzheimer’s

The image background shows an indoor room, probably a bedroom with decorative pillows. Foreground is a sitting older man looking dignified with his white hair and relaxed pose. He's wearing a maroon sweater with a front zipper. We see a blue and white shirt collar above the zip. His hands are folded in front of him and he leans on a chair arm with his right elbow.

Are People with Advanced Dementia Aware of Their Surroundings?

Even among medical experts, you will find differing opinions on how much someone with advanced dementia of any type understands. Alzheimer’s disease...

Black and white close up featuring an old man with wrinkles and a white beard looking through circle like when taking an eye test.

Confabulation: How the “Lies” That People Living with Dementia Tell Aren’t Really Lies

When a person develops any form of dementia, it is difficult for family and friends to witness their diminishing capacity and the...

Tearful woman with head turned to her right, hand over mouth and nose. She's wearing an army green sweater and hugging her jean's clad knee.

When Someone You Love with Alzheimer’s Doesn’t Recognize You

Watching a loved one move through the stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can be one of life’s toughest and most heartbreaking challenges....

Image shows indoor room with a widow and tree in the background. Foreground shows a younger woman with long blonde hair and wearing a beige sweater on a couch offering comfort to an older man sitting next to her. The man has gray hair and is holding his head in his upraised hands in grief or frustration. He's wearing a dark blue sweater over a lighter blue shirt.

Cognitive Decline Not Unusual after Hospitalization of Older Adults

Sometimes an older adult experiences a noticeable cognitive decline post-hospitalization. Families and caregivers are left wanting to know what happened and wondering...

Mid-2024 Roundup of Caregiver and Elder-Friendly Products, Services, and Technology

Dear Readers: It’s already mid-2024! That means it’s time for our bi-annual roundup of products, services, and technology. Remember these are not...

A woman covering her face with her hands as if she's crying. We see her long brown hair and both hands with long fingers and red nail polish covering her face.

Coping with Alzheimer’s Caregiver Burnout

You watch your once mentally sharp loved one decline before your eyes. Their uncontrollable behaviors, mood swings, outbursts, confusion, and memory loss...

Old woman with glasses wearing a huge sombrero type straw hat colored with orange, yellow, and red circles. Her expression is bemused and slightly confused.

Far Too Many People Still Attach a Stigma to Illnesses That Cause Dementia

Anyone who has cared for a disabled child or has a visible disability of their own knows this. However, people who care...

Image of a bandage-wrapped forearm with a fist down dark hand peeking out of wrapping. on the right is an open-palmed hand holding a bunch of pills.

Potential Causes of Skin Picking with Dementia and How to Help

Dear Carol: My mom is in mid-stage Alzheimer’s, so she has fidgety hands. Even though I lotion her skin regularly, she’ll zero...

Image background is a green house with rows of flowers. Foregound is a middle-aged couple. The gray haired man is tall and wearing a brown sweater. He's embracing a woman with long brown hair drawn back showing gray hair at the temples. She's wearing a brown and white print summer dress with off-the-shoulder ruffle.

Accepting Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Hard, Yet Capacity for Joy Remains

Dear Carol: Six months ago, our lives changed when my husband, age 58, was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease. He has good...

Very old woman with silver streaked hair, darker sun-damaged and wrinkled skin. She's wearing a black and white check vest over a blue shirt. Pleading eyes looking up at someone.

When a Person Living with Dementia Says, ‘I Just Want to Go Home’

Update: Some current thinking is that the emotion behind this sad lament is more about finding a level of emotional comfort than...