Where real stories and expert wisdom come together to lift and support the unexpected caregiving journey.
The Conversations We Wait Too Long to HaveBy Lisa Pahl, LCSW, APHSW-C “It feels impossible to make a decision about my dad’s care. We never talked about any of this.”“My sister and I are constantly arguing about what’s best for our mom, and now it’s too late to ask...
When someone you love, whether it’s a relative, a partner or a friend, is diagnosed with dementia, it’s like getting hit with a wave of cold water. It doesn’t matter if you saw it coming, or what type of dementia has been diagnosed, whether clinical treatments are...
In April, I had the honor of speaking at the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration's (AFTD) first Capitol Hill briefing. I approached this opportunity with a profound sense of responsibility. I knew that when I stood before lawmakers, advocates, researchers, and...
When someone you know or love becomes a caregiver, their whole world changes. Much, if not most, of their time and energy goes toward managing appointments, navigating complicated systems, dealing with stress, and simply trying to make it through the day. Their life...
May 12, 2026- When my husband, Bruce Willis, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), our family was thrust into a world we were totally unprepared to navigate. I want to share what that experience is like for FTD families like ours, and why a simple change...
I first noticed something was “off" in July of 2007. I was 23, fresh out of college, and Mom had come with me to Baltimore—300 miles from home—to help me find an apartment. I was nervous about starting my “adult” life and doing what I’d always done when things got...
There was a time when the pain felt so internal and confusing that I didn’t have language for it. Before there was a diagnosis or name for what we were experiencing, there was just a feeling. Something was off. Something wasn’t right. And my instinct was to keep it to...
Recently my mother was fired by one of her longtime doctors. Not because she missed appointments or ignored medical advice, but because she asked a question. She wanted to understand her treatment options before agreeing to one that had left two of her friends with...
The holidays have a way of holding up a mirror, reflecting who we’ve been, who we are, and what we imagined they would be. When you’re caring for someone with dementia, that reflection can feel especially poignant. Traditions that once felt somewhat effortless require...