Treading Dark Waters - a Column by Ray Burow

Do you ever awaken in the wee hours of the morning and wish everything was back to normal? Do you covet the old days, before Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving? I suppose it’s natural. Who wouldn’t undo what’s been done? Who wouldn’t reverse the diagnosis that changed your loved one’s life,…

The U.S. gave a collective sigh of relief a few months ago with the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines, but it was apparently premature. Thankfully, we’re not reeling as we were when the virus first smacked us in the face, but reports of rising cases of variants have some retreating to…

Ignorance abounds, and sadly, ignorance surrounding caregiving is rampant. Before being a caregiver, I was ignorant, too, as most of us were. The definition of ignorance is “a lack of knowledge and information.” After being thrust into the caregiving role, it took time to get up to speed. Caregiving for…

Familial caregivers are supposed to advocate for loved ones, but a person with dementia may sometimes view a carer as an enemy. Perhaps “enemy” is too strong of a word, but some caregiving days are permeated by one battle after another. This gets old quickly for both parties. Who wants…

In a recent AARP survey, three out of four Americans ages 50 and older said they’d prefer to age in their own homes and communities rather than somewhere else. Frankly, it’s a bit surprising the number isn’t higher. While the majority of adults would like to live out their…

Three hundred and five billion! In 2020, that was the estimated cost for supporting Alzheimer’s care in the United States. Even with the contribution of unpaid caregivers, the cost is expected to rise to $1 trillion by 2050. Familial caregivers are making a huge contribution to the nation, paying…

The Alzheimer’s disease community received fantastic news last week. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Aside from the apparent reason, the approval of the drug Aduhelm (aducanumab) is encouraging because it’s been nearly two decades since a new treatment for the…

It’s finally happening. We’re digging our way out of a very long and dark tunnel as the U.S. begins to drop COVID-19 restrictions, mainly mask mandates. Also, deaths from the disease have declined here, and fewer people are falling ill from it. As of this writing, more than 61%…

Mental health is an issue that continues to raise concern in the United States. According to an annual report by the nonprofit organization Mental Health America, incidences of anxiety and depression have reached their highest level since the pandemic began last March. Americans are more isolated today than…

Dementia is potentially preventable in more than a third of reported cases, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. This is encouraging, and also surprising. It is hopeful news for anyone who suffers from dementia and for the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. The fact that dementia is preventable may surprise most,…