Creating a “Life Celebration” for a Person with Dementia

Even with advanced dementia, my mother could feel moments of joy. I will always feel grateful that we gathered to celebrate her life not after she passed away, but while she was alive and could enjoy being the center of attention. My mother, Judy, told me years ago that when she passed away she wanted me to cremate her and to hold a “life celebration,” not a funeral—a party with family and friends. She pictured us at her lakeside home, reminiscing and laughing. We would spread her ashes on the waves, then talk and eat. As Mom’s dementia progressed, I

The NFL and Alzheimer's - Go Purple

Some of the most watched TV programs each year are NFL games and such large audiences give the NFL a tremendous opportunity to use its broadcasts for public service. To their credit, since 2009 the NFL has used October broadcasts to support breast cancer awareness and help raise money for research. Football players show their support by wearing pink on their uniforms and using pink equipment . Having lost my mother to cancer, and with relatives currently dealing with cancer, I applaud this NFL leadership role and enjoy seeing lots of pink on my TV screen this month. Another opportunity

The Government Shut Down, But Alzheimer's Did Not

Editor's note: this blog post originally appeared on Huffington Post 50 For a tormenting two weeks, the fiscal future of the U.S. seemed to hang in the balance on Capitol Hill. The world's eyes were glued to the Legislative Branch as disagreements boiled into feuds and gave way to iron-fisted gridlock. Markets sputtered. Talking heads excoriated. And while liberal and conservative media outlets disagree on the political consequences, there's a bigger issue no one's talking about: federal research lost. And it looks like it will keep losing. When the government re-opened, it failed to address the arbitrary, across-the-board sequester that

You Can Shut Down the Government, But You Can't Shut Down Alzheimer's

Editor's note: this blog post originally appeared on Huffington Post 50 Here is something that doesn't stop when the government closes down: Alzheimer's. When Louise was 3, her mother, Zoe, who was 29 at the time, was diagnosed with dementia. She is now 42, living in a home care facility unable to walk or talk. Then there is Charlie Collier, who for 25 years traveled the country seeking donations for Harvard University. Charlie gained a national reputation in the field of family philanthropy. Now, he is speaking out -- as much as he is able -- on a topic even

'Surviving Grace': A Story Of Hope And Possibilities

Editor's note: This piece originally appeared on Huffington Post 50. As a determined woman, activist, mother and writer, I've learned to stay humble (kids help you be that), work hard and to never take "no" for an answer. It's been 26 years since my mom was first diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. This was the first time in my life that I had to accept "no, there is no cure" as the only answer available. At that time, I barely knew what the disease was. What I did know is there was no cure. My mother, this elegant lioness, was reduced