Category Archives: Awareness & Activism

May 3, 2026 · 9:00 am

Study finds most people support an Alzheimer’s blood test

A new study found that while many people are not aware of the scientific advances made in blood-based biomarker tests for Alzheimer’s, most support their availability and would be willing to take the test upon their doctor’s recommendation.

I recently wrote about how dried blood samples captured on a card could allow people to do an at-home test for Alzheimer’s biomarkers. But I knew I had written about such blood tests before then, so I dug into The Memories Project archives and sure enough, I found a post from 2014. I didn’t realize it had been 12 years since I had written about the potential for a blood test to diagnose Alzheimer’s. It’s a stark reminder of how long scientific progress can take to reach the general public. As the HealthDay article points out, only a couple of blood tests that check for levels of amyloid and tau proteins in a person’s bloodstream have been approved by the FDA and are not yet ready for widespread use.

The latest study captured the opinions of nearly 600 people, average age 62, from the Chicago area. Over half had a close relative who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. While 84 percent of those surveyed were unaware of blood biomarker tests, 94 percent said it was important to offer such tests to those with suspected memory or cognitive issues. And on another promising note, 85 percent of those surveyed would be willing to take such a test if it was recommended by their doctor.

Getting that public approval is key to maximize the value of screening tests. The study also found that 60% of those surveyed felt it was important to offer blood-based biomarker tests for Alzheimer’s to those age 65 and older on an annual basis.

The study identified potential barriers for blood test adoption, and cost, test reliability, and concerns about the consequences of receiving a positive result were among the top concerns. I would also be concerned about cost and whether the test would be covered by health insurance, as well as reliability. But my opinion about taking such a test hasn’t changed since 2014: I would definitely take such a test. With dementia on both sides of my family tree, I think it’s important to capture any changes in cognitive health as early as possible. The current Alzheimer’s treatments on the market work best for those in the early stages of the disease. Earlier diagnosis gives people the opportunity to make decisions about their future care and to take advantage of quality time with family before significant cognitive decline.

If you have questions or concerns about Alzheimer’s screening options, talk to your doctor.

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April 25, 2026 · 2:39 pm

Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures 2026

The Alzheimer’s Association recently released their annual “Facts and Figures” report. It’s always a sobering collection of data, but important to document and share to increase Alzheimer’s awareness and to ensure the disease remains a high priority for funding research and care support initiatives.

Here’s a roundup of the top Alzheimer’s insights from the report:

  • More than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.
  • 1 in 3 older adults dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
  • Approximately 1 in 9 people age 65 or older has Alzheimer’s.
  • Women account for 2/3 of Alzheimer’s cases in America.
  • Race plays a role in Alzheimer’s risk, with Black Americans (twice as likely) and Hispanic Americans (1.5 times as likely) to develop the disease vs White Americans.
  • Those with Alzheimer’s or other dementias have twice as many hospital stays and more skilled nursing facility stays and home health care visits per year than other older people.
  • The lifetime cost of care for a person living with dementia is estimated at a whopping $405,262 (in 2024 dollars.) What’s worse is that 70 percent of those costs are borne by family caregivers.

The report also highlights the growing contributions of family caregivers.

  • Nearly 13 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.
  • About 30% of caregivers are age 65 or older.
  • Most caregivers (66%) live with the person with dementia in the community.
  • Approximately 25% of dementia caregivers are “sandwich generation” caregivers, juggling the care demands of an aging parent and at least one child.
  • Caregivers are stressed out: Nearly 60 percent of dementia caregivers report feeling high to very high emotional stress.
  • Unpaid caregivers provided more than 19 billion hours of care valued at more than $446 billion.
  • Forty-one percent of caregivers have a household income of $50,000 or less.

Below is a video synopsis of the report’s most important findings.

Based on the Alzheimer’s Association report and resources, I used NotebookLM to create an infographic of ways to protect the brain, which appears at the top of this blog post. This year’s report found that Americans have a deep interest in brain health and understand that lifestyle choices can have an impact but are unclear about how to implement them in their own lives. The good news is that supporting brain health isn’t that complex: moderate exercise, decent diet, managing stress, good sleep quality, engaging in brain-friendly hobbies like puzzles, learning new languages, or playing a musical instrument. The tough part is being consistent in implementing these healthy lifestyle choices. Every positive choice helps, so consult with your doctor to see which lifestyle change may be most beneficial for you.

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April 19, 2026 · 12:49 pm

Study: Alzheimer’s disease progression differences in men, women should be considered when screening

There’s new research supporting previous findings that there are sex-based differences in Alzheimer’s disease progression that should be considered when it comes to screening protocols.

