Your loved one with Alzheimer’s disease may wander off for a variety of reasons. Wandering may be due to stress or fear, boredom, or searching. They may wander off trying to fill a basic need, like hunger or a need to go to the bathroom. Sometimes they are reliving their former lives, believing that they [...]

People with Alzheimer's disease frequently experience sleep disorders, particularly as the condition progresses. These sleep disturbances in Alzheimer's disrupt not only the health and well-being of the individual but also significantly impact family caregivers, whose own rest is often interrupted by their loved one's nighttime wakefulness and wandering. For family caregivers, managing Alzheimer's sleep problems [...]

Over a lifetime the average American spends about three years eating. That's a lot of meals. By the time you've reached late life, food may have lost some of its appeal. There are a variety of reasons why people lose their appetites as they age: Badly fitting dentures, gum disease, or dry mouth can make [...]

The history of television or movies depicting any form of dementia hasn’t always been great. The “crazy old person” or the feeble older adult who is seen only as a burden are harmful tropes that we’ve, thankfully, started to push back on. A New Addition: The Great Lillian Hall A recent addition to the [...]

When I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), back in 1996, it was a shock. It was an unknown. I remember when I told my supervisor at the time, I later overheard him saying something to the effect of “she’s going to die.” No kidding. We all are. A few weeks later, my neurologist referred [...]

Alzheimer’s disease devastated our family when my mom, at just 67, was diagnosed in 2010 and passed away two years later. Living through her journey opened my eyes in ways I could never have anticipated. Through this post, I hope to share those insights, supported by the innovative Alzheimer’s Module from Embodied Labs, which [...]

Understanding Syngap1: A Sibling's Perspective My name is Paulina Polanco, and I am a Syngap1 caregiver to my two extraordinary 20-year-old twin sisters, Esperanza and Libertad—Espy and Libby. Their journey with this neurodevelopmental disease has transformed our family's understanding of love, resilience, and unconditional support. The Turning Point: When Syngap1 Became Real In 2020, our [...]

FX/Hulu's "Feud: Capote vs. the Swans" offers more than just a glimpse into high society drama and literary feuds. Beyond its captivating portrayal of 1960s-1980s fashion and sharp-tongued exchanges, this Ryan Murphy series masterfully weaves profound themes of family caregiving that deeply resonate with today's caregiving challenges. The Paley Story: When Illness Transforms Family [...]

Sandra Bagwell of Mission, Texas, holding the remains of her son, Ryan, who died in 2022. “Ryan was poisoned,” she said. Credit...Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The New York Times To the Editor: Re: “In Fentanyl Deaths, Victims’ Families Say Word Choice Matters” (front page, March 11): The heartbreaking story of 19-year-old Ryan Bagwell’s death further [...]

The Unexpected Journey of Alzheimer's No matter how much research you conduct about Alzheimer's disease, understanding its true impact remains impossible until it directly affects your family. My personal journey began in early 2017 when I first noticed unusual changes in my husband's behavior. By 2018, we received a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment [...]