Words from Our Experts

Living with Dementia Advocate, Product Tester and Reviewer, Dementia Coach, Public Speaker, Mentor, Consultant, Educator, Trustee By Daniel Brown I sat down with Michael Booth last week. Michael is on our advisory board, lives with a rare form of young-onset dementia called diffused atrophy dementia, and has, against the advice of every clinician he spoke to, written a murder mystery novel. He cared for his mother through a decade of dementia before being diagnosed himself at

Interview with Nancy Nelson and Kat Hartley of dangle & dot By Mare Ruland, Simon Health “Dare to Do Dementia Differently” When I sat down with dangle & dot, it became immediately clear why their message resonates so deeply within the dementia community. At the heart of their work is one powerful belief: a dementia diagnosis does not erase identity, dignity, creativity, or purpose. Our conversation moved through advocacy, caregiving, humor, grief, and resilience — all centere

An Interview with Nikki Jardin of Mirador Magazine Welcome to this special edition of the Simon Cares newsletter! For Nikki Jardin, the journey into the world of dementia was a lesson in how the world "shrinks" when it isn’t designed for you. Her aunt Rebecca was a woman of immense intellect: a trained biologist, pet sitter, and community volunteer who lived for the pages of Smithsonian and National Geographic. But after her diagnosis of young-onset Alzheimer’s, Nikki noticed

An Interview with Diane Chew, a certified life coach, social media inspiration, dementia caregiver and creator of The JoyQuest Welcome to this special edition of the Simon Cares newsletter! Mare sat down with Diane Chew, a former research scientist and pharma professional turned dementia caregiver and coach, whose journey with her husband Ben’s Lewy Body Dementia has inspired a global community of over 170,000 caregivers. Diane shares how she navigated one of life’s most chal

An interview with Reza Ghomi, MD, on high impact behaviors post-diagnosis, and how families can stay resilient to do the things that they want to do. Welcome to this special edition of the Simon Cares newsletter! Daniel Brown, CEO and Founder of Simon, recently sat down with Dr. Reza Hosseini Ghomi, a neuropsychiatrist who bridges the gap between clinical care and engineering to improve the lives of those living with neurodegenerative disorders. Reza provides actionable, earl

An interview with Emily S. Gavin, MS, OTR/L, CDP, your Philadelphia-based Dementia Care Expert, Occupational Therapist, Caregiver Coach Introduction & Background Welcome to this special edition of the Simon Cares newsletter! Daniel Brown and Rachel Whyte , co-founders at Simon, recently sat down with Emily Gavin , an occupational therapist whose private practice is dedicated to dementia care. Emily provides functional strategies to help caregivers and people with dementia un

By Rachel Whyte, BSN, RN, CEN, CDP Much of dementia care centers on the cognitive and behavioral changes that define the diagnosis. However, dementia does not affect only thinking. It also affects the body. As the disease progresses, many individuals experience muscle weakness, stiffness, impaired balance, changes in walking, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and an increased risk of falls (Fernando et al, 2017). This is where intentional movement becomes essential. People living w

By Nick Shaw of Dementia Disco Inspired by a Real-Life Need “Tramps like us, baby we were born to run.” Bruce Springsteen wrote that in 1974. My dad was 14. And that’s what he did. For the next 50 years, he didn’t stop. I’m pretty sure that, throughout my entire childhood, not counting time spent driving his car, the guy probably sat down for about 15 minutes. My memories of him are always moving: mowing the lawn, building a barbecue, fixing anything that went wrong in the ho

An Interview with Sue-Jean Sung from The Holding Co. Welcome to another special edition of the Simon Cares newsletter! In this edition, Daniel Brown, CEO and Founder of Simon , spoke with Sue-Jean Sung, Senior Program and Strategy Lead at The Holding Co. Daniel Brown (DB): Today I’m speaking with Sue-Jean Sung from The Holding Co. Before we jump into The Holding Co and your work, I wanted to ask about timing. It seems that so many people have jumped into care work and innov

