Living with Dementia from the Experts (PWDs) Archives

Making a Difference with Wisdom, Determination & Compassion

by Jackie Pinkowitz, M.Ed. As Board Chair of the Dementia Action Alliance (DAA), I am privileged to interact with friends and colleagues living with dementia across our country. These individuals are “Making a Real Difference” through personal pathways of advocacy in their communities, their states, and our country. Whether through speaking engagements, writing, social media, video podcasts, or sharing their artistic talent with others, each one advances a common mission of making the United [...]

Karen Charney2018-01-31T06:37:08-04:00January 30th, 2018|

Do People With Dementia Have the Right to Vote?
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Do People With Dementia Have the Right to Vote?

Dementia Advocacy, Living with Dementia from the Experts (PWDs)

Do People With Dementia Have the Right to Vote?

Mary L. Radnofsky, Ph.D. DAA Advisory Council I was recently asked about the voting rights of people with dementia in America, especially when entering memory care. It’s an important issue to those of us with a diagnosis. But this question also addresses our fundamental identity as human beings, for we have a voice that should be heard not only in the governance of our country, but in our personal autonomy. The right to vote [...]

Karen Charney2017-12-05T15:01:58-04:00December 4th, 2017|

Robert Bowles: A Purpose Driven Career

DAA thanks the Georgia Pharmacy Association (GPhA) Journal for allowing us to re-post Phil Ratliff's article on our Board member Robert Bowles being awarded "The Larry L. Braden Meritorious Service Award". Ask those who know Robert Bowles to describe the 69-year old retired pharmacist from Thomaston, and you’ll likely detect a pattern: driven, intellectually curious, a problem-solver, a man with purpose and passion. So, in 2012, when Bowles was diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia, [...]

Karen Charney2017-09-07T14:28:18-04:00September 7th, 2017|

Embracing Person-Centered Dementia Values: The Dementia Action Alliance

By Deborah Shouse, writer, speaker, editor, and dementia advocate. One by one, we say hello via video conferencing, writers, artists, and arts advocates from all over the country. One sculptor enriches the visual aspects of our meeting by strolling through a museum, giving us occasional glimpses of vibrant art. We meet another artist’s dog. Via video, we see each other’s offices and learn each other’s names and goals. Some of the participants are living [...]

Karen Charney2017-05-29T09:22:49-04:00March 28th, 2017|

Dear Teenager – This is How Dementia Feels

The DAA thanks our friend Laurie Scherrer for allowing us to re-post this from her Dementia Daze blog Dear Teenager, To answer your questions, “What does dementia feel like – does it hurt?” I want you to think back on some of the places we went. When we went to the fun house with all the mirrors everything was funny looking and out of proportion. Although we could tell it was us, it [...]

Karen Charney2017-05-29T09:23:33-04:00October 19th, 2016|

DEMENTIA: There is Hope

by Robert Bowles, Jr., DAA Leadership Board Reprinted from http://lbdlivingbeyonddiagnosis.com/my-blog/lessons-to-learn-with-dementia Sometimes doom and gloom are preached about dementia. Often I hear people say there is no hope after their diagnosis of dementia. That is likely a fairly normal response. Our world has been turned upside down. Do we stay in that mindset or do we seek to LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST. My decision was to follow a process of learning and [...]

Karen Charney2017-05-29T09:25:26-04:00April 3rd, 2016|

The Angry Side of Alzheimer’s

Thanks to Brian LeBlanc, DAA Leadership Board member, for sharing this. (originally posted 1/19/2016 on http://abitofbriansbrilliance.com/) One of the things that makes me angry about having Alzheimer’s Disease are people that DO NOT WANT TO UNDERSTAND that I, and people like me, still know what’s going on around them and can still carry on an intelligent conversation. Sure, the words may not flow as evenly and smoothly as they did before, the mind may not allow [...]

Karen Charney2017-05-29T09:25:43-04:00February 22nd, 2016|