Season 8 has been full of inspirational storytellers and advocates for the dementia community. Our hosts with special guest Amber Ayers once again discuss which episodes surprised them, which ones they felt a connection with, and what they took away from the entire season. Don’t miss this special revisited episode to gain insight into what made this season so unique, and which surprises you will have to revisit for yourself.
Dec 06, 2023•25 min•Season 8Ep. 80
The reactions of someone with dementia to certain situations may prove difficult for caregivers to appropriately respond. Psychologist and chief clinical officer of Taproot, Dr. Linda Buscemi, helps us untangle these situations of resistance and offers a technological solution that is like having a psychologist in your pocket. She explains her company’s app “Ella,” and how it uses artificial intelligence to deliver a person-centered approach to care with non-pharmacological solutions.
Nov 29, 2023•31 min•Season 8Ep. 79
With the majority of older Americans desiring to age in place, it becomes challenging as dementia progresses to remain at home – especially if you live alone. We wanted to find out more about successful independent living with dementia, so we turned to Harbhajan Khalsa, the Dementia Capable Southern Arizona Program director. We talk about the negative effects of social isolation, how to encourage your local community to become “dementia friendly,” and what supportive resources are available to p...
Nov 22, 2023•31 min•Season 8Ep. 78
Men are less likely to participate in Alzheimer’s research and seek a diagnosis. This lack of representation extends more specifically to Black men. We enlisted Dr. Robert W. Turner II , an assistant professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, to help us answer questions about why these conversations are so important to have. We also discuss how to create a supportive community for men to talk about brain health and get involved in research....
Nov 15, 2023•37 min•Season 8Ep. 77
Managing the healthcare of older adults, especially those with dementia, requires a different approach. We connected with Dr. Nimit Agarwal , an associate professor and Chief of Geriatric Medicine at University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix to talk to him about a “new philosophy” that physicians and healthcare workers are learning in age-friendly hospitals. The initiative is driven by focusing on treating the disease and connecting on what matters to the patient, focusing on the individ...
Nov 08, 2023•32 min•Season 8Ep. 76
Would you want to know if you have a higher risk of developing dementia? We asked Jamie Tyrone, an author, patient advocate, and research participant to share her personal journey of discovering her genetic status after being wrongly diagnosed with a life-altering disease. Her experience has driven her to not only become a research participant, but also to share her story in her book, “Fighting for My Life: How to Thrive in the Shadow of Alzheimer’s.” Her story is inspirational and informative f...
Nov 01, 2023•30 min•Season 8Ep. 75
Mind/body awareness can be a very powerful approach to achieving a healthy lifestyle. It can even have a positive effect on our cognitive abilities, according to Dr. Helen Lavretsky , a professor of psychiatry at UCLA. She joins us to discuss the benefits of mindful practices like yoga for people with dementia and dementia caregivers, and the different types of yoga. She also shares info about her ongoing studies to better understand the positive role yoga plays in overall health....
Oct 25, 2023•32 min•Season 8Ep. 74
The term “caregiver” can be interpreted in so many ways, so it’s not always easy to accept the label. We wanted to dive deeper into the caregiver perspective, so we enlisted Licensed Clinical Social Worker Gerrie Jakobs from Banner Alzheimer’s Institute. She shares with us the importance of identifying your role(s) to better navigate the journey - and preserve your own health - by using practical strategies to ask for help and focus on self-care....
Oct 18, 2023•28 min•Season 8Ep. 73
Men’s and women’s health issues can be very different from one another, but does that apply to our brains? We untangle this complicated topic with Dr. Geidy Serrano, director of the Neuropathology Lab at the Brain & Body Donation Program at Banner Sun Health Research Institute. We explore how dementia affects our brains differently depending on our biological sex, and how recent studies have exposed new information about the effects of longevity and hormonal changes on our chances of develop...
Oct 11, 2023•31 min•Season 8Ep. 72
Everyone’s dementia caregiving journey looks different, which means everyone has a unique story to tell. We explore Jacquelyn Revere ’s story as a dementia caregiver influencer who created “Mom of my Mom,” a platform that has allowed her to share her story with over a million followers across social media. She takes us through her story as a millennial caregiver who found an outlet for her passion to share what it was like to care for her mom and grandmother, while finding another side of hersel...
