Dementia Education

It is back-to-school season, bringing fresh goals and aspirations for students and adults alike. However, for many, a dementia diagnosis complicates a dream of lifelong learning. Most people living with dementia can learn, and those that have trouble learning new skills can relearn a skill that had previously been acquired yet since forgotten. Learn more!

Insight is excited to offer a new training opportunity focused on creating a dementia capable society! Dementia Capable Care (DCC) Training gives you the tools needed to be the best caregiver for those living at different stages of dementia. This training focuses on practical solutions to preventing and de-escalating behaviors, through online learning and an in-person session to address common scenarios.

Around 3 million LGBTQ+ adults are over age 50, and those who receive a dementia diagnosis face a particularly challenging set of circumstances. Learn more about the services we offer as well as other national and local resources we have put together.

In the midst of summer, many of us reach for our favorite beach reads, looking forward to a few hours relaxing. If you’re looking to make the most of your summer reading list, here are a few recommendations that we and other care partners have found helpful.

It’s never too late or too early to incorporate healthy habits. Evidence shows when we incorporate these habits, we have a better chance of reducing cognitive decline. In recognition of Older Americans Month we are sharing 10 things you can do now to promote better brain health!

Supporting communication in the setting of dementia takes flexibility, creativity, and curiosity. A Speech Language Pathologist is a healthcare professional who specializes in evaluation and treating communication impairments, focusing on an individual’s strengths and personalized needs, with training for all communication partners. Through increased understanding of changing brain functions and development of proactive strategies, we can sustain meaningful connections, dignity, and respect in the face of this challenging condition.

Each year, Insight offers hundreds (yes hundreds!) of specialized classes for care partners to build their skills and confidence while learning more about new topics, services, and dementia resources in the community. Using our own dementia expertise and working with community partners for additional specialized topics, we're excited to continue to offer a wide variety of classes, workshops, trainings, author presentations, and even movie screenings in 2024. All of these sessions can be one more tool in your belt to being a stronger care partner! Check our full event calendar to see what's coming up!

Lewy body dementia is the second most common type of dementia, with an estimated 1.4 million Americans diagnosed. This October, in honor of Lewy Body Dementia Awareness Month, we've put together a few resources, both at Insight and in the wider community that may benefit your family.

Summer 2023 has been marked by record breaking heat so far. In the midst of the summer season, it is crucial to highlight the significance of staying cool and hydrated, especially for older adults and individuals living with dementia. Learn some important information and tips to help keep older adults and those with dementia cool and comfortable this summer.

We can all use a helpful tip or two! Here are a few strategies that can be used to improve cognitive health and mental well-being for people living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia.

June is Brain Health Month! It’s never too late or too early to incorporate healthy habits. Evidence shows when we incorporate these habits, we have a better chance of reducing cognitive decline. Read on to learn more about cultivating habits to promote better brain health.

When most people think of Parkinson’s disease, they think of a tremor. While movement symptoms are more noticeable, there are also cognitive changes that accompany the disease. During Parkinson's Awareness month, learn more and connect with resources from the Parkinson's Foundation.

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month! Learn more about resources and programs Insight offers that benefit families living with Parkinson's Disease, as well as download our Parkinson's resources handout for more info.

Health disparities can have a profound, negative effect on public health in the United States, entire populations and its individual communities. Dementia care and support services can vary widely depending on race, ethnicity, geography, and socioeconomic and political factors. The ability for a person to get a timely diagnosis, manage the disease, and be able to access quality health care contributes to health disparities in dementia. How can we learn and support change?

Lewy body dementias (LBD) affect an estimated 1.4 million individuals in the United States. Though many families are affected by this disease, few individuals and medical professionals are aware of the symptoms, diagnostic criteria, or even that LBD exists! The Lewy Body Dementia Association shares more about common symptoms, presentations of LBD, ways to live well going forward, and a resource list to learn more.

Using our own dementia expertise and working with community partners for additional specialized topics, we're excited to continue to offer a wide variety of classes, workshops, trainings, author presentations, and even movie screenings in 2023. All of these sessions can be one more tool in your belt to being a stronger care partner!

