Brain Talk | Being Patient for Alzheimer's Patients and Caregivers

For families caring for a loved one with dementia, deciding when home care is no longer enough is rarely simple. The signs are often gradual — a missed medication here, a stove left on there — and knowing when to seek more support, whether through in-home help, adult day care, or a residential community, can feel overwhelming without a clear framework for how to approach it.Cory Fosco has spent 34 years working in long-term care, with experience in social work, admissions, skilled nursing, senior care, and health care technology. He is the author of “The Question of When: A Practical Guide to Knowing When It’s Time for Assisted Living, Memory Care, or Skilled Nursing.”In this conversation with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Fosco discussed the safety, medical, and social signals that suggest a person with dementia may need a higher level of care, and why families so often wait until a crisis forces their hand. He broke down the range of care options, from in-home help and adult day care to assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing, and shared what to look for, and which questions to ask, when touring a community. Fosco also addressed common misconceptions about Medicare and long-term care costs, and offered guidance on how families can build a foundation now so they aren’t forced into a rushed decision later.----If you loved this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/Follow Being Patient: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patientBeing Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. Check out our latest Live Talks: https://beingpatient.com/live-talks/

A dementia diagnosis can raise difficult questions about what comes next: How do you know what changes to expect? How should families prepare? And how can someone continue to live well as memory loss progresses?Those are some of the questions Dr. Zaldy Tan addresses in his new book, “What to Remember When You’re Forgetting: How to Live and Thrive With Memory Loss, Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias.” Tan, director of the Memory and Healthy Aging Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, guides readers through the full spectrum of memory change, from recognizing early symptoms and pursuing an evaluation to navigating the different stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.In this Live Talk with Being Patient founder Deborah Kan, Tan discussed many of the issues families face, including what new blood-based Alzheimer’s biomarkers can and cannot tell us, how behavioral symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions differ across dementia types, and why getting a precise diagnosis matters. He also explained why preparing early, having conversations about future care, making new memories, and maintaining a sense of purpose can help people and families make the most of the years ahead.----If you loved this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/Follow Being Patient: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patientBeing Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. Check out our latest Live Talks: https://beingpatient.com/live-talks/

The experience of dementia, for people living with memory loss and for the family members and friends who care for them, is often told through the language of loss. But there is a growing effort to change that, creating work that centers connection, humanity, and what remains. One of those projects is “Memory Generation,” an interview-based theater production set in a memory cafe, where people affected by dementia gather in a space built around creativity and community.Memory Generation was created by Sara Zatz and Sherrine Azab and premiered this year at La MaMa in New York City. Zatz is the artistic director of engagement at Pink Fang,, where she develops community-based work rooted in first-hand interviews. Azab is a Detroit-based theater director and co-director of the ensemble A Host of People. Both drew on their own experiences as family caregivers for loved ones living with dementia, as well as interviews with people across the country and the lived experiences of the show’s performers.In this Live Talk with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Zatz and Azab discussed how they built the production, why they set it inside a memory cafe, and how they worked to portray caregiving without reducing it to its hardest moments. They also reflected on questions of consent and whose stories get told, the strain that limited resources place on caregivers, and how the arts and community might help build what they describe as a more dementia-friendly society.---If you loved this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/Follow Being Patient: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patientBeing Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. Check out our latest Live Talks: https://beingpatient.com/live-talks/

Journey to Diagnosis is a Being Patient series sponsored by Eisai. As with all of our reporting, the sponsor has no role in choosing guests, shaping questions, or reviewing content before publication.George King’s work spans film, theater, writing, and photography. With both parents having lived with dementia, King was already attuned to the possibility of cognitive change when he began noticing subtle shifts in his own memory. A word game on his phone eventually became an unexpected warning sign, prompting him to seek evaluation from a neurologist. Today, he documents his experience on Instagram at @dancing.with.delirium, using his platform to share what it is like to live with Alzheimer’s.In this conversation with Being Patient founder, Deborah Kan, King reflects on the path to diagnosis, the role of Leqembi in his treatment and the importance of finding a neurologist who answers questions clearly. He also discusses the daily adaptations that help him manage frustration, stay independent and continue traveling, creating, and engaging with the world. For King, living with Alzheimer’s is not about fighting the disease, but learning how to negotiate with it while continuing to live as fully as possible.----If you loved listening to this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/Follow Being Patient: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patientBeing Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. Check out our latest Live Talks: https://beingpatient.com/live-talks/

