The Disappearing Mind Podcast

What happens when a son who's been estranged from his mother for years gets a call from her bank manager saying something's wrong? In this powerful first episode of our new four-part series examining how dementia reshapes relationships, Host Dawn Platt sits down with Jonathan, a married father of two who never imagined he'd become his mother's caregiver. When dementia struck during COVID, Jonathan made the life-altering decision to...

Falls don't have to be inevitable, and the solution is simpler than you think. In this powerful finale to our January Wellness Series, Host Dawn Platt welcomes back Dr. Brittany Tallhamer, a physical and occupational therapist who has witnessed firsthand how movement can transform lives at any age or stage of dementia. Brittany shares the shocking truth about what happens when we stop moving, reveals how one bedbound patient walked...

Your brain has a built-in protection system called cognitive reserve, and the latest research shows you can strengthen it at any age. In this fourth episode of our January Wellness Series for Brain Health, Host Dawn Platt reveals how simple daily activities can build your brain's resilience against cognitive decline. From morning mental challenges to evening reflection practices, Dawn shares evidence-based strategies that go beyond...

In this third episode of our "New Year, Stronger Mind & Body: January Wellness Series for Brain Health," Host Dawn Platt welcomes back National Director of Celebrations and Fitness Tamara Bowen to explore the powerful connection between nutrition and cognitive health. Discover why nearly 30% of adults over 65 face diabetes-related cognitive decline, learn simple hydration hacks that can reverse confusion in seniors, and hear in...

What if protecting your brain health was just as important as protecting your heart? In this second episode of our “New Year, Stronger Mind & Body: January Wellness Series for Brain Health,” Host Dawn Platt reveals why dementia isn't an inevitable part of aging, and what you can do right now to build your brain's natural defense system. Discover the surprising lifestyle habits that can strengthen your cognitive reserve at any a...

Is it too late to transform your brain health? Absolutely not. In this energizing premiere of Healthy Body, Engaged Mind: January Wellness Series for Brain Health, host Dawn Platt welcomes wellness expert Tamara Bowen to shatter the myth that fitness and movement are out of reach for aging adults. Discover why washing dishes, tending a garden, and even folding laundry are powerful tools for building cognitive reserve, and why you d...

Join Host Dawn Platt and guest Regina Trent, a senior memory care director, for the third episode in our holiday series, "Dementia & the Holidays: Support, Stories & Solutions," as they explore how to rediscover the magic of the holidays when dementia changes everything you once knew.

Regina shares how families can let go of past expectations and create new traditions that bring genuine joy – from decorating trees and wreath...

In Episode 2 of Dementia & the Holidays: Support, Stories & Solutions, host Dawn Platt welcomes Dr. Brent P. Forester, geriatric psychiatrist at Tufts University School of Medicine and co-author of The Complete Family Guide to Dementia. Dr. Forester reveals a truth every caregiver needs to understand: dementia isn't just a diagnosis—it's a family disease that reshapes relationships, finances, and daily life in ways no other...

Welcome to the first episode of our holiday series, Dementia & the Holidays: Support, Stories & Solutions! Host Dawn Platt sits down with Regina Trent, a Senior Memory Care Director, to tackle one of the season's toughest questions: What do you give someone you love who's living with dementia? From re-gifting a beloved scarf that sparked pure joy to making playlists that unlock forgotten memories, this conversation is packe...

Every behavior tells a story – but are you listening? In this powerful episode, the fourth and final in our Alzheimer's Awareness Month series, Host and Dementia Coach Dawn Platt helps you crack the code on behavioral triggers in Alzheimer's and other dementias. Discover why agitation, wandering, and resistance aren't random acts of defiance, but desperate attempts to communicate unmet needs in a confusing world. Dawn shares her pr...

In this third episode of our Alzheimer's Awareness Month series, Host Dawn Platt takes you on an immersive journey through the mind of someone living with dementia to explore what a day is really like for them – from the disorienting confusion of waking up in the morning to the anxiety of sundowning at dusk. Experience the fear of not recognizing your own reflection, the struggle to put on a shirt, and the overwhelming panic of not...

Most people are surprised to learn that Alzheimer’s disease represents just one of more than 100 types of dementia. This staggering fact is often overlooked—and yet it has profound implications for diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life.

In the second episode of our Alzheimer’s Awareness Month series, Host Dawn Platt highlights why understanding the specific type of dementia is essential, not optional. Families often assume all d...

Join Dawn Platt as she kicks off a powerful series for National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, exploring the truth behind a disease that affects nearly 7 million Americans—and counting. This isn't just about forgetting where you put your keys. Discover why a grandmother who can recall her wedding day can't remember how to make her morning tea, learn the critical difference between normal aging and Alzheimer's, and find out wh...

With Veterans Day approaching, we're sharing information about a benefit that could change everything for families paying for dementia care. Millions of veterans and widows qualify for financial help with memory care costs—but most have no idea it exists. Host Dawn Platt sits down with Suzette Graham, CEO of Patriot Angels, to discuss a little-known VA benefit that could add thousands of dollars monthly to help cover care expenses....

If you're torn about whether to bring your loved one home from memory care this holiday season, feeling guilty about changing traditions, or wondering how to make the holidays special without overwhelming them—this episode is for you. Host Dawn Platt offers compassionate guidance on creating smaller, calmer gatherings that honor what matters most: connection over perfection. Learn practical modifications like timing visits when you...

Not all memory care programs are created equal—and if you're touring communities right now, you need to know what questions to ask. In this eye-opening episode, host Dawn Platt sits down with Maggie Mariello, a memory care director with over 25 years of experience to reveal why outdated programs fail those living with dementia today. From the shocking success story of a man who struggled at three communities before thriving with th...

What happens when the person you love most begins to disappear before they're truly gone? In this raw and powerful episode, host Dawn Platt sits down with Mary, whose mother's five-year journey with vascular dementia transformed their once-idyllic relationship into something unrecognizable. Mary opens up about the brutal reality of losing her best friend twice—first to the disease's cruel personality changes and accusations, then t...

What happens when a sophisticated scammer targets someone living with dementia? In this eye-opening episode of The Disappearing Mind, host Dawn Platt sits down with Mary, whose mother fell victim to a romance scam that evolved over four years—morphing from a fake military general to an impersonated celebrity. Mary shares the heartbreaking reality of watching her mother get manipulated, buy gift cards, and plan a new life in Italy w...

When a dementia diagnosis arrives, does the person disappear behind the label? In this powerful episode of The Disappearing Mind, host Dawn Platt challenges us to see beyond the diagnosis and recognize the vibrant human being who remains. Drawing from years of walking alongside remarkable individuals and families on the dementia journey, Dawn reveals how intellect, identity, and essence endure—often in surprising ways. From the ret...