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

#VBGivesBack

UsAgainstAlzheimer's and I are grateful to Veronica Beard for including us as part of the #VBGIVESBACK program. Veronica Beard will donate $10 of every VeronicaBeard.com order in December to the cause. My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2002 and I learned firsthand how challenging it is to juggle family life and caring for my mother. I joined UsAgainstAlzheimer's to disrupt the conversation around Alzheimer’s with the goal of finding a cure by 2020 through research and clinical trials. There are always "first signs" something is wrong - we've all been there. In 2002, when I was pregnant with

Treasured

When my mom was diagnosed with dementia, I started writing down things that she said or asked. At first it was a way to hold onto the memories she was losing. But as the disease progressed, I’ve seen how her wisdom and humor continue to shine through the darkness of Alzheimer’s disease. Living in the moment is a challenge for all of us facing this disease, alongside loved ones stuck between the disappearing past and the uncertain future. With Thanksgiving just behind us, I’ve been reflecting on what makes me thankful, and it’s every minute I get with my mom

The Bea Lerner Valor Award

My mother - Bea Lerner - was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1987. At the time, I barely knew what the disease was. What I did know is there was no cure. I thought my mom was invincible, but she was no match for Alzheimer’s. I watched helplessly as her mind, her dignity, her soul and finally her body succumbed to this killer. In just a few short years she disappeared into the unforgiving chasm of this deadly disease. ( Continue reading on Huffington Post.)

I Am Here

I want to thank George and Trish Vradenburg for channeling hope through heartache, guiding us in the impassioned mission to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. Your fervent leadership is helping to usher in a time of unprecedented progress, and promising developments are reported weekly. This would be impossible without the major increase in funding you have helped to secure. So thank you for lifting the banner high for all who are living with the disease, all of us who, like you, have been touched by it as caregivers and loved ones, and indeed, the entire world of us who

The Best of Alzheimer's Talks

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s mission is to end Alzheimer’s by 2020. We fight for increased investment in research; greater collaboration across industry, science and government; acceleration of clinical trials; and improved quality of life for people living with dementia and their caregivers. To amplify these efforts, the organization produces Alzheimer’s Talks, a free monthly teleconference series featuring top researchers and national leaders in policy and care. Through Alzheimer’s Talks, participants can stay up to date on the latest from leaders in the Alzheimer’s community and progress toward ending this devastating disease. Joining the conversation is easy: you can call in or listen to

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 knowyou have an abundance of experience and insight that can help others on this path. You know there is purpose

Women Matter

At Hadassah’s recent National Convention, I had the honor of moderating a panel about gender equity in medicine, including the disparity of sex based research. Hadassah connects Jewish women and empowers them to effect change through advocacy and advancing health and well-being, and is a dedicated supporter of Israel. I grew up with these values since my mother was the first female President of a state chapter (New Jersey) of the Zionist Organization of America. (continue reading on Huffington Post.)

Unfinished Projects on Father’s Day

Imagine – it’s Father’s Day on Sunday, and while most people are wondering what to get for their father, you’re at home knowing that despite whatever you get for him, it will not have the same meaning. You reminisce about what your father may have wanted before everything came crashing down. You remember how your dad was a handyman before it all fell to pieces. You remember that summer you spent with your dad building a picket fence because he was determined to make the front yard perfect. I remember these little things about my dad - these everyday memories

Genius of Caring Portrait Provides Glimpse into the Painful Toll of Alzheimer’s

For those of us who work with patients and in advocacy, a common occupational hazard is to speak of people with serious illnesses in the collective sense. That’s easy to do in discussing Alzheimer’s disease because the overall statistics are so jarring – more than five million people are afflicted with this terrible illness, a number expected to nearly triple by the year 2050. It is a disease that, at this time, has no cure. But we should never lose sight of the unique, individual stories of the patients and caregivers who make up the Alzheimer’s-affected population. The lives that