Being Patient: The Latest Developments on Alzheimer's Disease

Being Patient is the leading online community for Alzheimer's & dementia patients & caregivers.

Join our community and get a free weekly e-newsletter with news, guidance from experts, scientific breakthroughs and stories of hope.

Latest News

The 5 Most Common Diagnostic Technologies in Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials

By Deborah Kan | December 6th, 2021

Did you know that the brain is the most mysterious organ in the human body? Scientists still don’t know the majority of what there…

reading brain health,, brain health, cognitive stimulation

Must-Read: The Brain Health Benefits of Reading

By Alma Erro | December 3rd, 2021

Science shows that reading is one among other intellectual activities that is intricately linked with our brain health and social skills. Throughout the COVID-19…

pain and cognition, persistent pain, chronic pain

cognitive decline cognitive impairment mild cognitive impairment

Probing the Link Between Chronic Pain and Cognitive Impairment

By Nicholas Chan | December 2nd, 2021

Persistent pain that disrupts people’s ability to work and carry out chores is linked with increased risk of cognitive impairment, a new study shows….

Jean Lee, Alzheimer's Daughter, dual decline

Alzheimer's caregiver Diagnosis

Q&A: Jean Lee on Navigating Her Parents’ Alzheimer’s Diagnoses

By Nicholas Chan | December 1st, 2021

In our LiveTalk series, Being Patient spoke with Jean Lee, cofounder of AlzAuthors, about her parents’ love story, their decline in the face of Alzheimer’s…

Upcoming LiveTalks

Greg O'brien, Steve Ecclesine, Have You Heard About Greg?

;

Join Our Next LiveTalk: ‘Have You Heard About Greg’ Doc Filmmakers on Greg O’Brien’s Alzheimer’s Story

In advance of an in-person world premiere in Los Angeles Dec. 9 to 12, the makers of documentary feature film… More

In the Holiday Season

thanksgiving dementia, holiday, teepa snow

By Nicholas Chan | November 23rd, 2021

4 Ways to Make a Family Gathering Dementia-Inclusive

Do you have a family member living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia? Here are four bits of wisdom from dementia care expert…

By Alexandra Marvar | December 17th, 2020

A Scientific Reason to Recall Old Times With Your Loved Ones This Holiday

To engage and include relatives living with early or mid-stage Alzheimer’s or dementia, get them talking about old times. Memory loss does worsen as…

By Nicholas Chan | December 18th, 2020

8 Gift Ideas for the Family Caregiver in Your Life

If you’re shopping up holiday gifts this season, here are a few of our favorite gift ideas for caregivers. The pandemic has taken an…

By The Editors | November 24th, 2021

Being Patient’s Guide to Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Holiday Celebrations

Eleven guides to making this holiday season not only festive but more enjoyable for family members living with cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s or dementia. From…

The Quest for Treatments and Cures

By Deborah Kan | December 6th, 2021

The 5 Most Common Diagnostic Technologies in Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials

Did you know that the brain is the most mysterious organ in the human body? Scientists still don’t know the majority of what there…

Alzheimer's medications, drugs, therapies

By Nicholas Chan | September 27th, 2021

What You Need to Know About FDA-Approved Alzheimer’s Drugs

Despite failure after failure in clinical trials, scientists are making progress toward developing investigational treatments for Alzheimer’s. Here’s a primer on all the approved…

By Simon Spichak | October 21st, 2021

There’s An App for That: The UK Rolls Out a New 5-Minute AI Alzheimer’s Test

A new AI-powered cognitive assessment claims it can detect Alzheimer’s within minutes; the UK’s National Health Service buys in. Time is of the…

By Alicia Barber | May 28th, 2021

Repurposing Drugs From the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trial Graveyard

If an experimental drug is only effective for a small percentage of clinical trial participants, should the therapy be abandoned for all? Nearly every…

diversity dementia, Arthena Caston, Fayron Epps, David Williams

By Nicholas Chan | October 20th, 2021

Being Patient Roundtable: Grassroots Solutions for Racial Equity in Dementia Care

In our LiveTalk series, Being Patient spoke with a panel of speakers about the challenges of accessing healthcare for underrepresented communities and strategies to…

By Alicia Barber | September 30th, 2021

Mom of My Mom: Mother-Daughter TikTok Duo Shares Alzheimer’s Journey With the World

This article is part of the series Diversity & Dementia, produced by Being Patient with support provided by Eisai. Image: Jacquelyn Revere and her mother Lynn…

By Susanna Granieri | July 30th, 2021

Rewriting the Narrative of a Relationship Through Dementia Caregiving

This article is part of the series Diversity & Dementia, produced by Being Patient with support provided by Eisai. Sheri Yarbrough, 60, has been a caregiver…

