Caring for someone living with dementia can be both deeply meaningful and incredibly challenging. Finding effective ways to connect, communicate and provide support often requires shifting how we see and respond to changes in the brain. In honor of National Family Caregivers Month, renowned dementia care specialist Teepa Snow joins the podcast to share her insights on improving life with dementia through empathy and understanding. As the founder of Positive Approach to Care (PAC), Teepa has developed the Snow Approach, a set of practical and compassionate techniques designed to empower care partners. She discusses the philosophy behind her methods, the importance of recognizing retained abilities and strategies that can make daily interactions more positive and meaningful for both care partners and those living with dementia.

Guest: Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, dementia care specialist, educator, owner, trainer, Positive Approach LLC, co-Founder & chair, Snow Approach Foundation

This episode was uploaded as an exclusive video episode on the Wisconsin ADRC YouTube page on November 5, 2025. Watch the video interview with Teepa Snow here.

Find videos, resources and more on Teepa Snow’s website.

Interested in hearing more from Teepa? Attend Dementia Friendly America’s (DFA) Dementia Friendsgiving on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, to hear her keynote talk on supporting people with dementia in dignified and respectful ways.

Learn more about lecanemab and the eligibility requirements from our past episode, “Looking at Lecanemab’s Eligibility Guidelines and Prescription Process,” on our website.

Learn more about grief and dementia from our past episode, “A Guide to Grief: Strategies for Navigating Loss and Dementia,” on our website.

Learn more about the National Council of Dementia Minds on their website.

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.

Grief is a complex topic for people with dementia, their loved ones, caregivers and doctors to navigate. Dr. Erica Srinivasan, an expert on the psychology behind grief, joins the podcast to discuss the different kinds of grief people can experience and share strategies and resources for addressing the grief associated with dementia.

Guest: Erica Srinivasan, PhD, associate professor of psychology, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse (UWL), director, Center for Grief and Death Education, lead instructor, Grief Support Specialist Certificate, UW–Madison Continuing Education

Register for Dr. Srinivasan’s Grief Support Specialist Certificate course at the UW–Madison Continuing Education website.

Register for Dr. Srinivasan’s Dementia Support Specialist online courses course at the UW-La Crosse Extended Learning website.

Read more about Dr. Srinivasan at her profile on the UW–La Crosse website.

Listen to our episode “Shining Light on Younger-Onset Dementia with Lorenzo’s House,” mentioned by Dr. Chin at 14:19, on our website.

Learn more about MyGrief, the resource mentioned by Dr. Srinivasan at 22:42, on the Canadian Virtual Hospice’s website. 

Learn more about the UK Alzheimer’s Society, mentioned by Dr. Srinivasan at 23:04, on their website.

Learn more about Wisconsin’s Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs), mentioned by Dr. Srinivasan at 23:13, on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website. Looking for resources outside of Wisconsin? Find local organizations using the Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) Eldercare Locator.

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.

Clinical trials are essential for improving the lives of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. With so many trials out there, it can be difficult for someone who’s interested in participating in research to know where to start. Dr. Jonathan Graff-Radford joins the podcast to discuss the ins and outs of clinical trials and the state of Alzheimer’s treatments today, as well as share some highlights from his presentation at the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center’s (NACC) 2025 Spring ADRC Meeting.

Guest: Jonathan Graff-Radford, MD, behavioral neurologist, associate professor, vice chair, Mayo Clinic Department of Neurology, co-investigator, Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center

Read more about Dr. Jonathan Graff-Radford at his profile on Mayo Clinic’s website.

Listen to part one and part two of our series on preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and the AHEAD study with Dr. Reisa Sperling, mentioned at 19:53, on our website.

Learn more about the AHEAD study on their website.

Learn more about clinical trials in Wisconsin at the UW Clinical Trials Institute's website.

Interested in participating in clinical trials? Visit clinicaltrials.gov or Alzheimer's Association's TrialMatch to learn how to get involved.

Learn more and register for the 2025 Fall Community Conversation: Addressing Hearing Loss for Better Brain Health on our website.

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.

Microplastics are a growing concern in the field of environmental health, but their impact on the brain is only beginning to be understood. Joining the podcast to share the latest research on these tiny particles, which have been found in the brain and other parts of the body, is Dr. Matthew Campen, a leading researcher in the field whose work is helping to uncover how environmental exposures like the accumulation of microplastics could affect neurological health, dementia risk and more.

Guest: Matthew Campen, PhD, MSPH, director, New Mexico Center for Metals in Biology and Medicine, director, University of New Mexico Clinical and Translational Sciences Center KL2 Mentored Career Development Program, deputy director, Training Core director, UNM Metal Exposure and Toxicity Assessment on Tribal Lands in the Southwest (UNM METALS) Superfund Research Program Center, professor, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

Learn more about Dr. Campen and his research at his profile on the University of New Mexico website. 

Read Dr. Campen’s article, “Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains,” published by Nature Medicine on Nature’s website.

Read “Nanoplastic concentrations across the North Atlantic,” the research article Dr. Campen mentioned at 23:08, on Nature’s website.

Read “The Story You’ve Been Told About Recycling is a Lie,” the opinion piece Dr. Campen mentioned at 25:40, on The New York Times website.

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.

As an individual develops dementia, they may need support in many areas of their lives. One of these areas is decision-making, particularly regarding health care decisions, but how can someone or their loved one determine if they need support with decision-making? To answer these questions, Dr. Victoria Williams joins to discuss capacity and capacity testing. She dives into the different kinds of decision-making abilities that can be assessed, the signs that one may need an assessment and more, as well as shares a preview of her upcoming Healthy Living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) program, “Cognitive Testing and Brain Imaging Explained.”