Researchers at Georgia State University (which is just down the street from me) analyzed brain scans of 332 people at different Alzheimer’s stages. While males show earlier gray matter volume loss, their rate of loss tends to plateau, which may result in “earlier onset but slower progression of structural decline.” Conversely, females showed delayed brain atrophy when compared to males, but when the decline did begin, it was at a steeper rate.

The study explores 3 theories that may have an impact on why Alzheimer’s disease evolves differently in men and women: hormonal pathways, APOE-e4 mechanisms, and women’s higher cerebrovascular burden. As I’m a APOE-e4 carrier, it’s concerning that the body of research so far suggests that it contributes to “more severe outcomes in women.” Obviously there’s nothing I can do about genetics, but it’s important to be aware of such factors.

Research will continue in this area to determine if sex-specific screening may support “earlier, more precise interventions.” This is critical because current treatments typically work best in the earlier stages of the disease.

Image created by Google Gemini.

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April 12, 2026 · 12:40 pm

Study: When it come to plant-based diets and dementia risk, quantity and quality matters

A new study finds that a plant-based diet can reduce dementia risk, but not all plant-based foods rank equal when it comes to supporting cognitive health.

The study, which was published in the journal Neurology, captured the diets of over 90,000 individuals with an average age of 59. The study included a mix of ethnicities. In a follow-up a decade later, about half of those individuals provided an update on their current diet. Researchers categorized diets into quality tiers, with diets heavy in animal fats assigned the lowest-quality tier, unhealthy processed plant-based foods like french fries and fruit juice were assigned the mid-quality tier, and whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables were assigned the highest-quality tier. The study was most interested in the two plant-based diet tiers and its impact, if any, on dementia risk.

What the research discovered when isolating by the highest-quality diet tier, those who ate the most healthy plant-based foods had a 7 percent lower risk of dementia than those who ate the lowest amount. So quantity does matter when it comes to a plant-based diet.

But so does quality. When reviewing data for the group that ate the greatest amount of unhealthy plant-based options, their risk of developing dementia increased 6 percent.

I have to be on a gluten-free diet and I’ve found in the last two decades, the amount of gluten-free foods readily available has exploded. But that doesn’t mean those foods are necessarily healthy. I can easily find gluten-free pizza, donuts, cookies, and sugar-laden cereal. But on the flip side, I can make a conscious effort to find healthy gluten-free food, rich in whole grains and fiber. The same thing applies to vegan and plant-based diets. We live in an age of modern convenience which can lead to us consuming overprocessed comfort foods that may technically be plant-based but are anything but healthy.

A similar recommendation applies to animal fats, as there are healthier fats and benefits from eating fish and nuts versus eating a diet heavy in red meat or unhealthy processed foods like fried chicken. I was thinking of my father this past week as April 10 marked his birthday. He battled high cholesterol beginning in middle age, but he always was a fan of fish and my mother attempted to cook comfort foods with less-processed ingredients. One thing my dad was not fond of: raw vegetables. He said crunching into them hurt his teeth. I never saw my dad eat a salad; cole slaw was the closest he ever got. In spite of his aversion to vegetables, my father always stayed trim throughout his life, due to his love of walking.

Another interesting takeaway from the new study was that making dietary changes even at an older age can still benefit cognitive health. “We found that adopting a plant-based diet, even starting at an older age, and refraining from low-quality plant-based diets were associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” said study lead author Song-Yi Park.

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April 12, 2026 · 10:00 am

New study sheds more light on inflammation as potential cause of Alzheimer’s

Does Alzheimer’s actually originate outside of the brain? New research identifies the cells that are potential drivers and which organs are most likely to be involved. The latest genetic data analysis supports a growing body of research suggesting inflammation plays a role in Alzheimer’s development.

I’ve covered the inflammation theory before on this blog. With the success of GLP-1s for weight loss and management, the drugs show promise to treat other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes. While the early trials for those with early Alzheimer’s failed to slow disease progression, the medications may still hold promise for treating inflammation-related diseases before an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is made. I’ve also written about the connection between heart disease and dementia.

As earth.com explains, the research team at Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research in Denmark wanted to detect “where in the body are the genes associated with Alzheimer’s risk actually active.” The surprising discovery is that Alzheimer’s risk genes showed higher activity in organs outside the brain, such as the “skin, lungs, digestive system, spleen and in immune cells circulating in the blood.” What this could mean is that someone at greater genetic risk for Alzheimer’s could experience an inflammatory condition that create damage that later leads to cognitive decline.

While these preliminary findings are supported by earlier research into the inflammatory link to dementia, more research needs to be done to confirm these findings and understand the underlying mechanism. As the earth.com article notes, we may have focused too much on treatments targeting the brain, which may be why most current treatments only show minimal benefits.

