Dementia

Alzheimer’s was taking her memory, so she started taking a new drug

Myra Solano Garcia, who has Alzheimer's, says the drug Kisunla may be one reason she can still drive, cook, and sing.

Did an Alzheimer’s drug give Sue and Ken Bell more time? Maybe

Sue Bell became one of the first Alzheimer's patients in the U.S. to receive the drug now marketed as Leqembi. Her husband isn't sure if it made a difference.

For one husband, caregiving came easier when he learned to ‘shut up and listen’

The advice helped him when his wife was sick with breast cancer. And now 20 years later, he still finds it's still invaluable while supporting her through dementia.

Healing Gardens

Many in the healthcare industry are touting the therapeutic value of healing gardens. The American Horticulture Therapy Association says that these specialized gardens are becoming increasingly common around the U.S. Among their benefits: stimulating memory and alleviating depression. Those are pluses that are especially helpful for a group of senior adults living at the Princeton Towers in Birmingham's Arlington-West End neighborhood. Gigi Douban has the story.

Home Mental Health Care

Each year millions of family members find themselves caring for the physical needs of a loved one at home. Often times, it can be frustrating, time consuming and confusing. However, if that family member also suffers from a mental illness, those feeling are magnified, and you can add frightening, bewildering and hopeless. Historically, the primary caregiver feels alone, with no one to talk to, no place to turn. But as Les Lovoy reports, there is hope for both the patients, and the primary care givers.