From Four Caregivers to a Community of Support: How April Henkel Is Making a Difference in Yancey County When April Henkel helped organize a dementia education workshop in Yancey County in 2022, she didn’t know it would grow into a support network for families across western North Carolina. At the end of that first workshop,…
For Cindy Thompson of Wake Forest, becoming a Dementia Alliance of North Carolina (DANC) Ambassador wasn’t about a distant cause. It was about the people she knew and cared for. Watching clients and friends navigate dementia and caregiving journeys, she saw firsthand how much they needed support and resources. When Cindy looked for ways to…
Join internationally recognized dementia care expert Teepa Snow and other leading professionals for an engaging, practical conference focused on supporting people living with cognitive changes and dementia. Designed for family caregivers, healthcare professionals, and community partners, this event will offer practical, evidence-based strategies that can be used throughout the dementia journey. Participants will learn more…
Most dementia caregiving begins without a roadmap. It’s learning as they go, balancing changing needs, difficult decisions, and the rest of everyday life. Kathy Montero of Apex knows that feeling well. Fourteen years ago, she and her husband were raising their children while caring for all four of their parents. Two had Alzheimer’s disease, and…
Dementia Alliance of North Carolina is thrilled to announce the addition of two exceptional professionals to our team: Lisa Hughes as Education & Outreach Manager and Lisa Webb as Senior Operations Manager. Both bring deep commitment to our mission, valuable professional expertise, and personal connections to dementia care. This expansion reflects our growth as an…
Many join the Ambassador Program because dementia has touched our lives personally. For Christie Gulledge of Graham in Alamance County, that journey began when her mother was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. Like many caregivers, Christie was looking for answers, resources, and support. What she found through the Dementia Alliance of North Carolina inspired her…
At Dementia Alliance of North Carolina, everything we do is about connection, helping caregivers feel seen, supported, and less alone. Sometimes, the most powerful way to do that is simply by sharing a story. This year, a group of dedicated volunteers stepped forward to do just that. They gave their time, their voices, and their…
On the first Tuesday of every month, in a room at Duplin County Senior Services, something steady and quiet has been happening since 1995. Chairs are pulled into a circle. Stories are shared. Sometimes there is laughter. Sometimes there are tears. Often, there is both. This is the Alzheimer’s/Caregiver Support Group of Duplin County –…
Dementia Alliance of North Carolina (DANC) is proud to share an important and exciting update. Lisa Levine has been appointed as our new Executive Director, marking a moment of continuity, confidence, and optimism for our organization and for families across North Carolina. Lisa is not new to DANC. In fact, her leadership journey with us…
As a local realtor, caregiver support group member, and proud supporter of Dementia Alliance of North Carolina (DANC), Mark Steward is more than just a familiar face in the community; he’s a passionate voice for families navigating the challenges of dementia. When Mark first found DANC, he was overwhelmed. His mom was living with him,…
Every year, the Dementia Alliance of North Carolina gathers supporters, caregivers, and community champions for a very special evening. On Saturday, September 20, 2025, we invite you to A Night to Remember, our annual gala held at the elegant Prestonwood Country Club in Cary. It’s more than a fundraiser—it’s a heartfelt celebration of hope, community,…
We are pleased to share that Lisa Levine, BS, CDP, has been appointed Interim Executive Director by the Dementia Alliance of North Carolina Board of Directors. Lisa Levine, BS, CDP, has served as Senior Director of Programs for Dementia Alliance of North Carolina since 2009. In her leadership role, she guides organizational strategy and operations…
A new partnership between BrightFocus Foundation’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research program and Dementia Alliance of North Carolina (DANC) will provide critical early support to an emerging investigator advancing exciting Alzheimer’s disease research in North Carolina. The organizations will co-fund a $300,000, three-year grant to Todd Cohen, PhD, associate professor at University of North Carolina at Chapel…