Ages 55–60 were identified by researchers as a “critical window for immune activation tied to Alzheimer’s risk.” It’s important for those in their fifties, like myself, to focus on addressing any inflammatory conditions and consider preventative options as warranted.

While a cure or effective treatment for Alzheimer’s remains elusive, expanding focus beyond the brain is a promising research path.

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March 29, 2026 · 9:00 am

AARP report: Family caregivers’ economic value reaches $1 trillion

Houser, Ari, Selena Caldera, Brendan Flinn, and Rita Choula. Valuing the Invaluable 2026: Family Caregivers’ Contribution Reaches $1 Trillion. Washington, DC: AARP Public Policy Institute, March 26, 2026. https://doi.org/10.26419/ppi.00402.001.

The latest caregiver report has been released by the AARP Public Policy Institute. Titled “Valuing the Invaluable 2026” the report, researchers found that the economic value of family caregiving in 2024 was worth a whopping $1 trillion.

In comments on the report, AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan said, “When you look at caregiving at this scale, it becomes clear that this is not just a personal responsibility; it is a foundational part of our economy and our care system, and it is time we start recognizing it that way.”

Here are other main takeaways:

  • The $1.01 trillion amount breaks down to 49.5 billion hours devoted to family caregiving, equaling a workforce of 23.8 million full-time workers.
  • An estimated 59 million family caregivers helped an adult family member, neighbor, or friend with daily activities during the year, with 63 percent providing monthly care.
  • The economic value of family caregiving exceeded the total amount of federal, state, and local Medicaid spending in 2024 ($932 billion).
  • The cost and value of family caregiving has grown rapidly since the AARP’s first caregiving report in 2006, where the economic value of caregiving was found to be $350 billion.
  • Family caregivers now average 27 hours of care per week. This is on top of a part- or full-time job, plus for sandwich caregivers, caring for children and elder relatives at the same time.
  • More than half (55 percent) of family caregivers perform tasks typically handled by health care professionals, such as giving injections or managing a catheter. As a caregiver for my mother, I was required to care for her colostomy and after much trial and error, learned to manage her colostomy bag quite well. As I wrote in The Reluctant Caregiver, this task was well outside of my skillset and comfort zone, but as the sole family caregiver, I had no choice but to step up and take charge.

In conclusion, AARP noted: “This unpaid care generates significant public benefit, including savings for taxpayers, yet it often does so at considerable cost to caregivers’ own health, well‑being, and long‑term economic security.”

Access the full report: Valuing the Invaluable 2026: Family Caregivers’ Contribution Reaches $1 Trillion

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March 22, 2026 · 9:00 am

How Alzheimer’s may impact your writing ability

How does one’s writing change due to dementia? Interesting research was recently published that analyzed the late author Terry Pratchett’s writing over time to see if it changed due to the rare form of Alzheimer’s that he had.

Pratchett died in 2015. He had been diagnosed with posterior cortical atrophy and went public with his diagnosis, becoming an advocate to raise awareness for the disease and increase research efforts, according to an article published in The Conversation. Researchers in the UK conducted a lexical analysis of Pratchett’s novels and published their findings in the Brain Sciences journal.

The researchers focused on “lexical diversity” which in layman’s terms means diversity in word choice, and specifically examined the usage and variety of adjectives. What they found was a notable decline in adjective diversity in Pratchett’s latest novels. They pinpointed the first significant decline approximately 10 years before Pratchett was diagnosed.

While their findings are intriguing, the researchers were quick to note that linguistic analysis is not a standalone diagnostic tool for dementia, and results would vary depending upon a person’s education and other factors. But for authors, it could potentially be a helpful tool. Pratchett is not the first author whose work received a lexical analysis to detect cognitive changes; Iris Murdoch and Agatha Christie’s works have also been analyzed and a notable decline in vocabulary size and lexical diversity were noted.

Lexical analysis could emerge as a helpful diagnostic tool for Alzheimer’s and other dementias because the average person already produces a good deal of content in their daily lives, from texts to emails to social media posts. For us writers, we have a large amount of material that can be analyzed. Most promising is how early such an analysis may be able to detect subtle cognitive changes. Early detection is critical when it comes to Alzheimer’s, as the current treatments on the market work best for those in the early stages of the disease.

Image generated by Google Gemini. Note: I did not prompt it to come up with such depressing book titles.

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March 8, 2026 · 9:00 am

Insightful presentation on anxiety and dementia

Ted Talk: The Connection Between Dementia and Anxiety

I found this Ted Talk from Dr. Elaine Eshbaugh so insightful. She talked about the connection between anxiety and dementia: “When anxiety goes up, cognition goes down.”

She offered examples of how people with dementia may face anxiety in everyday situations that those of us without dementia may overlook. I loved her term “mental energy pennies” to describe how daily cognitive tasks can be more costly to those with dementia.

