"People with disabilities have the right to liberty, security, and freedom from cruel or degrading treatment." - The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) [...]
Neal K. Shah, a Johns Hopkins- and NIH-funded caregiving researcher and CEO of CareYaya, reveals how bipartisan support, groundbreaking surveys, and innovative policies are converging towards a future where caregiving becomes a covered, accessible service for all. He uncovers why the GUIDE Model - paying for dementia care navigation, [...]
Why this helps: Anticipation is a form of joy! Creating a visual list of simple, achievable summer pleasures gives your loved one something to look forward to. The list can include tiny things (eat a popsicle, sit in the shade) and slightly bigger ones (visit a relative, water the [...]
A tribute to my mother and grandmother The following vignette was written in 2024 when Goshen College invited alumni to contribute memories for an Oral History Project. I never submitted it, nor have I previously published it. But now, in May of 2026, I find myself returning to these memories [...]
Neal K. Shah left a $250 million hedge fund to fix a system that failed his own family. After caring for his grandfather through dementia and his wife through a multi-year cancer battle, he saw firsthand what 63 million family caregivers already know: the care system in America is completely [...]
"A friend hears the song in my heart and sings it with me when my memory fails." (Author unknown) Why this helps: For someone living with dementia, family connections can feel distant and abstract. A regular ritual of acknowledging birthdays—through song, a phone call, or simply speaking [...]
Harvard researchers followed 105,000 people for 30 years and only 9% reached age 70 free of chronic disease, cognitive decline, and depression. Their secret wasn't genetics or supplements. It was consistently eating real food: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and unsaturated fats with almost no ultra-processed food or [...]
Editor's Note: Zulekha Ali, a regular contributor to ABeautifulVoice.org, writes about Sanjay Gupta's wisdom in a voice which reflects the ranchers' perspective. We three (my parents and I) engaged in all kinds of journaling - in addition to my own reflective writing at the end of the day. Dr. [...]
Why this helps: Blowing bubbles is playful, low-energy, and deeply engaging. Watching bubbles float and pop encourages visual tracking and can bring spontaneous smiles and laughter. The deep breathing required to blow bubbles is also a natural relaxation technique, good for both of you. How to do it: Buy a [...]
A quiet but extraordinary moment in the neuroscience of healing For years, journaling has often been dismissed as “just" expressive writing. But something remarkable happened recently at the end of an interview between Sanjay Gupta and Mel Robbins about chronic pain. When asked: “If the person listening were to do [...]