Caring for a loved one with dementia is a journey filled with challenges, uncertainty, and moments of deep connection. It’s a path that no one should have to walk alone. That’s why caregivers like Cris Charbonneau and Mark Steward have found strength in the Dementia Alliance of North Carolina (DANC)—and why they are stepping up…
For over 20 years, Accepting the Challenge has been a beacon of hope and knowledge for care partners. Now, we’re thrilled to introduce a new chapter in this journey—a fully online version of this groundbreaking program, designed to make essential training more accessible than ever! From DVDs to Digital: A Modern Solution What started as…
After six and a half years of dedicated service, our Executive Director, Heather Hooper, has made the bittersweet decision to transition out of her role with Dementia Alliance of North Carolina this May. As she steps away from her full-time role, Heather looks forward to spending more time with her family and continuing to support…
Dementia Alliance annually awards the Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Research Grant to early career scientists and researchers in North Carolina who are focusing on studying issues related to dementia care, treatment, and disease understanding and prevention. The Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Research Grant is made possible by our generous partners Guardian Angel Thrift and together we are…
Dementia Alliance of North Carolina Welcomes Our New Board Members Dementia Alliance of North Carolina is pleased to announce the addition of four new members to our Board of Directors. Each of them brings a unique blend of skills, experience, and passion that will undoubtedly enrich our mission and propel us forward in our efforts…
by Dr. Kathleen Coates, Au.D., CCC-A, F-AAA There has been a great deal of research from 2015 to 2023 dedicated to investigating how hearing loss is connected with cognitive decline (dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc). Though some of my patients have told me that the results of this past research has caused them some nervousness, the newest research…
Erica Frechman, PhD, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine has been awarded $100,000 for the 2023 Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Award by Dementia Alliance of North Carolina (DA-NC). The DA-NC research program aims to tackle vital issues in dementia science and caregiver support,…
By Lisa Levine On May 23-24, 2023, Dementia Alliance of NC launched our Inaugural Ambassador Program hosted by the Senior Enrichment Center in Moore County, NC. In this first cohort, 9 attendees, representing 3 counties, included volunteers and senior service providers who wanted more education and support for their communities. The launch included in-depth training…
by Dementia Alliance of NC Herlene is a remarkable woman from Harnett County who recently celebrated her 91st birthday. Herlene lives with dementia, and her devoted daughter, Fatine, cares for her at home. Herlene is a devout fan of gospel music and court show TV. Recently, her cherished CD player broke, leaving her without the…
by Dementia Alliance of NC At Dementia Alliance of NC, we know by the increasing number of requests for our services that the number of caregivers in North Carolina is rising rapidly. We are also seeing more requests from a younger and more diverse populations as increasing numbers of Gen Z and millennials like Porche…
Dementia Alliance of North Carolina’s Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Research Grant Announced! Dr. Giulia Fragola, Research Associate in Dr. Todd Cohen’s lab in the UNC Department of Neurology, has been awarded $100,000 for the 2022 Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Award by Dementia Alliance of North Carolina for her project entitled “Tau depletion via…
A Focus on Brain Health Research in the African American Community by Latorius Adams, MS, Social/Clinical Research Coordinator As we celebrate Black History Month, it is good to keep in mind a sobering statistic. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, African Americans are two to three times more likely than whites to develop dementia. They are…
Navigating My Mom’s Dementia By Felicia Coleman I’m a firm believer that anything you go through in life, good or bad, there is a lesson to be learned. It is either for our own elevation or to motivate and uplift someone else. I often contemplate how one such lesson presented itself, albeit devastating, it also…
Navigating a dementia diagnosis can bring families together if they work toward a common set of goals. Or it can create more stress than is already present if families are at odds with how care is provided. Remember, Mom or Dad put the family first for years, so the goal is to make THEM the…
