Woman and her daughter at a doctor's appointment

Two New DPEN Initiatives Aim to Strengthen Dementia Care

By: UW Dementia Palliative Education Network (DPEN) Team Dementias are prevalent, debilitating conditions with far-reaching health and social effects. An aging U.S. population means that there will likely be a 50% increase in demand for dementia care by 2025. But large gaps exist in the US healthcare system for people living with dementia. With almost four million registered nurses — the largest part of the … Continue reading Two New DPEN Initiatives Aim to Strengthen Dementia Care

Older couple riding bikes and wearing safety helmets

Brain Injury and Dementia: What You Need to Know

By Colleen Kienbaum, RN-BSN Brain Injury Awareness Month is here and the perfect time to learn more about how amazing yet vulnerable our brains are to impact and injury. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, one out of every 60 Americans lives with a traumatic brain injury-related disability. Let’s explore the various types of brain injuries and what researchers are saying about their … Continue reading Brain Injury and Dementia: What You Need to Know

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Alzheimer’s and Type 1 Diabetes: Q&A with Dr. Luciana Mascarenhas Fonseca

Dr. Luciana Mascarenhas Fonseca received funding from the Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship to Promote Diversity Program for her project, “Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, vascular risk factors and cognitive variability in aging adults with Type 1 diabetes.” Here, we ask her some questions about her background and the important research she’s currently undertaking. Tell us a little about yourself. How did you first become involved in Alzheimer’s … Continue reading Alzheimer’s and Type 1 Diabetes: Q&A with Dr. Luciana Mascarenhas Fonseca

Male caregiver at kitchen table looking sad and stressed

Caregiver Burnout: Is Your Flame About to Fizzle?

By Wendy Nathan, BSc, CMC As we enter our third year of the COVID pandemic, it’s important to pause for a moment and acknowledge how it has stretched us all emotionally, physically, mentally and financially. Daily life is challenging enough. Toss in an ever-evolving pandemic and the landscape becomes more complex. Family caregivers, you have been hit exceptionally hard. I want to acknowledge that too. … Continue reading Caregiver Burnout: Is Your Flame About to Fizzle?

Glenn kissing Pam on the cheeck at Christmas

Things I Miss: Making Every Minute Count

By Glenn Jacobs, Puyallup, Wash. Hi there, my name is Glenn. It has been three-and-half years since my wife, Pam passed away from Alzheimer’s. We were married in 1969, so it was a long time that we had been married. We first learned about her diagnosis only three years prior to her death, so that wasn’t a very long time at all. It was a … Continue reading Things I Miss: Making Every Minute Count

Older adult holding a photo of themselves when they were younger

Turning Back the Clock: The Basics of Alzheimer’s Progression

By: Beth Hutchason, MN, ARNP Did you know that short-term memory lasts less than 30 seconds and can only hold about seven items? On the other hand, long-term memory can last for days to years. Some long-term memories are conscious (specific knowledge and events), and some are unconscious (knowing how to do things like tying your shoes). As a palliative care nurse practitioner, I met … Continue reading Turning Back the Clock: The Basics of Alzheimer’s Progression

Alzheimer’s Advocacy: Improving Outcomes for Families

By Patricia Hunter, Washington State Long-Term Care Ombuds My name is Patricia Hunter and I am the Long-Term Care Ombuds for Washington State. The Long Term Care Ombuds Program is charged with protecting the rights, dignity and well-being of everyone living in licensed long-term care in our state. I am also a member of the Dementia Action Collaborative (DAC), the workgroup that oversees the implementation … Continue reading Alzheimer’s Advocacy: Improving Outcomes for Families

Health care team looking at tablet together

UW Nursing Scholar Selected For Prestigious Dementia Care Award

By: UW Dementia Palliative Education Network (DPEN) Team UW School of Nursing student Michael Drake has been selected as the second U.S. recipient of the UW Queen Silvia Nursing Award for dementia care.   Drake’s winning idea is the development of QRx, a safe and secure mobile platform that patients can use to share important information to medical providers and/or caregivers via an individualized QR code … Continue reading UW Nursing Scholar Selected For Prestigious Dementia Care Award