Policeman talks to elderly man
Alzheimers

The Urgency of First Responder Dementia Training

There are over 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s Disease. There are another estimated 5 million Americans with cognitive impairment. This does not account for the people who are living with other forms of dementia, such as Frontotemporal Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, Vascular Dementia, Parkinson’s Dementia, and many other neurocognitive disorders. The numbers continue to rise with more people with dementia living in the community. Ultimately, police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and paramedics are answering 911 calls involving people with dementia. Many of whom do not have the knowledge and education regarding a person with dementia. The negative

July 21, 2021
Alzheimer's Care

What is Alternatives in Alzheimer’s Care?

This month, I would like to explain what Alternatives in Alzheimer’s Care is and what I do as a Dementia Specialist.  Please see the video interview with Jon Younger, Owner of Assisted Living Locators below.  I speak to what services I provide as a Dementia Specialist. My professional journey over the last 24 years in healthcare allowed me to work with people living with dementia, their families, and healthcare professionals.  My personal journey began with my grandmother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. During the early years of my profession, my maternal grandmother Ruth began to display symptoms of dementia.  Her memory

July 22, 2020
Denying the Human Element
Alzheimer’s Care

Denying the Human Element

I recently interviewed Dr. Michele Ricard, Gerontologist. Dr. Ricard is a specialist in Geriatric and Internal Medicine. She is a Certified Medical Director serving patients living in skilled nursing and rehab facilities. Throughout most of her career, Dr. Ricard was a Clinical Instructor for medical students until retirement 2 years ago. She frequently lectures, sharing her years and wealth of knowledge, to inspire and educate medical professionals. I have had the pleasure of knowing and collaborating with Dr. Ricard for many years. She was the founder of the Elder Community Collaborative, originally started to improve communication and outcomes for patients

April 24, 2020
Elderly Woman Bathing
Caregiver Training

Bathing… The Ultimate Battle

How can you change the inevitable protest of bathing? Personal and professional caregivers for those living with dementia report their biggest challenge is assisting the person with bathing. A daughter once came to me with tears in her eyes stating, “I can’t do this anymore.”  She went on to explain the difficulty she experiences when attempting to assist her mother with bathing.  Every attempt resulted in yelling, arguing, and crying.   This was obviously a traumatic experience for both.  In order to understand the whole situation, I visited the home.  I looked at the physical space of the bathroom and evaluated

January 13, 2019

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