<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Greg Rowland's Alzheimer's Journey ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Living with Alzheimer's: A Blog by Greg Rowland]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!peRF!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F266da08a-a348-4054-8578-8291d043aad4_1024x1024.png</url><title>Greg Rowland&apos;s Alzheimer&apos;s Journey </title><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 03:54:00 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Rowjera Holdings Inc]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[adat68@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[adat68@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[adat68@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[adat68@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[The Fight for the Spark: Why I Research, Write, and Defy Alzheimer's Every Day]]></title><description><![CDATA[October 12, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/the-fight-for-the-spark-why-i-research</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/the-fight-for-the-spark-why-i-research</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2026 18:42:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!peRF!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F266da08a-a348-4054-8578-8291d043aad4_1024x1024.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The essay I <a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/errors-oversights-and-the-profit">published</a> last Saturday titled, &#8220;Errors, Oversights, and the Profit Motive: The Frustrating Evolution of Alzheimer&#8217;s Research,&#8221; ignited an energetic and fascinating discussion in the Alzheimer&#8217;s Reddit community. Anytime Alzheimer&#8217;s patients and caregivers discuss lecanemab and donanemab there will be differences of opinion. </p><p>Just as Alzheimer&#8217;s affects patients differently, so do the two monoclonal antibody drugs. Lecanemab and donanemab are controversial Alzheimer&#8217;s therapies. During the discussion, someone (u/AntiqAndroi7) commented to me, &#8220;What you have been doing is one of the best ways to slow down the progress. It works in many patients that I've worked with. Better than any drugs or treatments.&#8221; The Redditor was referring to my advocacy, research, and writing. The comment included this famous quote: <strong>"keep the neurons sparking, that keeps the plaques from accumulating"</strong>. </p><p>The quote is famously delivered by <a href="https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fm%2F091f53&amp;q=Chlo%C3%AB+Grace+Moretz%27s">Chlo&#235; Grace Moretz's</a> character, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fg%2F11rbyhvvt6&amp;q=Flynne+Fisher">Flynne Fisher</a>, in the sci-fi television series <a href="https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fg%2F11ngt8bq_f&amp;q=The+Peripheral">The Peripheral</a>. In the show, she uses this phrase to describe how keeping her mother's brain active helps fight off the progression of her Alzheimer's disease.</p><p>Something about the quote seemed off or incorrect to me. As someone who studies the brain and Alzheimer&#8217;s with zero medical training, I could easily be confused. Or, my Alzheimer&#8217;s brain could be messing with me. I decided to dig a bit and see if the quote is neurologically correct. </p><p>In the May 1, 2011 edition of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nn.2801">Nature Neuroscience</a>, there is an article titled &#8220;Neuronal activity regulates the regional vulnerability to amyloid-&#946; deposition". This article points out that in a healthy brain, mental stimulation <em>does</em> clear plaques, but the physiological act of neurons "sparking" actually <em>increases</em> the production of the raw material that makes those plaques. I suppose the Flynne Fisher quote is actually a paradox. </p><p>The science behind this complex relationship breaks down into three key mechanics:</p><p><strong>1. The Paradox of the &#8220;Spark&#8221;: Activity Drives Production</strong></p><p>When neurons fire (or "spark"), they communicate across synapses. This synaptic activity naturally triggers the release of <strong>amyloid-beta (A&#946;) peptides</strong> into the surrounding interstitial fluid.</p><ul><li><p>Research has demonstrated that hyperactive brain regions like the <strong><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10682457/">default mode network (DMN)</a>, </strong>which is highly active during idle thought, accumulate the highest concentrations of amyloid plaques over time. This process can happen years before an Alzheimer&#8217;s diagnosis. </p></li><li><p>Conversely, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3102784/">studies</a> blocking sensory input drastically <em>reduce</em> the formation of plaques in that area.