Oct 04, 2023•30 min•Season 8Ep. 71
Season 7 has been full of amazing stories and perspectives about the dementia journey and beyond. Our hosts with special guest, Amber Ayers, discuss which episodes surprised them, which ones they felt a connection with, and what they took away from the entire season. Listen in for their unique personal experiences with our guests and discover what inspires future seasons of the podcast.
Aug 09, 2023•34 min•Season 7Ep. 70
Over half of all people with dementia never get a diagnosis. We untangle this issue with Dr. Parichita Choudhury, a Cognitive Neurologist at Banner Sun Health Research Institute, and discover why seeking a diagnosis is so important and how to proceed. She shares a little about the future of diagnosing and how much easier it will be to identify numerous brain dysfunctions and help people live a higher quality of life with dementia.
Aug 02, 2023•34 min•Season 7Ep. 69
Stimulating our senses like smell, sight, touch, sound, and taste can access memories locked away in our brains from years ago. We explore the power of olfactory stimulation with Dr. Jennifer Stelter , a clinical psychologist and creator of the Dementia Connection model, and how it can be used as a non-pharmacological approach to care. She explains how things like essential oils and touch can help caregivers to modify unwanted behaviors and create a supportive environment for their loved one....
Jul 26, 2023•33 min•Season 7Ep. 68
Heart health and brain health are often linked together, and damage can come to both of these areas due to build-up of plaques. To better define the difference between the two, we talk to Dr. Craig Weinkauf, a Vascular Surgeon and Immunologist at the University of Arizona. He warns us of the effects of Carotid Artery Disease on brain health, and how his collaborative research hopes to help us better understand the connection between heart health and dementia....
Jul 19, 2023•33 min•Season 7Ep. 67
The importance of enriching activities in our daily lives cannot be understated, but it can be challenging to find appropriate activities for your loved one with dementia. We talk to Missy Paschke-Wood, the Community Life Director at Hacienda at the Canyon in Tucson, about her passion of connecting the arts to the dementia community and how people can thrive with the appropriate stimulation and support. She shares her creative ideas for projects you can do at home, or ways to get out in the comm...
Jul 12, 2023•33 min•Season 7Ep. 66
Dementia is the most significant health issue for aging adults with down syndrome. Professor of Medicine and Director of University of Pittsburgh Adult Down Syndrome Center, Dr. Peter Bulova , helps us untangle the common brain concerns between down syndrome and dementia, how amyloid factors in, and someone with intellectual disabilities may be at higher risk for receiving a delayed diagnosis of dementia. He speaks to how his research findings can ideally be useful to people with dementia, outsi...
Jul 05, 2023•28 min•Season 7Ep. 65
Everyone uses compensatory strategies in their daily lives, whether it’s recognized as that or not, to help us perform tasks in an alternative manner or by using adaptive aids so that we can be more independent. Dr. Christi Belden, a Neuropsychologist at Banner Sun Health Research Institute, helps us untangle some of the top strategies to use if you are experiencing memory or thinking difficulties. She shares some of the most effective tips, tricks, and tools that we can use in daily life to mak...
Jun 27, 2023•35 min•Season 7Ep. 64
The dementia journey often brings up the topic of advocacy - whether it’s for family support, financial support, or sometimes just to get a diagnosis. Our guest, Nicole Bell, the author of What Lurks in the Woods and an entrepreneur in medical devices, shares her family’s story of receiving a dementia diagnosis for her husband, and continuing to search for answers. Her honest portrayal of her caregiving journey is inspiring and educational, and her storytelling abilities will draw you into her u...
Jun 21, 2023•35 min•Season 7Ep. 63
Quality rest isn’t always easy to make a priority, especially when you are experiencing stress, loss, or overexertion. We talk with Dr. Joyce Lee-Iannotti, a sleep and stroke neurologist at Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix, about the importance of good sleep and the benefit for your brain. She highlights the importance of leveraging simple things on our own that can help reduce the risk of dementia as diagnosis rates continue to climb. At the top of her list: quality and quantity of sl...
Jun 14, 2023•42 min•Season 7Ep. 62
Dementia caregivers often have complicated feelings around grief and loss throughout the dementia journey. We talk with Mary-Frances O’Connor , Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Arizona and author of The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss , about emotions and changes that come with grief. She talks us through the scientific process of understanding how our brains process grief and why we experience it, what can trigger painful emotions ...
