A fog settles over life when the word dementia is whispered. For those of us inside it, the hardest part isn’t always forgetting; it’s how others begin to look at us as if we're already gone. We find it especially hard to get the message across to some of our underserved communities. All we see are the differences. Well, let’s turn that perception on its head, and look at our commonalities - the things we share. First and foremost amongst these in my humble opinion, is our sh

Hello everyone. I’m writing this because sometimes I feel like I’m standing in a very long queue that doesn't seem to move. When you get a diagnosis of dementia, they tell you to "live well," but they don't always give you the map to find the way. This sense of being lost can be overwhelming, especially when you're faced with a condition that affects not just you, but your loved ones and the world around you. I am part of a growing army. This year, 2026, the number of people

In the dementia community, the phrase "living well"  can be a bit of a lightning rod. I’ve heard the critiques, and I understand them. Some feel it’s a form of toxic positivity (a shiny coat of paint over a very difficult reality). Others believe it suggests that if you aren't  doing great, you’re somehow failing at having a disease. They assert it masks the grief, the frustration, and the very real cognitive hurdles we face every single day. I get it. There are days when "li

When we hear the word "dementia," most of us immediately think of Alzheimer’s disease and the struggle to remember names or faces. However, dementia is an umbrella term for a vast range of conditions. Behind the common diagnoses lies a world of rare, often misunderstood disorders that don't always start with memory loss. Some affect how we see the world, how we move our bodies, or even how we process language. Understanding these "orphaned" conditions is vital to enable early

Most of us have a very specific image in mind when we hear the words "dementia" or "Alzheimer’s." We usually think of short-term memory loss, forgotten names, or repeating stories. But there is a rarer form of dementia where memory remains sharp in the early stages, while eyesight and spatial awareness quietly begin to fail. This condition is called Posterior Cortical Atrophy , or PCA. Doctors often call it the "visual variant" of Alzheimer’s disease. It can be confusing for

Our homes are our sanctuaries—places of familiarity, comfort, and history. But for someone living with dementia, the home environment can gradually transform into a source of confusion, frustration, and even danger. As our cognitive abilities change, so do our perceptions of our surroundings. Patterns on a carpet might look like holes in the floor; a white toilet against a white wall might become invisible; mirrors can become distressing. Making a home dementia-friendly invol