apple blossoms | the DAWN Method

The Cost of Dementia Care is Bankrupting Us

According to the Genworth Cost of Care Survey, 70 percent of Americans over the age of 65 will require some form of long-term care services during their lives. Twenty percent of them will need institutional care for more than five years. The cost of dementia care and long-term care In 2021, the average cost for assisted … Read more

purple iris flowers | the DAWN Method

Anosognosia—When People Don’t Realize They’re Impaired

What to do when a parent with dementia refuses help People who have dementia often refuse care. We misjudge the situation if we assume that they are being difficult or are in denial. Often it is because they simply have become unable to be aware of their impairments—in part due to their loss of rational … Read more

stream of melt water with big rocks | the DAWN Method

Is Diagnosing the Specific Type of Dementia Important?

When I first start talking with families about a loved one who’s showing signs of dementia, they often are very concerned about what type of dementia their loved one might be developing. Sometimes families will spend a great deal of time and money on trying to identify exactly which form of dementia they are facing. … Read more