Brain Talk | Being Patient for Alzheimer's Patients and Caregivers

Can improving hearing help preserve memory and thinking as we age? Hearing loss isn’t just an inconvenience of aging — it’s now considered one of the top modifiable risk factors for dementia.

Kimberly Mueller, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a researcher with the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Her work focuses on how speech and language change in preclinical Alzheimer’s, mild cognitive impairment and dementia. She also leads a clinical trial testing whether over-the-counter hearing aids can benefit people who have mild cognitive impairment and are found to have age-related hearing loss.

In this conversation with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Mueller explains why hearing loss is both common and treatable — affecting about one in three adults over 65 — and why it is now considered one of the top modifiable risk factors for dementia. She breaks down how untreated hearing loss can strain the brain, contribute to social isolation and potentially accelerate cognitive decline, and she discusses how new hearing technologies and over-the-counter devices might expand access to care. Mueller also shares early insights from her hearing aid trial, communication strategies for families, and emerging research using everyday speech patterns as a sensitive tool to detect brain changes earlier than standard memory testing.

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Being Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. 

Check out our latest Live Talks: https://www.beingpatient.com/category/video/

Could AI-driven retinal imaging flag Alzheimer’s decades before symptoms start? That question is central to RetiSpec’s mission. The health technology company is developing AI-powered retinal imaging to detect Alzheimer’s-related biomarkers, like amyloid — by looking at the back of the eye. 

Catherine Bornbaum, PhD, RetiSpec’s chief business officer, says the aim is to make biomarker testing simpler, more scalable, and easier for people to access.

In this conversation with Being Patient’s founder Deborah Kan, Bornbaum explains how decades of research show that changes in the back of the eye can mirror the structural, functional and molecular changes of Alzheimer’s in the brain, making the retina a powerful, noninvasive window for early detection.

Bornbaum also describes how AI-driven, real-time analysis of eye images using cameras already in optometrists’ offices could make eye exams a practical access point for noninvasive Alzheimer’s biomarker testing.

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If you loved listening to this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/

Follow Being Patient: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patient

Being Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. 

Check out our latest Live Talks: https://www.beingpatient.com/category/video/

Parkinson’s cases are rising. Dr. Ray Dorsey says our environment is a big reason why. In “The Parkinson’s Plan,” Dorsey and co-author Dr. Michael Okun argue that modifiable environmental exposures are fueling the disease, and they outline practical steps to reduce risk and improve treatment.

Dorsey is a professor of neurology at the University of Rochester and a public health advocate focused on eliminating toxic exposures linked to neurodegenerative disease. A co-author of “Ending Parkinson’s Disease,” he has testified before Congress, advised the World Health Organization and was recognized by the White House as a Champion for Change. He also serves as the founding director of the Center for the Brain & Environment at Atria Health and Research Institute.

In this conversation with Being Patient founder Deborah Kan, Dorsey explains why most Parkinson’s cases appear to be driven more by environmental chemicals than by genes, and what that means for prevention. He outlines practical steps — from reducing pesticide and solvent exposure to filtering water and air — alongside evidence-backed habits like vigorous exercise and getting specialist care. 

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If you loved listening to this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/

Follow Being Patient: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patient

Being Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. 

Check out our latest Live Talks: https://www.beingpatient.com/category/video/

In our latest “Ask Teepa Anything” Live Talk, dementia care expert Teepa Snow answers caregivers’ real-world questions — from safe ways to help a person up after a fall to medication trade-offs, late-stage planning, and day-to-day communication.

Snow is an occupational therapist with more than 40 years of clinical and academic experience. She developed the GEMS States of Brain Change and the Positive Approach training strategies, founded Positive Approach to Care, and co-founded the Snow Approach Foundation in Hillsborough, North Carolina. 

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If you loved listening to this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/

Follow Being Patient: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patient

Being Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. 

Check out our latest Live Talks: https://www.beingpatient.com/category/video/

Dr. Laura Baker, PhD, is a professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the principal investigator of the U.S. POINTER study, a large, Alzheimer’s Association–backed trial inspired by Finland’s landmark FINGER study. Designed to test whether lifestyle can protect brain health in a diverse U.S. population, POINTER enrolled 2,111 adults ages 60 to 79 across five regions. Participants who were not already exercising or eating a Mediterranean-style diet engaged in lifestyle changes across four pillars: physical activity, nutrition, cognitive and social engagement, and tracking health numbers like blood pressure and blood sugar.

In this interview with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Baker traces how POINTER was designed, what a coach-supported lifestyle program looks like in practice, and why community partners matter. She also previews what’s ahead — from brain imaging to sleep and vascular findings — and offers practical guidance for caregivers and older adults.

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If you loved listening this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/

Follow Being Patient: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patient

Being Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. 