Navigating Ambiguous Loss & Grief By Dementia Alliance of NC Your loved one is there. Your loved one is NOT there. They may be sitting right next to you, looking in your eyes, but they are no longer present in quite the same way as before. This roller coaster of absence and presence common to…
Support Group Leader Spotlight: Dale Krech and Pat Soler By Dale Krech Pat and I co-facilitate a twice-monthly support group for caregivers in the Sandhills area. Previously, in California, each of us had taken care of loved ones for about 10 years. Pat’s mother had elder dementia and lived with her and my wife was…
Preparing for Family Events by Dementia Alliance of NC Whether it’s a holiday, mother’s day, a wedding or graduation, small changes such as timing an event around your person’s best time of day or limiting the number of guests can make the experience better for everyone! Don’t get so involved in the plans you forget…
by Rosalind Scott This year Dementia Alliance of North Carolina highlighted two of its book club care partners in honor of Black History Month. Caregiving for someone can be overwhelming, no matter the care needed. However, statistics have proven that caring for an individual with a Dementia/Alzheimer’s diagnosis is twice as overwhelming and challenging. We…
By Kathy Montero In parts one and two of “The 3 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Became a Caregiver,” I shared strategies for pacing yourself for the care-giving marathon and expanding your support network. In this third and final piece, I hope to impart the significance of finding joy through humor. As caregivers,…
3 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Became a Caregiver… by Kathy Montero Part 2 In part one of The 3 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Became a Caregiver series, I shared that caregiving is a marathon, not a sprint. Setting priorities and re-evaluating activities that are either no longer feasible nor…
By Kathy Montero PART ONE: Several years ago, when our youngest child was only 3, my husband and I found ourselves suddenly responsible for caring for all four of our aging parents within a 6-month period. Each of us had a parent with ‘yet to be diagnosed’ Alzheimer’s Disease and when the other parental half…
By Jessie Hrivnak In early 2020 my Dad was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. It was not a term that I had heard before and knew very little about the disease. I quickly learned the impact that Lewy Body Dementia would have not only on my Dad, but on our family as a whole –…
by Michelle Colgate The shadow of doubt in my father’s eyes, the inability to find the right word, losing his way home from the grocery store and forgetting that his wife had died: these events are quick snapshots of the impact that dementia had on my father. Dementia’s slow creep of darkness took my father’s…
By Scott Yates Sometimes I feel overwhelmed as the caregiver for my wife with Alzheimer’s. With Dementia Alliance of N.C., I know I am not alone. Help surrounds me in the community. I am blessed to be able to work from home and care for my wife. When the pandemic struck, we adapted. All was…
by Latorius Adams, MHS Caregiving is a universal occupation and at some point in our lives, we all hold this unpaid position. In small dosage it is manageable, however, juggling competing caregiving demands with the demands of your own life on a daily basis can be quite a challenge. Caring for a person with a…
2021 Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Research Grant Announced! Dementia Alliance of North Carolina is pleased to announce the winner of the 2021 Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Research Grants. James R. Bateman, MD, MPH, of Wake Forest University Health Sciences will be awarded $100,000 for his project titled “Autonomic Biomarkers of Mild Behavioral Impairment…
Written by Ryleigh Jasmin for dementianc.org More than six million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, and there are several more with other types of dementia. In fact, dementia deaths have increased by 16% since the pandemic started, yet even before COVID-19, caring for this particular demographic was always a challenging task. Add COVID-19’s social distancing and…
Helping individuals with hearing loss live happier, more involved lives Submitted by Dr. Angela Bright Pearson, Audiologist Bright Audiology www.brightaudiology.com My mother has had dementia over the last 10 years; so, I know firsthand how challenging dementia is for patients and their family members. No one knows how difficult it is for a dementia patient…
Tube Feeding in People Living with Dementia Melanie Bunn, RN, MS, GNP Food is one of the most powerful ways we show love and affection for each other. We meet friends for lunch or coffee, remember fondly special family and holiday meals, and celebrate rites of passage with traditional recipes. From the moment of…