Guest: Victoria Williams, PhD, neuropsychologist, UW Health, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Register and learn more about Dr. Williams’ upcoming Healthy Living with MCI event, happening on September 12, 2025, and future programs on our website.

Learn more about Dr. Williams at her bio on the UW Health website.

Listen to Dr. Williams’ past episode, “The Fundamentals of Neuropsychology: Breaking Down Cognition, Memory and More,” on our website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you listen.

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.

Receiving a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia can be an emotional and challenging experience. How can meditative practices support those living with MCI? Buddhist chaplain Sharon Lukert wrote her book, Until My Memory Fails Me, with the goal of sharing mindfulness and spiritual practices that have helped her since being diagnosed with MCI in 2021. She joins the podcast to share how her spirituality has impacted her journey to a diagnosis as well as strategies on navigating emotional struggles and building community for those living with MCI.

Guest: Sharon Lukert, author, Buddhist chaplain

Learn more about Sharon Lukert and her book, Until My Memory Fails Me, on her website.

Register for the Wisconsin ADRC’s Healthy Living with Mild Cognitive Impairment education series on our website.

Learn about the Wisconsin ADRC’s involvement in the development of new blood tests, mentioned by Mrs. Lukert at 12:50, on our website.

Interested in hearing more about what it’s like being involved in Alzheimer’s disease research? Listen to the Dementia Matters four-part series, “Voices of Research Participants,” on our website and wherever you listen.

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is one of the most common causes of dementia in individuals under the age of 60, yet it remains lesser known and often misunderstood. From the early symptoms to the challenges of diagnosis and treatment, FTLD presents unique hurdles for clinicians, researchers and families alike. Joining the podcast to discuss this complex disease is Dr. Brad Boeve, principal investigator of the ALLFTD study, a major national research effort aimed at identifying biomarkers and clinical tools to improve early detection of FTLD and prepare for future treatment trials. 

Guest: Brad Boeve, MD, neurologist, Department of Neurology and Center for Sleep Medicine, professor of neurology, Division of Behavioral Neurology, Mayo Clinic, co-director, Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, principal investigator, ARTFL-LEFFTDS Longitudinal Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (ALLFTD) research study

Are you a clinician interested in receiving continuing education (CE) credits for listening to this episode? Find credit designation information, disclosures and evaluation information on our website and on the UW–Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership (ICEP) website. The accreditation for this course expires 8/12/2026. After this date, you will no longer be able to access the course or claim credit.

Learn more about Dr. Boeve and his research at his profile on the Mayo Clinic website. 

Listen to our episode with Dr. Wolk, “LATE, Explained,” mentioned by Dr. Chin at 10:12 on our website.

Visit the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) website, mentioned by Dr. Boeve at 21:59.

Visit the CurePSP website mentioned by Dr. Boeve at 22:21.

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.

Smartphones and technology are ubiquitous in nearly every aspect of our lives, but is technology helping or hurting us when it comes to memory and cognition? Dr. Jared Benge, neuropsychologist and associate professor from the University of Texas at Austin, joins the podcast to discuss his research into how technology and smartphone use impacts the brain, how digital technology can be used to help individuals with cognitive impairment and what his findings mean for the future.

Guest: Jared Benge, PhD, ABPP, clinical neuropsychologist, Comprehensive Memory Center, UT Health Austin, associate professor, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin

Read Dr. Benge’s article, “A meta-analysis of technology use and cognitive aging,” on the journal Nature’s website.

Learn more about Dr. Benge at his profile on UT Health Austin’s website.

Read Dr. Benge’s study on the use of smartphone technology to improve prospective memory functioning at the Journal of American Geriatrics Society.

Dementia Matters is nominated for the 2025 Podcast Awards in the Science and Medicine and People’s Choice categories. Register and vote online before July 31 to support our podcast.

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.

What is the current impact of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias on the United States? To best understand its significance in 2025, we can turn to the Alzheimer’s Association’s Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, a comprehensive resource that highlights the effect of Alzheimer’s on individuals, care partners, health care professionals and more. Dr. Heather Snyder from the Alzheimer’s Association joins the podcast to discuss key trends and findings from this year’s report, including insights from their special report on Americans’ attitudes toward early detection and new monoclonal antibody treatments.

Guest: Heather Snyder, PhD, senior vice president, medical & scientific relations, Alzheimer’s Association

Read the 2025 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report and special report from the Alzheimer’s Association on their website.

Download and print the 2025 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures infographic on their website.

Read about Dr. Snyder on her profile on the Alzheimer’s Association website.

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.

How much does it cost to live with dementia in the United States? The hidden costs are often overlooked, but these numbers and trends are important to understand in order to inform the public and effectively allocate resources. Dr. Julie Zissimopoulos leads The United States Cost of Dementia Project, where they recently published a report on the total cost of dementia in 2025. Dr. Zissimopoulos joins the podcast to discuss the report’s findings and analyze what this means for patients and families, as well as for public policy, in the future.

Guest: Julie Zissimopoulos, PhD, professor, Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California (USC), co-lead, United States Cost of Dementia Project, co-director, Aging and Cognition Research Program, USC Schaeffer Center, director, Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementias Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (USC AD/ADRDRCMAR), Center for Advancing Sociodemographic and Economic Study of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (CeAES-ADRD)

Learn more about Dr. Julie Zissimopoulos at her profile on the USC Schaeffer Center’s website.

Read “The Cost of Dementia in 2025” report on the USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service website.

Learn more about the United States Cost of Dementia Project on their website.

Read about new Wisconsin legislation that seeks to help those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers in the article, “How a bill in the Wisconsin Legislature seeks to help Alzheimer's caregivers” by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.