By Brian LeBlanc In a world that can be so unfair, so dramatically cruel, so unforgiving, it’s hard to stay in a positive mindset. Even if that’s literally what you do every day – try to channel the happy, the humor, the spice of life. In the back of your mind, there’s always something … […]
By Brian LeBlanc I was upset. So was Maureen. I suspect a number of our care partners were, too. But the conversation needed to be had. We needed to update our life-care plan – to have the tough talk some of us desperately needed. The tough talk I desperately needed. Maureen, my life partner/care partner, […]
By Brian LeBlanc “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” I believe that was our good friend, Mr. Bill Shakespeare. You might be inclined to think this is another blog about death. We talk about it a lot. It’s a very real thing that will someday happen as a direct (or indirect) result of my Alzheimer’s disease […]
(Editor’s Note: The following article was earlier published in the Pioneer Network monthly e-newsletter on March 1, 2022. By Brian LeBlanc and Maureen Rulison #WeAreDementiaStrong. Yes, we are. And we’ve never been stronger than we are today. That’s because we’re building our educational mission with new free content across a variety of platforms to reach […]
First and foremost, we refuse to get political here. Caregiver Support and Resources and our nonprofit partner #WeAreDementiaStrong exist to support individuals and families across the political spectrum. Whether you’re Ridin’ with Biden or on the Trump Train, you’re entitled to great love, care and dignity in life’s later stages, in good health and bad. […]
You’re chatting with your husband and sister on the back patio on a beautiful summer evening. The wine tastes divine — even better with some stimulating conversation. Except, for some reason that escapes you right now, your husband is repeating himself and having difficulty finding the right words. That’s new, you think to yourself as […]
You’re trying so hard. We know. Being a great care partner for a loved one living with dementia is most certainly a labor of love. You may feel very alone. You likely feel as if you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, keeping up with the steady march of dementia and its […]
Studies have shown that art and music can lead to cognitive and behavioral improvements for persons living with dementia, even to those in the later stages. While the cure for Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia seems to remain perpetually out of reach, music and art can enrich dementia care with restorative sensory therapy. It […]
A few weeks back, Brian wrote here about his recent bout with aphasia. It was a living nightmare. And even though it lasted only a day, his ability to speak, to communicate, a part of his very being, was trapped indefinitely in a box. Could you imagine? You see, many people equate diseases like Brian’s Alzheimer’s […]
Dementia is a thief. Just ask my life partner/care partner, Brian, who has Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. It’s an armed robber that steals memories, mostly in reverse chronological order, so what happened weeks, days, hours or even seconds ago can be a complete mystery. Some folks regress to the point they’re “mentally present” in […]
