There are many causes of dementia. Some are reversible and will be ruled out before the more serious, irreversible causes are diagnosed.

If your loved one is diagnosed with one of the irreversible, progressive forms of dementia, how do you know if and when they are ready for palliative care or hospice? Here are a few resources to help you as you make that decision.

Palliative Care for Dementia

Causes of Dementia in the Palliative Care Setting

About Alzheimer's

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The March/April edition of Caregiver Magazine ran an interview with Richard M. Cohen, an Emmy award winning television producer and best-selling author, and his wife Merideth Vieira, co-host of the Today Show on NBC. Richard has first hand experience living with chronic illness, having had multiple sclerosis for over 25 years and having battled colon cancer. Meredith has first hand experience as a caregiver of a loved one with a chronic illness. Together, their perspective on dealing with chronic illness is inspiring.

Richard has written and released two books: the first book, Blindsided, chronicled his battle with chronic illness and celebrates his accomplishments at overcoming adversity and his latest book, Strong at the Broken Places, chronicles the lives of five "citizens of sickness" who are battling various chronic illnesses.

In the Caregiver interview, Richard and Meredith encourage patients and families to rely on their family and friends for help, and to not feel embarrassed by asking for it. They also urge patients and caregivers to be responsible for their own care and to not give the doctor too much undue power. As Richard put it, "I think that people give doctors too much power. I laugh when I hear the phrase “doctor’s orders” because I don’t think of anything a doctor says to me as an order; I think of it as a suggestion."

Richard's advice to patients and their caregivers is to believe in themselves. "I think that people sell themselves short. People have a reservoir of strength and resilience that is invisible to them. It’s something that they cannot see, but it’s available to them and I think that if people believe in themselves and their strength a little bit more, the rest can fall into place."

Read the full interview in Caregiver Magazine

Visit Richard Cohen's website www.strongatthebrokenplaces.com

Caregiver Information and Tips (C.I.T.s)

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_{Meredith Vieira and husband author Richard M. Cohen, with their children Gabriel, Millie and Ben}

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