Dementia Discussions

In this deeply moving episode of Dementia Discussions , I sit down with Mary, a beloved member of my Dementia with Lewy Body support group through the UCLA Mary S. Easton Center. Mary shares the remarkable story of her husband, Dan, and their 15-year journey through dementia—a path marked by uncertainty, resilience, heartbreak, and ultimately, peace. From the earliest signs that something was changing to navigating multiple diagnoses, difficult behaviors, hallucinations, caregiving challenges, a

Caregiving for a parent with dementia can bring moments of profound love, grief, humor, and connection — and my conversation with Laura Kanofsky captures all of it. Laura shares the story of her mother’s journey from successful entrepreneur and fiercely independent businesswoman to living with dementia, while reflecting on the emotional realities of becoming both daughter and caregiver. We also explore the extraordinary impact of music therapy in dementia care and hospice. Laura explains how mus

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Donald Wiss, a retired orthopedic trauma surgeon and devoted husband, whose caregiving journey is as profound as it is heartbreaking. I first met Dr. Wiss at a small board and care here in Los Angeles, and I’ve had the privilege of seeing firsthand the love and dedication he brings to caring for his wife, Deborah, who was diagnosed with mixed vascular Alzheimer’s dementia. In our conversation, he takes us back through their incredible 50-year love story and s

In this episode of Dementia Discussions , I’m joined by Jefferson, a member of one of my caregiver support groups, who shares the powerful story of caring for his mother as she navigates dementia. Once a vibrant entrepreneur and theater producer, his mom was always the person bringing people together—making the changes in her memory and behavior especially difficult to witness. Jefferson opens up about recognizing the early signs of cognitive decline, navigating a diagnosis, and facing one of th

In this episode of Dementia Discussions , I am joined by Elizabeth Fluck and Meredith Eden of The Hummingbird Project, and what a meaningful conversation this turned out to be. If you’ve ever wondered how to truly enhance quality of life for someone living with dementia—not just manage symptoms, but spark joy—this episode is for you. We talk about the power of social connection, therapeutic engagement, and why isolation can be so detrimental, especially for seniors and those who cannot easily ad

In this episode of Dementia Discussions , I sit down with Lisa Jo , a longtime member of the support group I co-lead at the Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research at UCLA. Lisa has been navigating the complex, emotional, and often overwhelming role of long-distance caregiving , and today she opens up about her mother’s dementia journey, her father’s decline, and what it was like to step into full-time caregiving during one of the most difficult times in her family’s life. Lisa sh