Conversations about cognitive impairment can feel confusing and hard to navigate. You may notice small changes and not know whether to bring it up, how to bring it up, or what the “right” approach is without causing fear, defensiveness, or shame. Dr. Dani Cabral is a neurologist and psychiatrist with more than 15 years of experience in Alzheimer’s care and clinical research. She founded BrainLove after seeing how the traditional health care system often fails to give patients and families the time, support, and individualized care they need. Through BrainLove, Cabral is working to transform the narrative on Alzheimer’s and related diseases by combining cutting-edge medical care, accessible education, and trusted resources to help families move forward with more clarity and a sense of possibility. Drawing on her background in both neurology and psychiatry, as well as early experience in hospice dementia care, Cabral brings a whole-person approach that addresses not only the biology of cognitive decline, but also the emotional, psychological, and practical realities families face.In this interview with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Cabral emphasizes that conversations about cognitive changes should begin gently and without assumptions, focusing on curiosity rather than confrontation. She highlights the importance of involving family members early, addressing safety concerns before they become crises, and recognizing that cognitive decline is not always straightforward or caused by one condition alone. --- If you loved watching this Live Talk, visit our website to find more of our Alzheimer’s coverage and subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.beingpatient.com/Follow Being Patient: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Being_Patient_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingpatientvoices/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beingpatientalzheimersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-patientBeing Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet for news and reporting about brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our Live Talk series on Facebook, former Wall Street Journal Editor and founder of Being Patient, Deborah Kan, interviews brain health experts and people living with dementia. Check out our latest Live Talks: https://beingpatient.com/live-talks/

This interview is brought to you in partnership with Eisai and is part of the Journey to Diagnosis series.Eisai: https://www.eisai.com/index.htmlJourney to Diagnosis: https://beingpatient.com/journey-to-diagnosis/ What are the early signs of primary progressive aphasia (PPA)?In this Being Patient Live Talk, Samuel Valverde and his wife, Heather, share their journey to a diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia, a form of cognitive impairment that affects language and communication.Samuel Valverde is a Desert Storm combat veteran and former police chief in Waelder, Texas, who built his life around discipline, service, and staying sharp under pressure. But over time, subtle changes began to appear — missed court dates, forgotten details, and increasing difficulty with focus, planning, and speech.In 2022, while being treated for PTSD, Samuel’s psychologist noticed changes that seemed to go beyond trauma. After months of testing — including cognitive evaluations, speech therapy, MRIs, and a PET scan — Samuel was diagnosed at age 53 with primary progressive aphasia (PPA).In this conversation with Being Patient’s Mark Niu, Samuel and Heather talk openly about:Recognizing the early warning signs of PPAThe road to diagnosisHow PPA affects speech and daily lifeThe emotional impact on the whole familyAdjusting roles as a couple after diagnosisFinding resilience, support, and hopeIf you or someone you love is living with PPA, young-onset Alzheimer’s, or another form of dementia, this conversation offers insight, support, and practical perspective.Visit Being Patient for more Alzheimer’s and brain health coverage: https://www.beingpatient.com/Follow Being PatientTwitter: / being_patient Instagram: / beingpatientvoices Facebook: / beingpatientalzheimers LinkedIn: / being-patient Being Patient is an editorially independent journalism outlet covering brain health, cognitive science, and neurodegenerative diseases. Our Live Talk series features interviews with experts and people living with dementia.