Blog

‘Tis the Season for Family Gatherings At our Dementia Together SPECAL® (pronounced “speckle”) classes and workshops, we discuss how loved ones with dementia sometimes withdraw or become agitated during family gatherings.  The assumption is often made, “it’s just part of the disease.”  At Dementia Together, we...

At Dementia Together, we have the privilege of facilitating a care partner support group-both in-person and online. Deep friendships have formed. Grief is shared. Practical strategies are discussed. And joy abounds so that people who attend feel better when they leave than when they arrive. Our friends feel seen. They feel heard. They feel...

[caption id="attachment_9829" align="aligncenter" width="281"] "Home isn't always a Place is it?"[/caption] At our Dementia Together support groups, classes, and workshops, we share strategies based on the SPECAL® Method, a simple, family-driven approach rooted in person-centered care.  This method employs tools and mantras that take into...

At Dementia Together, we have investigated many approaches to dementia care however, Door Dash is a new one for us.  We continue to primarily share the simple method called SPECAL® (pronounced “speckle,” developed by the Contented Dementia Trust in the UK).  Our classes, workshops, and...

We recently reached capacity of guests at the beautiful Sweet Heart Winery for our Dementia Together Joy on the Journey first “official” fundraising event.  We more than met our match to help us sustain and grow our services, and for a couple sweet...

-Except for a few minutes every year, most people FORGET about groundhogs. -Groundhogs are sometimes called other names but that DOESN'T CHANGE WHO THEY ARE. -Groundhogs are good at burrowing and hiding or even biting when they feel threatened. Sometimes they are surprisingly agile to swim or...

At a recent care partner Dementia Together SPECAL® workshop, we discussed how loved ones with dementia sometimes withdraw or become agitated during family gatherings.  The assumption is often made, “it’s just part of the disease.” At Dementia Together, we agree: Withdrawal or expressions of agitation are...

Christmas is 5 months away and yet I woke up today hearing the voice in my head of my choir directing mom singing,  “I Wonder as I Wander.”   I joined in singing the song myself. I get to work with people who are too often labeled as...

After Anthony Hopkins won the 2021 Oscar for best actor in THE FATHER, our Dementia Together team figured we’d better view the film.  It was as promised: Creatively compelling and hopelessly heart-breaking---everything the cultural tragedy narrative around dementia would have us believe is inevitable and...

KAREN GARNER: Dementia expert trains Loveland PD officers after violent arrest | FOX31 Denver (kdvr.com) The Loveland Police Department completed the online "Approaching Alzheimer's" education and some of the officers wanted additional more indepth education.   As a result, the crisis negotiations team contacted me to help. ...