She also broke down how dementia can cause vision issues, both literally and figuratively. My father experienced vision issues, including depth perception problems that made entering and exiting elevators a challenge. He also had visual hallucinations. In his case, the vision issues elevated his anxiety levels which could cause him to lash out in confusion and frustration.

Being more aware of the connection between anxiety and dementia can help family caregivers better manage their loved one’s environments.

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March 1, 2026 · 1:35 pm

A reminder to slow down … from the dog

This weekend I got what turned out to be a funny reminder to slow down. Yesterday I was knocking out a bunch of household chores and was intent on getting the bed made before lunch. I was making ramen for lunch and had some leftover beef broth from making soup earlier in the week that I wanted to use instead of water to make it extra tasty.

Murphy, my senior dog, also enjoys a bit of Brutus Bone Broth with his meals, a special formulation for dogs with supplements for joint health. I keep the broth containers, which come in similar carton containers, on separate shelves in the refrigerator after opening so I don’t accidentally give Murphy my broth which has sodium and seasonings like onion and garlic in it.

Welp, you can probably figure out what happened next. Yesterday in my rush to have all my chores done before lunch, I started the ramen while distracted and let it cook while I made the bed. [First mistake.] Murphy was extra excited in the kitchen and getting underfoot while I was making lunch, so I shooed him out. [Second mistake.] I got the bed made and ate my lunch and then got ready to feed the dog that evening.

And when I opened the refrigerator, I was surprised to find no dog broth. How is that possible, it wasn’t near empty yet ….

Ruh-roh. That’s when my eyes saw the container of beef broth, still sitting on a lower shelf. I had accidentally used the dog’s broth in my ramen.

I probably turned a little green around the gills while I dug the dog broth carton out of the trash. My first concern was if the broth was gluten-free, as I’m a celiac and strictly follow a no gluten diet. I breathed a big sigh of relief when I saw those two magical words “gluten free” on the label. That was followed closely by two more welcomed words: “human grade.” Scanning the limited, whole-food ingredients, the dog-formulated broth was probably healthier than the broth for people. The joint supplements were also fine for people.

I’m fine and can laugh about the whole situation now, especially Murphy trying to give me a sign. He was probably wondering what yummy treat I was making him with his broth! Fortunately I had another container of dog broth in the pantry, so he will not go without. You would think the author of Slow Dog would take some her own advice. It’s a good reminder that being intentional requires daily practice.

As a caregiver, of course, it’s even more important to not be distracted when preparing meals to avoid allergies or drug interactions. Your and your loved one’s well-being is more important than when the bed gets made. Lesson learned and noted!

Looking for more caregiving tips? I’m participating in the The 17th annual Smashwords Read an Ebook Week sale. Get the e-book version of The Reluctant Caregiver for half off through March 7, 2026.

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February 21, 2026 · 9:00 am

How dried blood spots could be valuable in large-scale Alzheimer’s screening initiatives

Over 10 years ago, I wrote about an experimental blood test being tested that could help predict a person’s risk of developing dementia over the course of the next few years. There have been a lot of developments in the blood test space since then. This month, the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry wrote about new research exploring a promising, low-cost option for large-scale Alzheimer’s screening: dried blood spots.

Not that long ago, the idea that Alzheimer’s could be diagnosed with a blood test seemed like a major breakthrough, since prior to that, diagnosis either came post-mortem or an invasive spinal tap procedure. There are cognitive-based tests that doctors use to screen for dementia, such as the clock test, but those are not as definitive in nature as a blood test for Alzheimer’s biomarkers, which was approved by the FDA in 2025.

But blood tests still present challenges, requiring a medical professional to draw the sample, and then proper handling to ensure the same remains viable until it reaches the testing laboratory. Researchers in Europe brainstormed on how to simplify the procedure and are now actively testing a process that uses dried blood spots. A person takes the blood sample themselves at home, using a finger prick method. The sample is collected on a card, allowed to dry, and then mailed into a laboratory. Early results are promising, with high accuracy rates, but more work needs to be done to perfect the process.

One interesting point that researchers noted was that people in the study didn’t like the finger puncture, so a different collection method involving the upper arm is being explored. The issue with finger punctures may have led to more sample failures than desired. I know when I used a finger prick test at home (to check my cholesterol level), the first time it worked fine, but the second time, I struggled to get a proper sample and I received notice from the lab that my sample couldn’t be used. It was a frustrating experience and I ended up going to a medical clinic for a traditional blood draw.

Still, if the process becomes reliable and affordable, I strongly prefer at-home tests. Such a test would open up dementia screening for underserved populations and help people access treatment options earlier.

Image generated by Google Gemini.

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