Alzheimer's Archives - A Beautiful Voice

Ms. Digest for Dementia Carers
No Longer a Private Family Matter: The caregiving crisis hiding in plain sight — and what it’s really costing American families

Somewhere tonight, a daughter is learning to insert a feeding tube using YouTube. Her mother, who once taught her how to tie her shoelaces, no longer recognizes her face. The home health aide hasn't shown up in three days. That image stopped me mid-scroll. Not because it was [...]

Susan Troyer2026-07-02T17:33:19-05:00June 28th, 2026|Categories: Creating Community|Tags: Alzheimer's, Caregivers, Dementia, Family caregivers collectively provide $1.01 trillion in unpaid labor, More direct-care workers needed, Policy infrastructure built for earlier time, Society suffers from "cultural dementia", Unpaid care work is not counted in GDP, Women caregivers in their late forties lose an average of $324K over their lifetime, Women provide 61 percent of all unpaid caregiving|0 Comments

What is it? Remarkable!
Scientists found a hobby that ages your brain BACKWARDS. It costs nothing. What is it?

Neal Shah states in a short video: "Walking reverses brain aging, according to neuroimaging research. But...," he continues...: "Bird watching is better!" Neal K. Shah is a Johns Hopkins- and NIH-funded caregiving researcher and CEO of CareYaya. Scroll down for his 2.14 min. video. Having received reports on this research [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-30T06:52:37-05:00June 26th, 2026|Categories: A Sense of Place|Tags: A no-cost prescription, Alzheimer's, Bird watching ages your brain BACKWARDS, Dementia caregivers, Neal called it "The cheapest medicine ever!", The National Audubon Society|0 Comments

365 Ways to Say I Care
Way #14: Make a Simple Bird Feeder

Why this helps: Creating something with your hands that invites birds into your yard connects your loved one to the living world outside. Watching birds visit a feeder you made together brings ongoing joy and a sense of purpose. The activity itself—spreading peanut butter, rolling in seeds—engages fine motor skills [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-25T21:00:02-05:00June 25th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: 365 Ways to Say I Care, Alzheimer's, Creative therapy for a calm mind, Dementia caregivers, Making a simple bird feeder, Novelty journaling, The effects of bird-watching on brain aging|0 Comments

Featured Voices in Caregiving
No Longer a Private Family Matter: Conversations with professionals transformed by family caregiving

Bella DePaulo, PhD, agreed to help us set the stage and lead the conversation for our series of interviews on the topic, "No Longer a Private Family Matter: Conversations with professionals transformed by family caregiving." She is a social scientist, author, blogger, teacher, speaker, and consultant who has authored and [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-23T14:24:13-05:00June 22nd, 2026|Categories: Creating Community|Tags: Alzheimer's, Conversations about aging in the US, Dementia caregivers, First in a series of conversations with professionals transformed by family caregiving, Foundation for the Empowerment of Single People, Interview with Dr. Bella DePaulo, Leading researcher on Singlism, Psychology Today Blog: Living Single, Single at Heart, Singlism in family caregiving, The "Available Person" in family caregiving, The term "singlism" coined by Dr. Bella DePaulo|0 Comments

Living in a grief illiterate world
We don’t move on… We move forward

David Kessler is an American author, public speaker, and grief expert. He has published many books, including two co-written with psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, MD. Looking to him as a leading grief expert when seeking support, we can be comforted knowing he is well-informed and providing reliable information on the topic. [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-22T14:42:47-05:00June 20th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: Alzheimer's, Caregivers, Dementia, Grief illiteracy, Grief. Death, Loss, Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Suffering|0 Comments

365 Ways to Say I Care
Way #13: Read a Short Summer Story Aloud

Why this helps: Reading aloud is different from poetry (Way #2). A short story—just a few pages—offers a narrative arc, characters, and a gentle plot. This can be more engaging for some people while still being low-pressure. Summer-themed stories about beaches, gardens, or family gatherings can spark seasonal memories. [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-06T23:57:53-05:00June 6th, 2026|Categories: Literary Companionship|Tags: Activities requiring very minimal preparation to engage a person living with dementia, Alzheimer's, Calming and soothing activities to engage a person living with dementia, Caregivers, Dementia, Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Reading aloud to each other in dementia care|0 Comments

A landmark human rights treaty
Inclusion is Not Optional. It is a Human Rights Commitment

"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) [...]

Susan Troyer2026-05-31T01:55:44-05:00May 31st, 2026|Categories: Creating Community|Tags: Alzheimer's, Author & Facilitator Mary Beth Wighton, Consultant & Educator Jessica Luh Kim, Dementua caregivers, The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)|0 Comments

Featured Caregiver - Neal Shah
Breaking News: Is Medicare about to Pay for Caregiving and Respite Care? A New Senate Proposal

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, [...]

Susan Troyer2026-05-28T23:21:23-05:00May 28th, 2026|Categories: A Sense of Place|Tags: 63 million caregivers, Alzheimer's, Caregiving becomes a covered accessible service, Dementia caregivers, Medicare pays caregivers?, Neal Shah Reports|0 Comments

365 Ways to Say I Care
Way #12: Create a “Summer Bucket List” Together

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 [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-06T22:51:27-05:00May 27th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: Alzheimer's, Dementia caregivers, Simple sensory joy-filled activities for a person living with dementia, Summer activities for a person living with dementia, Using whiteboard to list fun-filled activities for a person living with dementia|0 Comments

Featured Caregiver - Neal Shah
63 million caregivers get nothing. This former hedge fund manager is fighting back

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 [...]

Susan Troyer2026-05-15T23:55:52-05:00May 15th, 2026|Categories: Creating Community|Tags: 63 million unpaid American caregivers, Alzheimer's, American care system is broken, Caregivers, Dementia|0 Comments

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