Dignify Dementia

Background Statement

Dignify Dementia began with a daughter’s promise to her dad.

When my dad, Jim, was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia with Parkinsonism in 2018, our family entered a world filled with uncertainty, grief, and constant change. One of the first questions he asked was, “How can we help other people like me?” Even while facing a devastating terminal disease, he was thinking about others. My mom, his wife of 54 years, and I became his primary care partners, doing everything we could to help him remain at home, connected to the people he loved, and involved in his own life. His courage, generosity, and determination became the heart and soul of this work.

Drawing on my public health background and years of research experience, I created a personalized set of daily resources to give my dad greater comfort, structure, and control. These simple tools helped him stay anchored in the present and communicate more clearly with us and his healthcare providers. He used them nearly every day until two weeks before his death in early 2024. In his words, they helped him “make sense of things” and “keep some of the crazy out.” Seeing how much they helped him remain engaged, even as his cognitive and physical abilities declined, showed me that practical support could preserve meaningful moments of independence and dignity.

In September 2022, while my dad was still here to see his wish take shape, I founded Dignify Dementia. I created it to honor the promise I had made to him: that after helping him, I would find a way to help other people like him and other families like ours. Four years later, we carry that promise forward by supporting people living with dementia, their family members, other care partners, and professionals beside them with customizable Cognitive Wellness toolkits that encourage structure, independence, engagement, and self-empowerment. Completed in a person’s own handwriting, these practical resources offer a familiar guide throughout the day, create a record that can strengthen communication with care teams, and help reduce the risk of medical oversight.

Our impact extends beyond the toolkit. Through caregiver conversations, coaching sessions, support groups, educational resources, and expert-led programs, we are building the kind of compassionate community my family needed during our own journey; one where people feel understood, equipped, and less alone.

We cannot cure dementia or erase the heartbreak of the living loss that comes with it, but we can change how people experience the journey. We can replace some fear with clarity, some isolation with connection, and some loss of control with meaningful choice. We can create moments of calm, understanding, and confidence. Above all, we can honor the wisdom, individuality, and dignity of every person living with dementia.

Jim’s life continues to shape every person we serve. His legacy is our invitation: help us build a future in which every person affected by dementia feels seen, supported, valued, and empowered to thrive.