Category: Dementia Care

 June 1, 2026 by Dean Bellefeuille

Few things are more frustrating than trying to have a meaningful conversation that quickly gets shut down. And that happens a lot when there’s a dementia diagnosis in the mix. (more…)

 May 13, 2026 by Dean Bellefeuille

How do you know when living alone with dementia is still working…and when it’s not? (more…)

 April 8, 2026 by Dean Bellefeuille

You know Mom best. You’ve known her your whole life, after all! You know her sense of humor, her habits, her usual reactions to stress. That familiarity gives you a baseline. (more…)

 March 2, 2026 by Dean Bellefeuille

There you are, pacing in the bustling hospital hallway, wondering how the noise, bright lights, and rush of activity are affecting the person you love. Now imagine how an experience like this affects someone with dementia! Dementia-related hospital challenges are common, and even a simple health issue can become confusing and exhausting for both of you. (more…)

 February 2, 2026 by Dean Bellefeuille

You’re helping Mom through her evening routine. The plan is simple: change clothes, wash up, and head to bed. But the closer you get, the more tense she becomes. Her shoulders stiffen. Her voice sharpens. Suddenly, everything feels harder than it should. Then you quietly start singing a song she loved decades ago. Almost immediately, something shifts and there’s relief from her dementia-related agitation. Her breathing slows. Her hands relax. That small moment of ease is exactly what a “playlist sandwich” is meant to create. (more…)

 January 5, 2026 by Dean Bellefeuille

It’s amazing how clearly things make sense after a diagnosis. Suddenly, all those unusual moments you shrugged off snap into place. But before anyone has a name for what’s happening, it’s incredibly easy to overlook the signs of early Alzheimer’s or to attribute them to normal aging, fatigue, or an “off” day. After all, everyone forgets things sometimes, right? You’re trying to give someone you love the benefit of the doubt, and you don’t want to read too much into what you’re witnessing. (more…)

 October 10, 2025 by Dean Bellefeuille

You’re enjoying a walk with Dad when, without warning, he yells at a passerby or insists on crossing the street at the wrong time. You’re either mortified, terrified, or a combination of both. (more…)

 September 3, 2025 by Dean Bellefeuille

You’re doing your best. You show up every day, you try to stay calm, you remind yourself that it’s the disease, not the person. But sometimes, when the same question is asked for the 12th time in an hour, when you’re met with resistance while trying to help, when you haven’t had a full night’s sleep in weeks, something inside you snaps. And then comes the guilt. (more…)

 August 6, 2025 by Dean Bellefeuille

Ask someone about their favorite sports memory, and chances are you’ll see their face light up. Maybe it was the thrill of being the star football player on the varsity team, the time they got to meet a legendary baseball hero, or their dad teaching them to shoot hoops in the driveway. If you’re using sports to connect with someone with dementia, these moments can feel surprisingly fresh—and can spark engagement in remarkable ways. (more…)

 July 15, 2025 by Dean Bellefeuille

No one teaches you how to do this.

You try to follow your instincts. You read a few articles. You tell yourself to stay patient, stay calm. But Alzheimer’s doesn’t operate by any familiar rules. What made sense last week suddenly doesn’t work today. There’s good news though! With a few small shifts, you can bring more calm, clarity, and connection into each day. (more…)