Dementia Untangled Banner Health

When Kathy Norris-Wilhelm's wife, Jean, was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, they knew how vital connecting with the dementia community would be for them to find their way. Kathy quickly became an Alzheimer’s ambassador and advocate, discovering the importance of building their own community of support and publicly sharing their story to raise awareness. Her inspirational story continues in her advocacy work as she honors Jean’s legacy. 

In the second part of our conversation with Richard Lui, a veteran journalist, filmmaker, author, and family caregiver, we untangle the challenges and joys of being a working professional while caregiving for someone with dementia. His unique perspective creates an amazing storytelling experience for listeners. His advice for caregivers, and emphasis on acknowledging your role as one, give invaluable insight for balancing and managing those responsibilities. 

In this two-part conversation with Richard Lui, a veteran journalist, filmmaker, author, and family caregiver, we first discuss his documentaries “Unconditional” and “Sky Blossom,” in which he explores real stories of caregiving and mental health. Focused on closing a cultural gap and finding joy despite difficulty, he takes us through his evolving journey to bring these stories to the world, all while exploring his own caregiving experience for his father.  

As we age, safety becomes a growing concern – not only at home, but also out in the world. Creating a safe environment while maintaining our independence can be challenging, but not impossible. We invited back Lori Nisson, a social worker for Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and Banner Sun Health Research Institute, to talk about how important considerations can be made for someone with dementia whose ability to assess risk and danger decreases as the disease progresses. She helps identify the top three possible scenarios to address first when making a plan with your loved one. 

Dementia is often referred to as a “family disease” because of the effect it has on not only the person living with it, but also the people who care for and about them. As the disease progresses, relationships and family dynamics can change. We connected with Dr. R. Amanda Cooper, a family communication researcher and an assistant professor at the University of Connecticut, to discuss this further. Through her research, she was able to identify four main stages of relational changes on the dementia journey and in turn, learn how to better manage them. 

The progression of dementia changes a lot in our day-to-day lives, but one of the most complicated affected areas is arguably how we communicate. We asked Dr. Michelle James, a licensed clinical psychologist at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute with specialized training in clinical neuropsychology, to help us untangle these changes and learn what we can do to be prepared for them. She explains how we formulate language in our brain and why the progression of dementia directly affects how we talk.