I’m back. If you are wondering where I’ve been…. …my dad died. He died about 3 weeks after his wife (my step-mother) died. There’s a lot to be unpacked here, as you might expect. And I will keep some of it to myself and save some of it for future posts. But let me tell you about something that I didn’t expect to experience. For … Continue reading That Time My Dad Died

I had my first mammogram a few years ago. It wasn’t because I suspected I had breast cancer. It’s because I hit the age where they told me I needed a mammogram. At some age that I don’t remember (and that’s probably changed in the last 25 years), I had my first Pap smear. Again, there was no concern I had cancer. It’s just what … Continue reading Mammograms, Colonoscopies, and Cognitive Assessments

We recently did a couple of focus groups with spouses/partners of those living with dementia. We asked what our community could do better to provide them with support. There were a lot of things, of course. However, my team and I keep coming back to one issue that several caregivers brought to our attention. A couple of women mentioned that their husbands with dementia were … Continue reading Friends with Dementia

I was talking to someone recently about my love of criticizing hotel carpets for not being dementia friendly. (We all have hobbies, right?) The person responded with, “I see your point. But how many people with dementia really stay in hotels?” The answer is 984,830. Just kidding. I don’t have any specific data to answer that question but…a lot. A lot of people with dementia … Continue reading People with Dementia Stay in Hotels

File this under things NOT to say to dementia caregivers: My husband/wife/dad/mom forgets things sometimes, too. I will give you some context. A woman whose husband has Alzheimer’s is out with friends having coffee. She is venting about how frustrating it is to see her husband struggle with short term memory. And then one of her friends says it (or a version of it): Well, … Continue reading What Not to Say to Caregivers

I went to Target today. I don’t go to Target a lot. In fact, I order stuff online to avoid going shopping. Today, however, I was in a mood. And I wanted to shop. I went there for one thing, which I, of course, forgot to buy. I came home with two t-shirts, a new mop vac for our kitchen, some soft cat food (a … Continue reading When A Shopping Cart Rams you in your Rear End (aka A Little Grace)

If you know me, you probably know March is my favorite month. Two reasons. 1) Spring. 2) Basketball. My husband and I are known for putting three TVs in the living room so we don’t miss any NCAA tournament games. It’s better than Christmas. I’m not kidding. I enjoy it a lot more than Christmas. A few years ago, I happened to be at a … Continue reading Basketball and Birds

Hi everyone! Here are our current March and April openings for the Dementia Simulation House: https://calendly.com/—-248/dementia-simulation-house-experience?month=2023-03 This is an in-person experience, and it is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It is open to the community, and we would love to meet you. Please note that this is NOT an experience for those living with dementia. They live dementia everyday, so they certainly do NOT need … Continue reading Dementia Simulation House Openings!

Here I am. It’s me. I’m back. I needed a break. I tried to prioritize. I put some stuff on the back burner. I just couldn’t do it all anymore. You know, increased responsibilities in my career as a professor. More community dementia education. More simulations. More students to oversee. More indoor cycling classes to teach at studio where I work. A new senior dog … Continue reading And she’s back