Navigating a dementia diagnosis can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to make the best decisions for someone you love. In this new episode, host Dawn Platt is joined by memory care expert Maggie Mariello for a compassionate conversation about what families can expect as dementia progresses and how memory care can provide comfort, safety, and meaningful quality of life. Together, they explore the differences between assisted living and memory care, discuss behavioral changes, hospice, therapeutic communication, and the many support services available to families. Learn about the questions that rarely come up on a community tour but can make all the difference in navigating dementia care with greater understanding and confidence.

Whether you're just beginning your caregiving journey or facing new decisions along the way, this episode offers practical guidance, gentle reassurance, and expert insights to help you feel more informed and less alone. If you've been wondering what to expect from memory care — or how to make informed, compassionate decisions for someone you love — this conversation is one you won't want to miss.

If you're caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia, you've probably asked yourself, "Is this normal?", "Am I doing the right thing?", or "How do I handle this?"

In this episode, host Dawn Platt answers real questions submitted by family caregivers who are navigating the everyday challenges, emotions, and uncertainties of dementia caregiving.

From managing difficult behaviors and improving communication to coping with caregiver stress, guilt, and decision-making, Dawn offers compassionate guidance, practical strategies, and reassuring insights to help you feel more confident and less alone on your caregiving journey.

Whether you're a spouse, adult child, family member, or professional caregiver, you'll likely hear questions that reflect your own experiences — and discover practical solutions that can bring greater peace of mind and support.

To close out Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, we’re revisiting this informative episode of The Disappearing Mind, highlighting the importance of memory screenings for adults over 50.

Learn how these simple 10-15 minute evaluations can detect not just early signs of dementia, but also treatable conditions like vitamin deficiencies or thyroid disorders, and discover convenient options, including free screenings from the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

Discover why these simple, non-invasive evaluations should be as routine as checking your blood pressure or cholesterol.

To learn more, read "Proactive Brain Health to Live Well Every Day".

What if protecting your brain health was just as important as protecting your heart? In recognition of Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, we’re revisiting an insightful conversation with host Dawn Platt, where she reveals why dementia isn’t an inevitable part of aging — and what you can do right now to help build your brain’s natural defense system.

Discover the surprising lifestyle habits that can strengthen your cognitive reserve at any age, learn to spot the crucial difference between normal forgetfulness and early warning signs, and understand why experts are saying "what's good for the heart is good for the brain."

Whether you're concerned about your own cognitive future or supporting a loved one, Dawn shares practical, science-backed strategies that could make all the difference.

We're revisiting a must-listen episode where host Dawn Platt and Board Certified Neurologist and Clinical Neurophysiologist Dr. Michelle Boudreau discuss an important question many individuals and families face: when is it time to see a neurologist for memory concerns?

Together, they explore the role neurologists play in identifying and evaluating cognitive changes, discuss the latest advancements in dementia medications, and examine the challenges surrounding the growing number of dementia cases.

Whether you're navigating memory concerns yourself, supporting a loved one, or looking to better understand brain health, this episode offers expert insight and valuable guidance.

What if the key to protecting your brain isn't just exercise — but how you move and think at the same time? In this fascinating episode of The Disappearing Mind, host Dawn Platt welcomes SMARTfit CEO and cognitive fitness innovator Cathi Lamberti for a conversation that challenges everything we thought we knew about brain health. From cognitive reserve and dementia prevention to the surprising power of dual-task training, Cathi reveals how intentional brain-body engagement may help strengthen the mind, support cognitive function, and improve quality of life at any age.

If you're searching for hope, practical strategies, and cutting-edge insights into cognitive wellness, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Could one simple change help you or a loved one stay stronger, safer, and more independent with age? In this popular episode, host Dawn Platt welcomes back Dr. Brittany Tallhamer, a physical and occupational therapist who has witnessed firsthand how movement can transform lives at any age or stage of dementia. Dr. Tallhamer reveals the shocking truth about what happens when we stop moving, shares an inspiring recovery story that shocked caregivers, and provides practical exercises that support balance, brain health, and everyday confidence.

Whether you're managing arthritis, supporting a loved one living with Alzheimer's or dementia, or simply want to maintain your wellness as you age, this episode delivers practical strategies you can start today — no gym required. Tune in to learn why we don't lose mobility because we age; we age faster because we stop moving.

To hear more from Dr. Tallhamer on this topic, listen to “Brain Health in Motion: Dr. Tallhamer on Movement Therapy.”

Can you really build a stronger, more resilient brain as you age? In recognition of Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month, host Dawn Platt explores the science of cognitive reserve — the brain’s ability to adapt, compensate, and stay strong despite aging or neurological changes. Discover 10 research-backed strategies to support brain health, reduce dementia risk, and boost cognitive resilience through everyday habits like exercise, sleep, nutrition, social connection, and lifelong learning.

If you’re looking for practical ways to protect your memory and sharpen your mind, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

We're revisiting a popular episode exploring brain health and movement therapy with special guest, Dr. Brittany Tallhamer. As a Physical and Occupational Therapist, Dr. Tallhamer has dedicated her career to helping seniors living with dementia improve their quality of life through movement therapy and meaningful connection. But for Dr. Tallhamer, dementia care is more than a profession – it’s deeply personal.

In this heartfelt and informative episode, Dr. Tallhamer shares her own family’s experience with dementia and how that journey shaped her passion for supporting older adults and their caregivers. Dawn and Dr. Tallhamer discuss the critical role physical and occupational therapy can play in dementia care, the connection between movement and brain health, and practical ways families can encourage engagement, independence, and overall well-being.

Listeners will also gain insight into the emotional side of caregiving, the importance of meeting individuals where they are, and how compassionate, person-centered care can make a meaningful difference throughout the dementia journey.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, purpose, and the power of compassionate care.

As we reflect on Memorial Day and honor those who served, we’re bringing back one of our most popular episodes focused on a benefit many veteran families still don’t know about. Millions of veterans and surviving spouses may be eligible for financial assistance to help cover dementia and memory care costs—yet countless families miss out simply because they’re unaware it exists. In this conversation, host Dawn Platt talks with Suzette Graham, CEO of Patriot Angels, about a little-known VA benefit that could provide thousands of dollars each month toward care expenses. Through heartfelt stories, unexpected insights, and important eligibility information, this episode highlights why so many families struggle to access the support they’ve earned. If you’re caring for a veteran or military spouse living with dementia, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.