As memory and cognitive changes progress in people with dementia, some can experience a delusional belief that a person or object has been replaced by an imposter – a syndrome known as Capgras. Our guest Dr. Ganesh Gopalakrishna, a Banner Alzheimer’s Institute dementia specialist, helps us identify this behavior and offer helpful suggestions on how to re-establish trust and comfort your loved one. He shares with us how auditory connections can help avoid the anxiety that accompanies the confusion that is experienced, as well as what can be done to support and encourage caregivers that are experiencing the effects of this syndrome.

As a loved one’s dementia diagnosis progresses, caregivers will face a change in behaviors that can sometimes be hard to manage and even overwhelming at times. In this episode, our guest Kathleen Buckwalter, a geriatric mental health nurse, teaches us about the Progressively Lowered Stress Threshold (PLST) model and how to use it to minimize some of those challenging behaviors. She untangles the effect that stress has on us all, and how she worked to identify opportunities as a caregiver to minimize it and move through most situations.

The Asian American and Pacific Islander population is the fastest growing ethnic group in America, highlighting the need for health education and dementia support. Our guest this week is Edie Yau, the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association, helps us understand the cultural beliefs and ideas around dementia that affect the perspective, care process, and barriers to getting a diagnosis for members of the AAPI community. She speaks to the importance of person-centered care, getting involved in research studies, offering resources in native languages, and considering cultural context when providing care and support for people with dementia and their families.

Recognizing signs of dementia isn’t always easy and complications like delirium can make it even more difficult. In this episode our guest, Helle Brand, a physician assistant and dementia expert, dives into the complexities of each, helping us untangle the differences and what questions to ask. We discover why delirium happens, if it can turn into dementia, and how to help our loved one experiencing symptoms.

Driving means so many things to us: freedom, independence, responsibility – but is it safe to drive with dementia? Jenny Nordine, an expert with Driving to Independence, helps us untangle the complicated feelings and decisions that must be made when it’s no longer a good idea to get behind the wheel. She speaks to evaluating one’s cognition and defensive driving techniques to determine one’s ability to continue driving after a diagnosis, as well as what steps to take when it’s time to give up the keys.

The dementia journey is incredibly unique for each individual, including the more than 11 million caregivers in the United States. This week, Katharine Halpin joins the conversation to share her experience as a caregiver for her wife living with Alzheimer’s disease. She untangles the early signs of the disease that she later connected to the beginning of her wife’s cognitive decline and how they now share in enrichment programs designed to benefit not only the person with the disease, but also the caregiver. She gives us insight into participating in clinical trials to help contribute to the research side of the disease, and how much joy they’ve been able to find on their journey.

There is always an opportunity to find new ways to live well with dementia. This week our guest, Eyleen Braaten from Giving Voice Initiative gives us insight on the benefits of using our voices to sing and sing together for a myriad of enrichment opportunities. She untangles the cognitive benefits of participating in a choir for both participants and their families, creating a deep sense of value and contribution to the community. Her own experience as a member of the “Sandwich Generation,” a phrase coined for those caring for children and an older loved one, created feelings of isolation. But she found hope and community as a caregiver and was also inspired to start a career with the Giving Voice Initiative.

Is there a way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease? We asked our guest, Dr. Mike Malek-Ahmadi, a Bioinformatics Scientist at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, this exact question. He carefully untangles the biology behind the disease, what scientists have identified as the cause of cognitive problems that occur, and how they hope to identify people before they show symptoms and intervene earlier to delay or prevent Alzheimer’s. He shares his goals of changing from a clinical to a biological diagnosis for Alzheimer’s by identifying the presence of a bio marker for disease before seeing any cognitive decline – eventually leading to the first survivor of Alzheimer’s disease.

We look back and revisit some of our favorite moments from Season 4, as well as dive a little deeper and untangle the podcast experience of our hosts and editor/producer Amber Ayers. Learn more about how our experiences help shape the conversations we have with our guests and how each episode offers new knowledge and perspectives on the disease, the community, and the resources available. Is there a topic you're interested in learning more about? Email us at [email protected]

There’s no denying the ability music has to meet us where we are, brighten our mood, or even comfort us in our sadness, so it’s no surprise that it can have a dynamic effect on people with dementia. We get to chat with Grace Meadows, the campaign director for Music for Dementia and a music therapist, about how music can connect people at all stages of the disease and create a sense of community and comfort. She explains how even if a person is non-verbal, they can participate and often show signs of happiness and understanding, enriching lives through music.