Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver with shares her experiences caring for her parents, both diagnosed with , leading her to become an author and co-found ..read more

My husband, Peter, was diagnosed with Early On-set Alzheimer’s at the young age of 53. While the diagnosis was devastating and could have overpowered me, I knew that I had to understand the disease and what to expect. Being Peter’s caregiver would require enormous research, but I could find little available.   to offer readers the chance to get a firsthand look inside our private walls. I began to share the raw emotions of receiving the diagnosis and its unfairness. The horror of knowing there is no cure for Alzheimer’s and the panic of slowly losing the love of your life. The b ..read more

How would I honor his legacy and pay forward the gift I had been given in such a wonderful father, one who had faced his toughest battles by loving bravely and painting the world in his heart’s vibrant colors? Would he have been proud of the way I have told his story, faced my own challenges, and shared my own art born of authentic personhood brought to the surface through suffering ..read more

 became a children’s novel (and an adult novel) about Alzheimer’s, friendships and love. My descriptions of a fantasy world serve as a reminder that everyone needs self-care and deserves to enjoy life ..read more

On deeper reflection I recalled my early childhood experiences visiting care homes with my grandmother who partook in creative arts with the residents. As an 8 year old and over 4 decades earlier I remembered not the residents engaging with the arts but those that weren’t. Being a little girl my emotions were stirred and I felt a sense of isolation, fear and vulnerability coming from the residents who I now know were living with advanced dementia. I believe these strong emotions and my naturally empathic nature connected all those years ago with the people, and my study ignited them. This ..read more

In this story, my niece, along with her cousin, a cat and a dog, undertake a wonderful journey to their grandmother's brain to understand what is happening there. There they meet Mr. Hippocampus and see the neurons up close. It is a beautiful story where children learn that love, patience and empathy is what their grandparents with cognitive problems need the most.  ..read more

Could, or should, I write about this “journey” that Ms Alzheimer’s had forced on us? Well, obviously, not without Nick’s permission. He was a quiet, quite private man so I expected him to give me an unequivocal no. To my amazement he said: “Yes, why not? When we meet people out it’s going to be much easier for me if everyone knows because they’ll make allowances – and maybe going public will help others.”  ..read more

I rebelled at the stigma associated with Dementia acknowledging that this was the real ignorance that manifested itself in such negativity. I wanted to scream: “It’s a disease! He’s not crazy ..read more

Two years later, the unwanted guest made a repeat performance with my mom in the lead role. She was still mobile and enjoyed being sociable, but she needed to move to a residential community that could provide care as the disease progressed. She loved to play cards (until she couldn’t remember how to play the games) and chat with her new girlfriends. A year later, my husband and I moved 800 miles from Minnesota to Arkansas to help her and become her legal guardians.  ..read more

I rebelled at the stigma associated with Dementia acknowledging that this was the real ignorance that manifested itself in such negativity. I wanted to scream: “It’s a disease! He’s not crazy ..read more