Dementia is a disease that slowly steals away memories while keeping up the pretense that it’s stealing away nothing at all. A patient’s ability to create reality from their fragmented memories can lead to strained relationships with their loved ones and a deep sense of loneliness in their caregivers. Clinical psychologist, and author of Travelers to Unimaginable Lands: Stories of Dementia, the Caregiver and the Human Brain.

Dasha Kiper shares how our understanding of consciousness makes it hard for those who love dementia patients to fully accept the diagnoses and the loss, and how a deeper understanding of brain processes can allow caregivers to express self-compassion for themselves and their loved ones.