University of Wisconsin–Madison

Tag: caregiving

Navigating Difficult Conversations about Driving and Dementia

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Driving can be a sensitive topic as a person gets older, and especially so when someone begins experiencing cognitive decline or is diagnosed with dementia. How can family members and care partners discuss their concerns about a loved one’s ability to drive while still respecting their dignity, autonomy and independence? Dr. KJ Hansmann joins the podcast to share strategies for how to talk about a loved one’s driving habits and how to plan to help them stop driving as they navigate cognitive decline, as well as what signs to look out for when assessing their ability to drive and what resources are available for both those living with cognitive decline and their care partners.

Guest: KJ Hansmann, MD, PhD, MPH, family medicine doctor, UW Health, assistant professor, department of family and community health, UW School of Medicine and Public Health, principal investigator, Driving Connections Lab

Taking a Positive Approach to Dementia Care with Strategies from Teepa Snow

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Caring for someone living with dementia can be both deeply meaningful and incredibly challenging. Finding effective ways to connect, communicate and provide support often requires shifting how we see and respond to changes in the brain. In honor of National Family Caregivers Month, renowned dementia care specialist Teepa Snow joins the podcast to share her insights on improving life with dementia through empathy and understanding. As the founder of Positive Approach to Care (PAC), Teepa has developed the Snow Approach, a set of practical and compassionate techniques designed to empower care partners. She discusses the philosophy behind her methods, the importance of recognizing retained abilities and strategies that can make daily interactions more positive and meaningful for both care partners and those living with dementia.

Guest: Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, dementia care specialist, educator, owner, trainer, Positive Approach LLC, co-founder & chair, Snow Approach Foundation

A Guide to Grief: Strategies for Navigating Loss and Dementia

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Grief is a complex topic for people with dementia, their loved ones, caregivers and doctors to navigate. Dr. Erica Srinivasan, an expert on the psychology behind grief, joins the podcast to discuss the different kinds of grief people can experience and share strategies and resources for addressing the grief associated with dementia.

Guest: Erica Srinivasan, PhD, associate professor of psychology, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse (UWL), director, Center for Grief and Death Education, lead instructor, Grief Support Specialist Certificate, UW–Madison Continuing Education

Identifying and Addressing Changes in Decision-Making Ability with Capacity Testing

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As an individual develops dementia, they may need support in many areas of their lives. One of these areas is decision-making, particularly regarding health care decisions, but how can someone or their loved one determine if they need support with decision-making? To answer these questions, Dr. Victoria Williams joins to discuss capacity and capacity testing. She dives into the different kinds of decision-making abilities that can be assessed, the signs that one may need an assessment and more, as well as shares a preview of her upcoming Healthy Living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) program, “Cognitive Testing and Brain Imaging Explained.”

Guest: Victoria Williams, PhD, neuropsychologist, UW Health, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Paying the Price: The Cost of Dementia in 2025

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How much does it cost to live with dementia in the United States? The hidden costs are often overlooked, but these numbers and trends are important to understand in order to inform the public and effectively allocate resources. Dr. Julie Zissimopoulos leads the United States Cost of Dementia Project, where they recently published a report on the total cost of dementia in 2025. Dr. Zissimopoulos joins the podcast to discuss the report’s findings and analyze what this means for patients and families, as well as for public policy, in the future.

Guest: Julie Zissimopoulos, PhD, professor, Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California (USC), co-lead, United States Cost of Dementia Project, co-director, Aging and Cognition Research Program, USC Schaeffer Center, director, Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementias Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (USC AD/ADRDRCMAR), Center for Advancing Sociodemographic and Economic Study of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (CeAES-ADRD)

Harnessing Habits: The Power of Routines on the Brain

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Everyone has habits. Some are beneficial for brain health while others are less so, but it turns out that habits as simple as brushing your teeth at the same time each morning can help your brain adapt to changes from cognitive impairment. Dr. Gordon Giles joins the podcast to dive into the fascinating world of neurological rehabilitation and how building small, consistent habits can rewire the brain and support healthy lifestyle choices. He also gives a sneak peek into his upcoming talk for the Healthy Living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) program titled “Unlocking the Power of Habits, Routines and Strategies.”

Guest: Gordon Giles, PhD, OTR/L FAOTA, professor emeritus, Samuel Merritt University

Aging in Place: Addressing the Challenges of Living Alone with Dementia

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It’s estimated that 4.3 million older adults across the United States live alone with cognitive impairment. How do these individuals navigate the challenges and concerns that arise due to these memory and thinking changes, and what recommendations are there to support them as they continue living independently? Dr. Elena Portacolone joins Dementia Matters to discuss her research focused on identifying these challenges and developing equitable policies and programs for older adults living alone with cognitive impairment in the United States and worldwide.