Check out our latest Live Talks: https://www.beingpatient.com/category/video/

Originally from Argentina, educator and creative entrepreneur Laura Tobi, 58, moved to the U.S. 26 years ago. An educational designer by training, she has worked with labor unions, corporations, government, and public and private school systems, later founding a Miami-based business to cultivate creative thinking for learners of all ages. 

After years as a caregiver to her both husband and daughter through serious chronic illnesses, she and her husband relocated to North Carolina in 2024, where she noticed increased memory problems. A neurologist connected the dots: a lumbar puncture confirmed Alzheimer’s, and further evaluation found epilepsy, revealing silent seizures. 

In this interview with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Tobi shares how she pairs Leqembi infusions with lifestyle changes inspired by the Ornish program — nutrition, exercise, stress management, and social support — while staying rooted in community through volunteering, teaching, improv, and clay sculpture in her home studio. Her takeaways: build community, stay mentally and physically active, advocate for yourself, and keep seeking joy — through teaching, volunteering, improv, and making art.

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If you loved listening to this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/

Follow Being Patient: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patient

Being Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. 

Check out our latest Live Talks: https://www.beingpatient.com/category/video/

Scientists are still searching for effective treatments for neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's, ALS, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). In his pioneering research, neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Duma is testing whether stem cell therapy can effectively treat these diseases. 

Duma is medical director of Hoag Memorial Presbyterian Hospital’s Brain Tumor Program in Newport Beach, California and president and founder of Regeneration Biomedical, which develops stem cell therapies for neurological disorders. He recently completed Phase 1 of its clinical trial, a first-in-human approach that delivers a patient’s own fat-derived stem cells directly into the brain’s ventricles to target neurodegenerative diseases.

In this interview with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Duma discusses how the trial is progressing. He explains the approach, shares Phase 1 safety results with encouraging early signals in biomarkers and cognition, and outlines a Phase 2 trial that will test effectiveness in a larger group of participants with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Phase 2 of the study calls for injections every two months with regular scans and laboratory tests, aiming to show whether this therapy could expand care options for people living with neurodegenerative disease.

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If you loved listening to this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/

Follow Being Patient: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patient

Being Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. 

Check out our latest Live Talks: https://www.beingpatient.com/category/video/

U.S. Navy veteran Chris Tann, was diagnosed with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia in 2019 after his wife, Debra, noticed behavioral changes and began documenting unusual incidents at home. They began learning and raising awareness about a condition that is often misunderstood. Today, he is an active member of the Black Dementia Minds support group and a participant in a long-term clinical trial at Vanderbilt University.

In this conversation with Being Patient’s founder Deborah Kan, the couple discuss the early signs Chris exhibited prior to his diagnosis, the behavioral changes that come with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, caregiving strategies, and how faith plays a central role in how Chris copes with his diagnosis. Together, they emphasize the importance of awareness, advocacy, and research participation.

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If you loved listening to this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/

Follow Being Patient: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patient

Being Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. 

Check out our latest Live Talks: https://www.beingpatient.com/category/video/

No Country for Old People, a documentary from filmmaker Susie Singer Carter and former federal prosecutor and US Attorney Rick Mountcastle, investigates widespread neglect and systemic failures in nursing facilities. 

Singer Carter tells a personal story about her mother, who lived with Alzheimer’s disease and received inadequate care in a five-star facility. Mountcastle, known for prosecuting Purdue Pharma for its role in the opioid crisis, connects his legal experience exposing corporate misconduct to troubling practices he uncovered in the long-term care industry. Together, they highlight how residents with dementia and other disabilities are often silenced, overlooked, or neglected by a system that profits from their vulnerability.

In this Live Talk with Being Patient’s founder Deborah Kan, Carter and Mountcastle share the stories behind the film, including Singer Carter’s firsthand account of her mother’s decline in a care facility, and Mountcastle’s insights into how legal and corporate structures perpetuate exploitation. As advocates of the ROAR(Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, and Reform for Long-Term Care) movement, they said they intend their film to give voice to the voiceless and push for accountability. 

When Alice Bailey was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at 56, some of the challenges were all too familiar. She had witnessed her mother’s experience with Alzheimer’s years earlier, and recognized some of the same gaps in care and communication with her diagnosis. Receiving no resources to help her process her diagnosis, she leaned on family, faith, and community to find support. Today, she’s a member of the Council of Black Dementia Minds, where she shares her story and helps build awareness about dementia in communities that are often underserved.

In this Live Talk with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Bailey reflects on the moment she knew something was wrong with her memory, the frustrations she faced in the healthcare system, and the steps she has taken to live well despite her diagnosis. From addressing the stigma of early-onset Alzheimer’s to advocating for greater awareness in the Black community, she continues to use her voice to inform others.