Dementia Untangled

Michele Grigaitis-Reyes, a nurse practitioner from Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, shares with us her passion for addressing a commonly avoided topic of intimacy and sexual needs for people affected by dementia. She helps us define these topics and untangles the misconceptions and frustrating feelings around the inability to communicate needs around intimacy and sex with partners or caregivers. She helps us breach a difficult topic that isn’t always discussed when necessary or brushed off by those we may confide in for assistance. Listen in for her practical suggestions for creating moments of intimacy and how what some may deem as inappropriate sexual behavior, may just be an effort to communicate a different need by someone without the ability to do so.

Dr. David Shprecher from Banner Sun Health Research Institute shares with us his experience as a Neurologist specializing in movement disorders this week. He takes us through the basics, helping us untangle dementia and the less common forms, reminding us how important a specific diagnosis is. With treatable causes of memory loss like vitamin deficiency, sleep problems, or side effects to medications, the help of a specialist creates an opportunity to impact cognitive issues early and often. In addition, an accurate diagnosis of dementias like Lewy body, frontotemporal, and vascular are important to identify for treatments, family knowledge, and preparation for future stages to help improve quality of life.

This week is focused on how Alzheimer’s disease research is progressing, moving us closer to finding a cure or even preventing the disease. Dr. Alireza Atri, director at Banner Sun Health Research Institute, helps us untangle the complicated world of research by breaking down how far we’ve come, what renewed interest and dollars mean for advancement, and why it’s so important for people to get involved. He discusses current research efforts, new drug studies, and how multiple angles of focus will affect goals of ending Alzheimer’s without losing another generation.

Our guest, Helle Brand from Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, shares with us her experience as a Physician Assistant, working various age groups and specialties, currently working with persons with cognitive impairment and their families. She helps us untangle the common issue of repetition in people that are dealing with memory issues and how it can be a red flag in a loved one that may not have received a diagnosis yet. She takes us through how repetition is the key to learning when we are young but can be frustrating for caregivers as their person’s disease progresses and it is a sign of deterioration of the brain’s hippocampus. Her clear explanation of the science behind the issue and practical strategies for caregivers to deal with it, make this episode highly valuable for anyone in contact with the dementia community.

Our guest, Michelle Faddoul, a social worker for Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, shares with us her thoughtful strategies for easing anxiety in a person with dementia, but also in general for anyone experiencing those emotions. Her experience as a therapist for over a decade helps us untangle the stressors and contributing factors that can intensify anxiety and worry, as well as practical resources and strategies to ease anxious feelings and concerns. Recent current events that amplify those behaviors can increase caregiver frustration and disturb a person’s need for rest and calm. She outlines how avoiding common practices or behaviors and replacing them with compensatory strategies and grounding techniques can help you and your loved one to stay more in the moment.

Our guest, Mary Lou Hernandez, a social worker for Banner Alzheimer’s institute, shares with us her practical strategies for helping care partners avoid arguments. She helps us untangle what instigates these interactions and how you can validate the emotions of your loved one with dementia in order to move forward. She reminds us of the obvious triggers that create uncomfortable situations and how to promote an environment that’s more conducive calm, instead of conflict. Understanding that caregiving is a learning process, she implores us to find the positivity in our efforts and be kind to ourselves as we navigate the dementia journey.

Our guest, Lori Nisson, the Director of Family & Community Services for Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and Banner Sun Health Research Institute, shares with us her expertise on the lack of awareness that most people with dementia can exhibit and the empathic strategies that can be used. She helps us untangle how someone with an ailment like dementia isn’t in denial but has an actual lack of awareness due to the deterioration of the frontal lobe of the brain. She reminds us that as people lose their awareness, it changes the way we communicate and how as caregivers, we must be aware of our own behavior and not force the reality of the disease onto our person. Lori also tackles the stigma around the word dementia and addresses common worries for caregivers like communication, driving, and making big decisions around transitions.

We invite you to join Heather Mulder & Janice Greeno from Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and Banner Sun Health Research Institute to listen and subscribe to our new podcast, Dementia Untangled. Our show explores unique topics related to dementia through conversations with specialized physicians, experts, and community leaders. Each episode will offer innovative ideas, practical strategies, and proven methods to guide caregivers along a supportive path. Inspired by our world renowned, comprehensive model of care, this podcast creates a unique environment to untangle the complex world of Alzheimer’s and related dementias.