Dementia Patients Should Inform Tech Development

My daughter recently bought me a Google Home Mini. As someone who lives with dementia and used to be a leader in the IT field, I always thought one could be helpful to me and many folks with disabilities. I quickly realized I was wrong. To be sure, t here are a number of helpful things that I can do with the Google Home Mini. For example, I can ask any questions -- what is the temperature or when will it snow? I can ask information about the latest news, and set reminders for meetings and deadlines. The voice assistant

At Least Alzheimer's Research Is Bringing Washington Together

This op-ed originally appear in The Hill newspaper on February 15, 2018. In an era of extreme partisanship, there is one issue that continues to inspire collaboration and even comradery among members of both parties: the fight to stop Alzheimer’s. Click here to continue reading.

Using Music to Engage and Comfort People Living with Alzheimer’s Disease

Music has the power to reach people with Alzheimer’s disease on a deep level. Many patients can sing songs long after their Alzheimer’s has progressed beyond the point of recognizing loved ones, dressing themselves, or even remembering what happened five minutes earlier. I personally used to listen to music on a regular basis with my 92-year-old Romanian soul mate and he always enjoyed it. His face would light up and he would move in time with the music. Sometimes he would hum along. Two instances stand out. One was when I pretended to be conducting the music, emulating the type

Conversations with Greg O'Brien

“Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things”—Marcus Tullius Cicero, 63 BC Having spent an extensive career in newspapering, there’s an old axiom in the media: if you don’t tell your own story, someone else will tell it for you. So here’s our story in summary. From a perspective of those living with dementia, we’re best to tell it. I stand before you today as a humble messenger. As a person living with Alzheimer’s, one whose family tree has been shaken horribly by this disease, I can tell you with great assurance that the most accurate perspective on dementia

The Alzheimer's Stamp

The release of the Alzheimer's stamp represents eighteen years of continuous effort on the part of friend and fellow advocate Kathy Siggins, and nine years of continuous effort on my part. If you think...