Jalisco mutation, Andres Martin, alzheimer's

By Susanna Granieri | July 15th, 2021

Jalisco Gene: A Military Pilot’s Dedication to Alzheimer’s Awareness

This article is part of the series Diversity & Dementia, an editorially independent series produced by Being Patient with support provided by Eisai. Andres Martin, 34, discovered…

Being Patient Recommends

By Phil Gutis | April 7th, 2021

Jason Karlawish’s ‘The Problem of Alzheimer’s’ Makes Us Mad—In a Good Way

A new book by Dr. Jason Karlawish, The Problem of Alzheimer’s, shares largely untold stories the history of the Alzheimer’s crisis, discussing the science,…

By Genevieve Glass | March 23rd, 2021

‘Supernova’: In This Moving Romantic Drama, Early-Onset Dementia Stars

Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth, two Hollywood greats, play a couple grappling with a dementia diagnosis in new romantic drama “Supernova.” Caring for someone…

Anthony Hopkins dementia movie The Father

By Alexandra Marvar | March 5th, 2021

‘That Dangerous Age’: Anthony Hopkins Performs Dementia

Anthony Hopkins plays an 80-year-old man with dementia in Florian Zeller’s new film ‘The Father.” (Image: Sean Gleason / Sony Pictures Classics) In a…

By Athena Hellmann | October 30th, 2020

Alzheimer’s Books: The Being Patient Reading List Pt. 3

Being Patient helps to create clarity around Alzheimer’s, dementia and related complex brain health issues by connecting our community of readers directly with trusted…

Better Brain Health

listening brain health, cognitive resilience, lifestyle, social interactions

By Nicholas Chan | September 29th, 2021

Cognitive Health Research Says: We All Need Somebody to Lean On

New research shows that people who have someone they can count on as a good listener have more resilient brains than people who go…

By Nicholas Chan | August 6th, 2020

12 Things You Can Do To Help Prevent or Delay Dementia

While dementia is not necessarily preventable, scientists now understand even more clearly the extent to which some lifestyle changes can significantly lower one’s odds…

By Walter Boot | September 22nd, 2021

Are Brain Games Mostly Nonsense?

We know that brains benefit from being put to work. Increasingly, researchers are looking at gaming and brain health. Some games are designed specifically…

By Vipul Kamani | January 25th, 2021

‘Super Agers’: These Older Adults Show Increased Resistance to Alzheimer’s

Super-agers don’t develop the key biomarkers of Alzheimer’s, even in their 80s and 90s. Scientists try to crack the code about what protects their…

Caregiving Corner

Lynn Hallarman, late-stage dementia, Paula

By Nicholas Chan | August 2nd, 2021

Q&A: Caregiving and Late-Stage Dementia, With Dr. Lynn Hallarman

In Being Patient’s LiveTalk series, palliative care physician Dr. Lynn Hallarman shares her own family’s journey caring for her late mother with dementia before and…

dysphagia eating swallowing difficulties caregiver

By Nicholas Chan | November 25th, 2020

7 Ways to Help Ease Eating and Swallowing Difficulties

Trouble swallowing can be a slippery slope to a number of other health issues. Being Patient spoke to two experts in speech, language, eating…

By Susanna Granieri | July 21st, 2021

One Third of Families Hiring Caregivers May End Up With Unqualified Help

Caregiving costs can reach the price of tuition at a four-year university, and families are looking for ways around the debt. A new survey…

By Alexandra Marvar | December 23rd, 2020

5 Things You Can Do Today to Help Reduce Stress

It’s no secret that caregivers are stressed — and sleep-deprived to boot — and while “Make time for you” is popular advice, it can be…

Faces of Alzheimer's

A Conversation With Lauren Miller and Seth Rogen

By Genevieve Glass | February 22nd, 2021

Lauren Miller and Seth Rogen Fight Alzheimer’s With Comedy

Hollywood power couple Seth Rogen and his wife Lauren Miller Rogen are raising awareness about Alzheimer’s through comedy. On a more serious note, their…

By Alicia Barber | February 12th, 2021

The Kathy Project: Sisters Raise Awareness for Early-Onset Alzheimer’s on TikTok

The sisters behind “The Kathy Project” use TikTok to share their journey with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Kathy and Jean Collins of British Columbia, Canada, downloaded…

By Genevieve Glass | February 4th, 2021

Singer Tony Bennett Opens Up About Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

The family of Tony Bennett announced that the legendary singer has been contending with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis since 2016. According to his neurologist, the…

By Nicholas Chan | November 10th, 2020

‘A Dancer Will Always Be a Dancer’: Ballerina With Alzheimer’s Revisits Swan Lake

A prima ballerina with Alzheimer’s disease remembers Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake;” details of her past as a dancer remain a mystery. The ability of music…

Patient and Caregiver Perspectives

Andrea Couture

Andrea Couture is the author of “Embracing What Remains,” a memoir about balancing motherhood and daughterhood following her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. When my father,…