Guest: Elena Portacolone, PhD, MBA, MPH, principal investigator, Living Alone with Cognitive Impairment Project, professor of sociology, Institute for Health & Aging, Pepper Center Scholar, Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of California San Francisco (UCSF)

Putting a ‘Spotlight on Care’: Caregivers Help Other Caregivers Through Podcast Series

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Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia can be challenging, with no two journeys being the same. Who better to turn to for caregiving support, tips and advice, then, than other caregivers who have been on similar paths? Steve O’Leary and Virginia Naeve join Dementia Matters to share their different experiences caring for their partner and parent respectively, their goal to help other caregivers on their journeys through their podcast Spotlight on Care and more.

Guests: Steve O’Leary, co-host, Spotlight on Care, member, leadership council, University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), and Virginia Naeve, co-host, Spotlight on Care, volunteer, UCI MIND

Shining Light on Younger-Onset Dementia with Lorenzo’s House

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Dementia diagnoses affect families in many different ways. One of the most challenging to navigate is that of younger-onset dementia (YOD), a form of dementia that affects someone below the age of 65. This diagnosis can be particularly jarring for young families, as resources, support and research for this form of dementia are limited. When Diana Cose’s husband Lorenzo received this diagnosis, she decided to change that by founding Lorenzo’s House, a nonprofit that supports families grappling with younger-onset dementia and works toward lessening the stigma surrounding it. Diana Cose joins the podcast with programs lead Patti LeFleur to share their experiences with younger-onset dementia and how Lorenzo’s House brings light in the darkness.

Guests: Diana Cose, founding executive director, Lorenzo’s House, and Patti LeFleur, youth and lighthouse outreach lead, Lorenzo’s House

‘Tis the Season: Navigating the Holidays as a Dementia Caregiver

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The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone, especially those with dementia and their care partners. In preparation for this season, Dr. Alexis Eastman joins Dementia Matters for our last episode of 2024. Drs. Chin and Eastman discuss strategies for managing the potential stress of holiday traveling and gatherings, important safety considerations and more.

Guest: Alexis Eastman, MD, geriatrician, Senior Medical Director of Ambulatory Medical Specialties, UW Health, associate clinical professor, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Support for the Supporters: Resources for Alzheimer’s Caregivers

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If you’re one of the 11 million Americans providing unpaid care to a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, you know that caregiving is both incredibly rewarding and challenging. What makes caring for someone with dementia so emotionally and physically demanding, and what resources and strategies are available to help? In this episode, Bonnie Nuttkinson joins us to discuss the unique needs of dementia caregivers, tips for navigating each stage of the disease and ways to find support along the caregiving journey.

Guest: Bonnie Nuttkinson, MS, research program coordinator, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center

Let’s Talk: Navigating Family Conversations About Dementia Through Shared Decision-Making

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Picture this: you are supporting someone experiencing memory changes as a clinician, support person or care partner while they go through the memory clinic process. How do you navigate the challenging conversations surrounding symptoms, diagnoses, care plans and more that come up? Dr. Toby Campbell joins the podcast to discuss the importance of shared decision-making and share strategies for clinicians, care partners and loved ones to help navigate these important conversations with respect and empathy.

Guest: Toby Campbell, MD, MS, thoracic medical oncologist, chief of palliative care, UW Health, professor of hematology, medical oncology and palliative care, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

From Caregiver to Research Participant: How One Woman’s Experience as a Dementia Caregiver Drew Her to Alzheimer’s Research

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Dementia Matters Special Series: Voices of Research Participants

Caring for a loved one with cognitive decline can be challenging. While it is a labor of love, burnout is all but inevitable. In this episode kicking off our Voices of Research Participants series with co-host Sarah Walter, Cynthia Sierra touches on her personal experience with caregiver burnout as both a caregiver and research study partner for her mother, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. She also shares her unique perspective on Alzheimer’s disease research as someone who started as a family caregiver.

Guest: Cynthia Sierra, MS, LPC, senior project manager, UT Health San Antonio

Co-host: Sarah Walter, MSc, program administrator, Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC) and Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI)

RAISE(ing) Support for Caregivers: State and National Resources for Family Care Partners

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Dementia caregiving is a multifaceted domain, deeply influenced by research, strategy and personal experiences. How are these elements shaping the current and future landscape of care? Dr. Beth Fields joins the podcast to discuss strategies and resources for caregivers from both national, state and personal perspectives, including the CHAT tool, the CAPABLE program and the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers.

Guest: Beth Fields, PhD, board-certified occupational therapist, assistant professor, Department of Kinesiology, affiliate faculty member, Center for Aging Research and Education and Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison

A Fair Fight Against Alzheimer’s: The Need for Equity in Dementia Research and Care

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How can we ensure that all communities are represented in Alzheimer’s and related dementias research and have access to the latest treatments and interventions? Dr. Carl Hill, the chief diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officer for the Alzheimer’s Association, joins the podcast to delve into the significance of representation, diversity, equity, equality and inclusion within Alzheimer’s disease research. He discusses the challenges of underrepresentation in clinical trials, the importance of community-based participatory research (CBPR) and the social determinants of health that influence Alzheimer’s risk.

Guest: Carl V. Hill, PhD, MPH, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, Alzheimer’s Association