In honor of Lewy Body Dementia Awareness month, Insight Memory Care Center, The Kensington Falls Church and The Kensington Reston held a special screening of the film SPARK. We learned more about Lewy Body Dementia through Robin William’s journey and afterwards had a great panel discussion with the Lewy Body Dementia Association. Here are your questions with their answers!

One of the most fascinating findings in studying human health and anatomy is how all of the systems in our body are inter-connected, and there have been recent studies done that have evidence to suggest that one of the most prominent connections is between our gut and our brain.

Have you heard the term “mild cognitive impairment?” If not, you are not alone. A recent survey of U.S. adults found that fewer than 1 in 5 Americans are familiar with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Mild cognitive impairment is the stage between normal aging and dementia. While some cognitive changes are expected with age, individuals with MCI are experiencing more memory or thinking problems than other adults their age.

In the midst of summer, many of us reach for our favorite beach reads, looking forward to a few hours relaxing. However, as a caregiver for someone with memory impairment, those relaxing moments can be few and far between – and the few you have, that time is valuable! If you’re looking to make the most of your summer reading list, here are a few recommendations that we and other care partners have found helpful.

Although LGBTQ+ older adults have clearly seen monumental change across their lifetimes and are often strong, determined, and resilient, many still struggle with complex feelings due to current and past experiences. When we take proactive steps to seek understanding, foster connection, and build trust slowly, we can make a huge impact on others and can create a world where LGBTQ+ individuals with dementia and their caregivers can feel safe and supported.

I recently had a dream that I was in my doctor's office being diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer's. I couldn't believe it, no matter how many times my spouse and my doctor told me it was true. I was so shocked and scared...more for my family would endure than for what was happening to me. Most dreams I forget within a few minutes of waking up. But not this one...it really hit home.

Have you ever considered your brain health could be related to what you are putting on your fork? There is evidence suggesting Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases are highly influenced by diet, and are sometimes labeled Type 3 Diabetes. The mechanisms are elucidated in some research connecting diets high in sugar and processed food to inflammation which increases the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research in Baltimore, Maryland, are finding out! Scientists are studying the effects of psilocybin (a natural psychedelic found in some species of mushrooms) in people with depressed mood and a diagnosis of Early-Stage Alzheimer’s (AD) or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).

New Year, New Classes! Our long-standing caregiver classes have a great line-up for 2022. All sessions are free, and open to anyone interested in learning more about caring for a loved one living with dementia. Speakers include the experts at Insight, along with community professionals who can share additional expertise. We hope you'll mark your calendars to join us for any or all of this year's classes.

We celebrated Giving Tuesday this year by Getting Ready! We had four great panels and presentations as we shared more about getting ready for the holidays - and caregiving throughout the year! Watch and learn more about what to look for when visiting aging parents, ideas to enjoy the holiday season, and a sneak peek of our new Sterling space!

The gerontological research team at George Mason University is committed to improving the lives of people living with ADRD and their caregivers. To that end, your participation in our studies help provide critical information about your lived experiences!

With all the problems across the globe in 2020, it was easy to forget about dementia. Unless your mom was becoming more and more forgetful. Or your spouse was just diagnosed. Or you weren’t able to go visit dad with all the COVID restrictions, and you worried about him even remembering you when you could visit again. While it didn’t make the daily news, dementia is still a problem.

We all associate Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with memory loss, but unfortunately it is much more than that. As we continue to recognize Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness month, let’s take a deeper dive. There are 4 ‘A’s to help you remember common symptoms, plus we’ll review a few more ‘A’s for good measure. Some may experience all of these symptoms in dementia, others may not, or they may see them at different times throughout the disease. But being aware of symptoms to look for will help you be an ‘A’ student – and caregiver!

With dementia, there is still a lot we don’t know. Dementia is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States and the only cause in the top 10 without a way to cure or prevent it. But as we recognize Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month this June, let’s focus on the positive; there is a lot we DO know! Let’s start with five things we all should know about dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for about 65% of cases. Although deaths from other major diseases have decreased or remained the same, Alzheimer’s deaths have increased substantially. In the US alone, AD afflicts approximately 7 million older people, thus impacting the caregivers as well. Since the hallmarks of the disease - plaques and tangles - were discovered by Dr. Alzheimer in 1906, there have been only 2 classes of FDA approved medications developed to treat the symptoms of AD and some other related dementias.

