Alzheimer’s & Dementia Gift Ideas

When my mother was alive, every year as the holidays approached I found myself struggling to come up with gift ideas for her. She was living with Alzheimer’s, and I wanted to get something useful that she would enjoy. Not something that would end up in a drawer or closet never to be seen again. However, as her dementia progressed, the options dwindled, requiring more and more creativity. The good news is that in recent years, there’s been an increase in items designed specifically with dementia-related needs in mind. In fact, a simple search on Amazon yields many great products

Creating Moments of Joy at the Holidays

When your loved one is living with dementia, the holidays are bound to change. While this can feel very sad and like a loss, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. With each stage, consider creating new traditions or modifying old ones in a way that allows you to meet your loved one right where they are. My mom was always the center of our holiday celebrations. For as long as I remembered, she prepared a smaller version of the Italian Feast of Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. She made it look so effortless - I think she could

Magnify Your Voice: Join the A List Today!

“Together we can magnify our voice. Validate our journey. Help others too.” ~Meryl Comer, Caregiver, Advocate, and President, Geoffrey Beene Foundation Alzheimer’s Initiative So often, we, as caregivers, feel isolated, alone, and misunderstood. We talk, but is anyone really listening? Does anyone even care what we have to say? The last thing we want to believe is that our journey has been in vain. Whether you are living with dementia or are a care partner to someone with dementia, you know you have an abundance of experience and insight that can help others on this path. You know there is

A Love Story: B. Smith and Dan Gasby

Thank you, Ann, for this excellent and very personal recap of our recent Alzheimer's Talks with Dan Gasby. - Trish While mingling at WomenAgainstAlzheimer's Out of the Shadows dinner last fall, I noticed a particularly stunning woman. She was chatting with other Alzheimer's advocates, but she stood out in the crowd like no one else. Her flawless complexion glowed, eyes sparkled with joy, and her smile lit up all of Washington’s Union Station. The woman was Barbara (B.) Smith – successful restaurateur, author and super model. But B. Smith is also living with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Seeing her there

Keeping the "Happy" in Holidays

Ann Napoletan is a founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer's Caregiver Support Group, a member of both our Activists and Clergy Networks, and authors the blog " The Long and Winding Road though Alzheimer's ." She also manages the Treasury Department for the nation's largest not-for-profit provider of affordable senior housing and services. Ann also lost her mom to Alzheimer's. Here she offers expert advice on managing what can be such a challenging time of the year. - Trish December is a particularly difficult month. I lost my mom on December 15, 2012 following her long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. The holiday season