On the 1st day of Holiday Caregiving… Enjoy making memories. Don’t get so involved in the plans you forget the point of the activity or event. The experience may not be like it used to be (especially this year) but you can still find the magical moments, the moments of joy. Especially for the person…
The Holidays Will Look Different So it’s mid-November and we are all starting to think about “the holidays.” This year, no matter where you are and no matter who you are, the holidays will look different. Whether it’s a full turkey dinner socially distanced outside or a TV tray with your favorite take-out in front…
Presented by Dementia Alliance of North Carolina, Transitions LifeCare, Transitions GuidingLights, and Alzheimer’s Association. Like so many other conferences and events these days, the annual Caregivers Summit will move from multiple in-person events to one virtual event, scheduled for October 22, 2020. “For more than 10 years, the Caregivers Summit has been an in-person event where…
Dementia Alliance of North Carolina is pleased to announce two winners of the 2020 Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Research Grants. The grantees, from Duke University and Wake Forest University, will both receive $100,000 over the next two years. The purpose of Dementia Alliance’s research program is to address important issues ranging across a…
The Changing Face of Grief and Loss in a Time of a Global Health Crisis By Ashleigh Abercrombie, LCSW Account Liaison, Heartland Hospice Grief and loss are present for most of us regularly, ranging from the loss of a loved one through death to losing our job or even the loss associated with a child…
Medication Management by Latoya Galberth Recently at Galberth Health we’ve had an influx of occupational therapy inquiries from caregivers and family members wanting to know how to increase medication compliance for their loved one. We know that managing medication, and doing so accurately, is just as important as maintaining a proper diet and exercise regimen.…
Strong, Smart Role Model for Many By Amy Cipau Our Mom, Virginia Maness, was a Mother of 4, married to my Dad for 59 years before his death. She was born and raised in N.C., one of 12 children. She was also a loving grandmother and aunt. As a registered nurse, she was a natural…
True Unequivocal Love By Skylar Edwards My grandparents were both strong-willed, young adults, who fell in love in the aftermath of WWII. My grandfather was a talented carpenter and electrician, who served his country in the South Pacific on the USS APA 168 Gage. He returned from the navy and met my grandmother who worked…
by Karen Hall My mom’s journey with Alzheimer’s was about 15 years. She was freed of the disease in September 2018 on the eve of hurricane Florence. My Mom, Joan Irene Hall, was always afraid of storms so my brothers, sister and I did not think it was ironic that she didn’t stick around for…
I’m Proud of Her Journey by Tim Murray My mother Emily Marie Doyle was born on June 29th, 1935 in the Bronx New York. My mother’s parents were John and Marie Krejci (100% Czechoslovakian). My Mom was an only child growing up on Kings Street in Greenwich Village, New Your City. My Grandfather John and…
In Memory of Mary Hansen by Susan Robson My mom had such a kind heart. She was so creative and gifted in many things, although she did not ever acknowledge her gifts. She had taken several candy making classes long ago. Then at Christmas time, she would create these enormous trays of assorted chocolates, caramels,…
My Journey with Alzheimer’s My Name is Gary Fuquay. My Mother was Proud, private, loving, extremely devoted Christian. A wonderful Mother. I have 3 siblings, all living in NC. My father died of cancer 10 years before Mom show signs of dementia. It was a short timeframe between diagnosis and his passing. 12 days. My…
This Mother’s Day we are honoring the legacy and memory of our mothers who have been impacted by dementia. Whether they lived with dementia or served as a caregiver for their family members, we know they often wrapped us in love. The memories we have with them live on within our hearts and through the…
Walking to Make a Difference By Christi Griffin Well, where do I begin? The hard journey of dementia began for my family in 2007. My mama discovered she was in the beginning stages of dementia, just a few months away from retirement. It was a difficult diagnosis for my family to accept. We felt so…
What Can Telehealth Do For You? Submitted by Cornelia M. Poer, MSW, LCSW Duke Geriatric Evaluation and Treatment Clinic COVID-19 has changed a lot in the world in a very short period of time. The changes seem to be happening so quickly that it is hard to keep up with them. In an effort to…