Every caregiver seems to have an arsenal of comical caregiving tales to share with anyone who can relate. When caring for someone with a disease whose devastating effects and chronic long-term stressors are arguably unmatched, it is no wonder we hold so closely to these little pockets of joy. After all, as Henry Ward Beecher explained, “A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road.”

Receiving a diagnosis of dementia, or having a loved one diagnosed, can cause a range of emotions, from shock to relief. But what happens next? We’ve put together a checklist of things for you, your family, and support team to consider over the next few months (or more!) as you navigate your journey.

Communication is 7% verbal (words and their meanings), 55% voice (pitch, tone, tempo, volume), and 38% body language (facial expressions, eyes, posture, movements, gestures). This is important because people with dementia may no longer understand the meaning of the words but they will be able to understand the remaining 93% of your communication. Make sure your body and voice are conveying the same message your words are trying to convey. Here are some tips for communication.

As a 28-year-old, I’d recently graduated from grad school, and snagged my ideal job in downtown DC as the manager of a health nonprofit. While everything looked bright for my career, my love life was turning out to be more difficult. I was almost 30, still single, and still looking for my soulmate. Because my parents were older, I wanted to start a family sooner than later. That’s when my dad was diagnosed with cognitive impairment.

If there ever was a time that challenged us as humans to embrace social connection, it is the year 2020, and the time spent coping with the coronavirus pandemic. Humans, because of necessity, evolved into social beings. Dependence on and cooperation with each other enhanced our ability to survive under harsh environmental circumstances. I think it is safe to say coronavirus has created harsh conditions, to say the least!

With over 5 million Americans living with dementia, chances are you know someone living with memory impairment – whether you’re aware of it or not! The stigma of dementia is still prevalent in our society, leading many to hide their diagnosis, or avoid asking the doctor in the first place. But that doesn’t mean that your neighbor may not need your help. If you’re concerned about a forgetful neighbor, here are some signs to look for.

Insight Memory Care Center offers free, confidential memory screenings and educational materials to people with concerns about their memory or who want to check their memory now for future comparison. The best part – memory screenings are now being held virtually, so you can perform this simple evaluation from the comfort of home! So who would benefit from a memory screening?

Wandering is a common behavior among individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias. Six in 10 people with dementia will wander one time and many will wander repeatedly. Everyone with dementia is at risk of wandering and wandering behavior can be dangerous and stressful for people with dementia and their family caregivers. Faculty and students at George Mason University have been conducting research to gain a better understanding about wandering as it relates to dementia, by tracking the movement patterns of people with dementia who are participants in their study.

Do you know someone with Parkinson’s? I’m always amazed by how many people not only know someone, but know someone in their family. By that I mean a spouse, parent, grand-parent or other close relative. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, “Nearly one million will be living with Parkinson's disease (PD) in the U.S. by 2020."

Now that we're all spending a lot more time at home, here's a helpful task to add to the spring cleaning list: making your space more dementia friendly. Don't worry, "Designing for Dementia" makes it sound a lot more complicated than it really is! Using a few design best practices, you'll find there are a number of small changes you can make at home that will have a big impact on the quality of life for both you and your loved one.

We’ve long been implementing sensory-based programming into our later-stage programs as a tried and true method of engaging and connecting with participants in a meaningful way. Now we have a gold standard model to help focus our efforts on methods that a growing body of research is showing to have positive effects on those with late-stage dementia, their family members, and even professional caregivers!

I’m a Nurse Practitioner with 18 years of experience caring for people with dementia. My specialty is research, or more specifically, clinical trial research aimed at the discovery of new treatments and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here are some of the most common questions I’m asked about dementia.

Every caregiver seems to have an arsenal of comical caregiving tales to share with anyone who can relate. When caring for someone with a disease whose devastating effects and chronic long-term stressors are arguably unmatched, it is no wonder we hold so closely to these little pockets of joy.

When you begin to research, the first thing you often learn is how much you don’t know. And with dementia, while there is still a lot we don’t know, there is a lot we do! Here are five things we DO know – and should know - about dementia.