By Rachel Whyte, BSN, RN, CEN, CDP Water is essential for life. It is a foundational building block for nearly every system in the body, supporting circulation, temperature regulation, digestion, kidney and liver function, and waste removal. Yes, that kind of waste removal! Despite its starring role in basic physiology, the body does not keep a backup tank of water. Fluids must be replenished daily to keep things running smoothly. With aging, the body’s ability to regulate h

By Rachel Whyte, RN, BSN, CEN, CDP Introduction When an individual is diagnosed with dementia, the message is often framed as a conclusion. It's as if "dementia has won” and the opportunity for proactive health has ended. However, current clinical research supports a different and more empowering perspective. Extensive research, such as the U.S. POINTER study , has already demonstrated that multi-domain lifestyle interventions can significantly slow or even prevent cognitive

By Christine O'Connor Caring for a loved one with dementia is never easy, but when you add distance and life’s unpredictability into the mix, the challenges can feel overwhelming. If this describes your situation, you’re far from alone. According to a 2020 report from AARP, more than 1 in 10 family caregivers are considered long-distance caregivers , living an hour or more from the person they support. As a remote caregiver, you face the same worries as if you live nearby, pl

An interview with Grania Mckittrick of Lorenzo's House Welcome to this special edition of the Simon Cares blog! Daniel Brown, CEO and Founder of Simon, spoke with Grania Mckittrick, the Global Outreach Lead at Lorenzo's House , a global virtual organization supporting families affected by younger-onset dementia (showing symptoms before age 65). Daniel Brown (DB): Thank you so much for sitting down with me today, Grania. Before jumping into your work, could you tell us about

When a dementia diagnosis comes, we often don’t know what to expect, much less how to respond. This guide helps you prepare for what can be a long and difficult care journey, providing simple, step-by-step advice to help your loved one be happier and healthier, for longer. When my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 5 years ago, we were all heartbroken and scared. My wife searched far and wide for resources to help support her mother, and manage her own needs.

Guest Post By: Debbie Carroll, Author & Director, Step Change Design Ltd. Getting outside is good for all of us, with research confirming this over many years, and a growing body of evidence* that it is particularly beneficial for people living with dementia. Do you also find that you get the winter blues, feel a bit low in mood, lethargic, or simply not wanting to do the things you normally love outside? To some extent this is normal, and it can be cozy to hunker down indoor

Guest Post By: Christine O’Connor Caring for a loved one with dementia involves more than medical and emotional support. It requires strong financial and legal planning to protect both you and your family member. This handy guide can help you navigate these responsibilities. 1) Legal Documents Why it matters: Dementia can progress quickly, limiting decision-making ability. Having legal documents in place early ensures you or your loved one’s wishes are honored and prevents c

Guest Post by: Christine O’Connor The holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the joy of togetherness and create meaningful moments with loved ones—no matter where they are on their dementia journey. If there is a friend or family member on your gift list who is experiencing cognitive impairment, you’ll want to give special thought to choosing a gift they are able to use and enjoy. Presenting a gift to someone with dementia goes far beyond the act of giving—it’

Even with the best planning, emergencies happen. A sudden illness, a fall, or a change in behavior can mean an unplanned trip to the hospital. When that happens, being prepared can make the experience less stressful for both you and your loved one. As an Emergency Department nurse, I’ve seen how small things like uncertainty about the name of a home medication, a forgotten hearing aid, or a dead cell phone can make a difficult situation even harder. Here are some items and in

By: Daniel Brown Supporting Independence Outside the Home: Simon’s Mission The foundation of our mission at Simon has always been straightforward, however difficult it may be to achieve: to promote and protect independence outside of the home for people living with dementia. The reasons for this are many, each with significant cascading value. More and more research supports our mission as being key to health and longevity not just for people living with dementia, but their f