Lisa Marshall

April 23, 2021 Lisa Marshall is a caregiver to her husband Peter, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Lying on our bed, I sunk…

Marlene Jaxon

February 8, 2021 Marlene Jaxon was a caregiver to her mother with Alzheimer’s and the author of “Jinx!: Laughing in the Face of Alzheimer’s.” …

Dr. Renée Harmon

February 1, 2021 Dr. Renée Harmon was a caregiver to her husband and the author of “Surfing the Waves of Alzheimer’s.” Loving and caring…

.fve-video-wrapper{position:relative;overflow:hidden;height:0;background-color:transparent;padding-bottom:56.25%;margin:.5em 0;}.fve-video-wrapper iframe,.fve-video-wrapper object,.fve-video-wrapper embed{position:absolute;display:block;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;}.fve-video-wrapper a.hyperlink-image{position:relative;display:none;}.fve-video-wrapper a.hyperlink-image img{position:relative;z-index:2;width:100%;}.fve-video-wrapper a.hyperlink-image .fve-play-button{position:absolute;left:35%;top:35%;right:35%;bottom:35%;z-index:3;background-color:rgba(40,40,40,.75);background-size:100% 100%;border-radius:10px;}.fve-video-wrapper a.hyperlink-image:hover .fve-play-button{background-color:rgba(0,0,0,.85);}p.comment-policy{border:1px solid #ffd499;background-color:#fff4e5;border-radius:5px;padding:10px;margin:10px 0px 10px 0px;font-size:small;font-style:italic;}@font-face{font-family:"asppsicons2";src:url("https://cdn-cbmei.nitrocdn.com/bFkuiAHbynoYWLFDOrPEyrnGlInmPWZG/assets/static/source/rev-c928f9e/wp-content/plugins/ajax-search-pro/css/fonts/icons/icons2.eot");src:url("https://cdn-cbmei.nitrocdn.com/bFkuiAHbynoYWLFDOrPEyrnGlInmPWZG/assets/static/source/rev-c928f9e/wp-content/plugins/ajax-search-pro/css/fonts/icons/icons2.eot#iefix") format("embedded-opentype"),url("https://cdn-cbmei.nitrocdn.com/bFkuiAHbynoYWLFDOrPEyrnGlInmPWZG/assets/static/source/rev-c928f9e/wp-content/plugins/ajax-search-pro/css/fonts/icons/icons2.woff2") format("woff2"),url("https://cdn-cbmei.nitrocdn.com/bFkuiAHbynoYWLFDOrPEyrnGlInmPWZG/assets/static/source/rev-c928f9e/wp-content/plugins/ajax-search-pro/css/fonts/icons/icons2.woff") format("woff"),url("https://cdn-cbmei.nitrocdn.com/bFkuiAHbynoYWLFDOrPEyrnGlInmPWZG/assets/static/source/rev-c928f9e/wp-content/plugins/ajax-search-pro/css/fonts/icons/icons2.ttf") format("truetype"),url("https://cdn-cbmei.nitrocdn.com/bFkuiAHbynoYWLFDOrPEyrnGlInmPWZG/assets/static/optimized/rev-c928f9e/wp-content/plugins/ajax-search-pro/css/fonts/icons/icons2.svg#icons") format("svg");font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-display:swap;}.asp_m{height:0;}.single-post .clear.date{padding-bottom:14px !important;}#secondary{width:310px !important;}#secondary .full.clear.donate-panel{margin-bottom:20px !important;}#secondary h2.widget-title{font-family:Graphik-Regular !important;}h3.excerpt-side img{width:50% !important;}.single-post p{font-size:16px !important;}#header-navigation{margin-bottom:0px !important;}.home #header-navigation{margin-bottom:30px !important;}.inner{padding:0 20px !important;max-width:1100px !important;}@media screen and (max-width:767px){.excerpt-big .text,.home-posts .excerpt,.tags-wrap .excerpt{padding:0 20px !important;}.home-posts .excerpt h3.excerpt-title,.home-posts .excerpt h3.excerpt-title{min-height:70px !important;}}@media screen and (max-width:766px){.mobile-tag-line.mobile-tag{text-align:center !important;}}body{}.newsletter_form .column-4 .campaign-content .bp-subscriber-newsletter_wrapper .gform_body ul li div select{background:url("https://cdn-cbmei.nitrocdn.com/bFkuiAHbynoYWLFDOrPEyrnGlInmPWZG/assets/static/optimized/rev-c928f9e/wp-content/themes/being-patient-child/inc/img/dropdown-arrow.png") !important;background-repeat:no-repeat !important;background-position:96% !important;-moz-appearance:none !important;-webkit-appearance:none !important;border-radius:0 !important;}

Being Patient is the leading online community for Alzheimer's & dementia patients & caregivers.

Featured topics

News

Talks

Advice

Voices

Guides

Brain Health