by Lisa Levine Whether you are looking for activities, things to do, or how to engage your loved one with dementia, staying both busy and purposeful is important for all of us. All humans need a purpose, need to help others, and need to be engaged with the world around them. Having dementia makes that…
Courage to Adapt By Sally Branson I just wanted to communicate how much Dementia Alliance means to me and our family. With Brian having Alzheimer’s and/or FTD at the age of 51 and now he is 54, we have seen a lot of changes in him pretty rapidly. I have twin boys that are 16…
Shared with permission from Spring Arbor Wilson Keeping in touch with your loved one who lives in a Care Community Social distancing and not visiting your loved one living in a Care Community can be extremely difficult. Some family members are used to visiting their loved ones every day. They were often the primary caregiver…
Butterflies are powerful representations of life. Around the world, in many cultures and faiths, the butterfly represents endurance, change, hope, and life. Direct care workers—formally classified as personal care aides, home health aides, and nursing assistants, but known in the field by a much broader array of job titles—provide assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) and…
Remain Calm and Make a Plan As the outbreak of Covid19 grows in communities across our country, it is imperative that we all remain calm, make informed preparations, and adjust short range plans to protect the health of our families and those we care for. As an organization constantly focused on the well-being of people…
Update as of 3/12/2020: After an in-depth thoughts and discussion with Dementia Alliance of North Carolina leadership and in an effort to support ongoing efforts to minimize the potential spread of COVID-19, we have made the decision to postpone ALL March trainings and workshops. Alternate dates will be communicated as they become available. We have…
Ron and Cherie Wilson of Durham were married on St. Patrick’s Day in 1986, and from that day on they were inseparable. Ron was an athlete in his younger days, and he loved sports, especially basketball, lacrosse and hockey. The two spent many hours together watching and attending games. Ron was so involved he became…
Crisis Intervention Teams – Officers Trained to Help by Lisa Levine Throughout North Carolina, law enforcement agencies, mental health professionals and advocates join in partnerships to establish Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT). CIT programs are programs that provide law enforcement officers the knowledge and skills they need to de-escalate persons in emergency crisis situations. CIT programs…
Announcing the Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Research Award April 24, 2019 (North Carolina) – Dementia Alliance of North Carolina is pleased to announce two winners of the Lina Mae Edwards Young Investigator Research Grants. The grantees, from Duke University and East Carolina University, will both receive $100,000 over the next two years. The purpose…
Empathy Through Art For those of us who have helped take care of someone with Dementia, we know how important it is to create and find moments of connection with our loved ones. But, as we watch them fade, it can be incredibly difficult to stay strong and not let our own pain distract us…
The Miraculous Mile! Yup, its just a mile! And its flat, straight, and on a protected street with no cars! Walk, run, bike, push someone else, rollerblade, skip, jump, moonwalk, use ski poles, whatever you like. Do the full ½ mile out & back, or a part. For someone living with dementia (or any chronic…
From Hurting to Helping When my dad was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2001, I was a freshman in college. He was only 54, and the idea that anyone so young could have this foreign-sounding disease seemed unfathomable. It was isolating for our family, for my dad and for me. Over the course of…
Actively Managing Your Stress… Your Brain Health Depends On It “It’s not the load that kills you, it’s the way you carry it.” – Lou Holtz. You’ve heard it before. It’s not the stress that gets you, it’s your reaction to it. But it’s not easy for most of us to just let go of…
2019 Sanford Dementia Caregiver Symposium 16 years! That is how long Dementia Alliance of North Carolina and the Enrichment Center of Lee County have been partnering to provide top-notch education and outstanding resources to dementia caregivers and the community-at-large. This year our Dementia Caregiver Symposium will be Tuesday April 16th at the recently renovated Dennis…
How Did I Get Here? …A view from the inside the “Sandwich Generation” “I hope everything is ok.” That’s what I think every single time I see Dad’s name on my phone. My mind races through the same series of questions that I never have answers to. Is Mom having one of those moments? Is…