Those with advancing dementia can sometimes experience an overlap of more than one reality like this double exposure photo in this post. I accidentally took this photo while living with Indigenous in Guatemala. It’s an eerie representation of how my time there was like existing in two worlds at once. John was sitting at the window, absorbed in watching a man walk across the street with his

Something we usually don’t consider is how a healthy brain automatically processes where our body is positioned within the space around us. We are also aware of where our limbs are; how to locate our hand for instance. This ability changes with dementia progression. Space perception enables us to be aware of our body position and objects around us allowing us to move and adjust to the

A common complaint of those caring for a loved one with dementia is feeling drained. Of course, the 24/7 care is exhausting, but could that “vampire visited in the night” feeling be about something else? What I’m about to write might seem like science fiction, however, it’s actually science fact. Our bodies are not solid. Now, try to follow me on this. Our bodies are actually composed

Years ago, I knew of a family who held a wake for their mother. The problem was Mom was still alive in a nursing home. When the person with dementia enters the later nonverbal stages, they begin to withdraw into themselves; no longer interacting with the world or people around them. At this time, it’s understandable why many families believe their loved one has gone. So, what

“Yesterday I fought again with my wife. We’ve had a really good marriage until lately and I don’t know what is going on with her. She keeps telling me I’m wrong when I know I’m right. First, its little things like, “Don’t go out for a drive at three in the morning. I can’t sleep, why can’t I go for a drive if I want?” She got

(doorway memory loss) Ever walk into a room with some purpose in mind, only to forget what it was? People with dementia walk into a room and often forget where they are or how they got there. Interestingly, walking through a doorway can cause memory lapses. Your brain files the thoughts you had in the previous room and prepares a blank slate for the next. This location-updating

Seeing a person with later dementia can create feelings of sadness, especially when they are residents in nursing homes. Within closed dementia wards, people in later stages are usually seen in chairs slumped over, staring into space with their mouths hanging open or asleep. Their ability to speak has often been reduced to guttural sounds and they’re seemingly unaware of anything around them. In those beginning months