Jun 07, 2023•34 min•Season 7Ep. 61
Each season we dive deeper into the dementia journey to untangle new perspectives, connections, and explanations for caregivers and the community. Season six blew away our expectations with passionate and informative conversations you won’t want to miss. Heather, Janice, and Amber talk about some of the moments that really resonated with them, and what chats inspired them to take action.
Mar 22, 2023•22 min•Season 6Ep. 60
The number of people diagnosed with dementia is far outpacing the number of specialists in the field. With more than 10 million new diagnoses each year, experts are getting creative on how to provide the best level of care to patients and their families. This week’s guest is Carrie Langford, a Licensed Master Social Worker at Banner Sun Health Research Institute. She shares the creative approach she and her team have taken through Dementia Care Partners. The program strategically partners with p...
Mar 15, 2023•28 min•Season 6Ep. 59
The idea of marijuana being used for medical purposes has a storied past. As it becomes legal in more states, the stigma around it is being reduced and more are considering the applications to medical conditions. In this episode, Dr. Danielle Cabral , a double board-certified neurologist and psychiatrist at Banner Sun Health Research Institute, answers all our questions about marijuana. She even untangles possible benefits for those with dementia by reducing agitation and addressing other relate...
Mar 08, 2023•32 min•Season 6Ep. 58
Time and time again, we’ve heard how much of an impact music can have on our brains, so we’re talking to Dr. Michael Thaut , a professor in the faculty of music and the faculty of medicine at University of Toronto, to learn more about improving our brain plasticity and cognitive performance by listening to our favorite music. Dr. Thaut untangles the science behind this method and shares with us his experience as a professional musician and how it crossed with his passion for brain processes that...
Mar 01, 2023•36 min•Season 6Ep. 57
Creating a safe environment for someone with dementia is a top priority, especially when your loved one wishes to stay in their own home while they can. Jennifer Reeder , LCSW, the Director of Education and Social Services at Alzheimer’s Foundation of America helps us identify simple, helpful ways to make your home more dementia-friendly. She shares some key elements to be mindful of that make it easier for someone living with dementia to stay safe and comfortable as their cognition declines....
Feb 22, 2023•33 min•Season 6Ep. 56
In this special bonus episode, playwright Steven Drukman untangles his soon-to-be world premiered play, Pru Payne . Exploring the experience of Prudence, a woman diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Steven shares his inspiration for creating his vibrant characters and their story, as well as his own personal journey with dementia in his family. He encourages us to “live in the moment” with this inspirational play and why representation matters in our artistic experiences....
Feb 17, 2023•29 min
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community deal with health disparities and discrimination, even from health care providers. This creates challenges when it comes to education around dementia, and access to resources and support. Dr. Jason Flatt , an Assistant Professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Public Health, is our guest to help untangle these common issues and recognize opportunities for support and care for older LGBTQIA+ people. Jason also reinforces the importance of represent...
Feb 15, 2023•34 min•Season 6Ep. 55
Dr. Pallavi Joshi , Geriatric Psychiatrist at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute helps us better understand the connection between substance use and dementia in older adults. Sometimes considered a taboo topic, she breaks down the different types of substances that can increase one’s chance of cognitive decline, gives us updated terms to better understand the topic, and how intervening early can change the trajectory of the outcome of substance use disorders....
Feb 08, 2023•31 min•Season 6Ep. 54
After visiting five different doctors to finally get an accurate diagnosis of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), our guest Laurie Scherrer found herself feeling lost and hopeless. She felt invisible, alone, and unsure about the rest of her life. That is, until she took her diagnosis into her own hands and found resources, support, and a new outlook on her life. This conversation with Laurie will inspire anyone on the dementia journey to stop wasting time and start having a happy life....
Feb 01, 2023•38 min•Season 6Ep. 53
After a diagnosis of dementia, people are often told to “get your affairs in order.” Our guest Emily Kile , an Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney, helps us untangle what that refers to and how to start planning now for legal concerns that we may have in the future on the dementia journey. It’s never too early to develop an estate plan, and Emily helps us understand where to start, what questions to ask, and why it’s so important to have a plan in place as dementia progresses....
Jan 25, 2023•38 min•Season 6Ep. 52
