How Certain Types of Dementia Can Unleash a Person’s Creativity 

Arthur (Art) Lee suffers from Lewy body dementia (LBD). Words often fail him and his arms and hands often experience uncontrollable tremors.  But somehow, he still paints incredible oil paintings. Whether a portrait, a landscape, … [Read more...]

When Cognitive Decline Changes People, Should We Respect Their New Desires? 

Q. I read a fascinating piece in The New York Times Magazine recently about a woman named Diane Norelius, who had dementia. As her cognitive decline began to alter who she was, her adult daughters and her boyfriend wound up in a … [Read more...]

Critter Corner: Why Do Some Individuals Have the Capacity to Maintain Thinking and Cognitive Abilities in the Presence of More Advanced Dementia?

Dear Raider, I recently read about Diane Norelius in The New York Times Magazine. She was a woman with advancing dementia who was able to mask the severity of her condition pretty well by how coherent and well-spoken she was, … [Read more...]

Is It Possible to Be Resistant to Dementia? 

A unique quirk of DNA protected a Colombian man from developing a hereditary form of dementia for two decades. Researchers, who studied his brain after he died, have discovered that this type of dementia may go way back in the … [Read more...]

Positive Thinking for Seniors Is More Powerful than You Think! 

May is both Older Americans Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, making this an ideal time to focus on the mental health needs of seniors! We all experience sadness from time to time — and this is what many people focus on … [Read more...]

Critter Corner: Does Having a Stroke Increase Your Chances of Dementia? 

Dear Hayek, My aunt had a stroke pretty recently, and now she is having trouble remembering things, among other issues. Do strokes increase the chances of someone having dementia? If so, how long does it take to notice … [Read more...]

What Happens to Solo Agers Who Develop Dementia?

Q. Sometimes when I have trouble sleeping at night, I scan the internet for interesting news stories. I came upon one in particular that was incredibly disturbing. It was about a woman named Joyce who was estranged from her family … [Read more...]

Critter Corner: Is Light Therapy an Effective Treatment for Dementia?

Dear Hayek,I heard that photo therapy, or light therapy, is a safe, non-invasive, and inexpensive way of boosting cognition for patients with dementia. This seems fascinating to me and I’m wondering if you have heard anything … [Read more...]

Feeling Widowed When a Partner Has Dementia 

Q. My wife was diagnosed with early-onset dementia about two years ago. On most days, I understand and accept the diagnosis. Some days, however, I wonder if there’s been a mistake. Our world could seem normal in one instance, and … [Read more...]

Critter Corner: Do Marriage and Children Reduce Your Risk of Dementia? 

Dear Raider, I heard somewhere that marriage and children can help lower your risk of dementia. I hope this is true. I’ve been married to my husband for 50 years this year, and we have children, grandchildren, and even a … [Read more...]

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