</p></li></ul><p><strong>2. The Power of &#8220;Sparking&#8221;: Cognitive Reserve and Glial Cleanup</strong></p><p>If neuronal activity creates the building blocks of plaques, why do doctors recommend puzzle-solving, learning, and mental engagement? The answer lies in <strong>how the brain clears waste and builds resilience</strong>:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Upregulating Microglia and Astrocytes:</strong> Mental engagement increases blood flow and metabolic demands in the brain. This activates support cells like <strong><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3102784/">astrocytes and microglia</a></strong>, which act as the brain&#8217;s internal cleanup crew, physically engulfing and destroying toxic amyloid aggregates before they can clump into rigid plaques. </p></li><li><p><strong>Cognitive Reserve:</strong> While keeping the <a href="https://www.alzinfo.org/articles/diagnosis/how-brain-plaque-affects-your-memory/">brain active might not entirely halt the accumulation of plaques</a>, it builds denser neural networks. This &#8220;cognitive reserve&#8221; allows a patient to maintain normal cognitive function and keep processing thoughts smoothly even if some plaque accumulation is present.</p></li></ul><p><strong>3. The Ultimate Neural Wave: Gamma Entrainment</strong></p><p>In recent years, neuroscientists have discovered that a specific kind of unified &#8220;sparking&#8221;, specifically <strong>gamma frequency brain waves (40 Hz)</strong> - is incredibly powerful at clearing plaques.</p><ul><li><p>When large networks of neurons sync up and pulse together at 40 Hz (which can be triggered naturally through intense cognitive tasks, or artificially using specialized light and sound stimulation), it acts like a physical pump for the brain&#8217;s waste system.</p></li><li><p>This rhythmic firing dramatically recruits microglia to clear out existing amyloid plaques and improves the brain&#8217;s <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4694579/">glymphatic clearance system</a>, flushing the toxins out of the brain tissue.</p></li></ul><p>I appreciate u/AntiqAndroi7 encouraging me to keep up the hard work. I spend between four and six hours every day studying and writing. I bet the combination of mental engagement, walking at least a mile every day, and eating salmon frequently will keep my own plaques at bay. <strong>And that daily mental engagement is precisely why I pour myself into this keyboard, even as navigating the financial realities of this disease becomes a distinct uphill battle.</strong></p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p><strong>The Financial Realities</strong></p><p>I absolutely despise asking for financial help. I much prefer to roll up my sleeves and create something of value that customers purchase. That is what I did my entire life as an entrepreneur. </p><p>Unfortunately, my Alzheimer&#8217;s disease limits the work I can do now. Surprisingly, the work I can do is using my brain to conduct scientific research and write. </p><p>For as long as I have been writing this blog, I have not been able to successfully monetize it. It certainly is not for a lack of trying!</p><p>Linda and I kicked around a few ideas over the weekend. We continue to believe $5/month is a fair price for the value the blog delivers. If we add a paid option, there has to be an added benefit. Of course, the basic blog will always be free. We have not settled on the extra benefit for paid subscribers. Maybe, Big Bit and I can produce a storytelling video each month. We can discuss salmon recipes, favorite cat treats, and ice cream reviews.</p><p>The easier path forward is voluntary donations. There are several subscribers who donate generously once per year as opposed to a monthly $5 donation. Stripe is set up for recurring monthly donations.</p><p>I know the economy is in the toilet for most Americans. Groceries, fuel, and ice cream prices have skyrocketed since the Iran War began. If you can, please donate a minimum of $5/month to support my writing.</p><p>Linda, the cats (Big Bit, Lola, and Bella), and I appreciate any support you can provide. </p><p>Thank you.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/7sY6oI15G3tK8cPeumbwk0e&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;$5 per month&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/7sY6oI15G3tK8cPeumbwk0e"><span>$5 per month</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/8x200keWw6FWdx9gCubwk0f&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;$25 per month&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/8x200keWw6FWdx9gCubwk0f"><span>$25 per month</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/00wdRa01C1lC3Wzdqibwk0g&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;$50 one time donation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/00wdRa01C1lC3Wzdqibwk0g"><span>$50 one time donation</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/bJe00k3dO4xOdx92LEbwk0h&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;$250 per year&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/bJe00k3dO4xOdx92LEbwk0h"><span>$250 per year</span></a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Alzheimer’s Roller Coaster]]></title><description><![CDATA[October 11, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/the-alzheimers-roller-coaster</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/the-alzheimers-roller-coaster</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2026 16:44:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg" width="396" height="505" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!90Y-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cdc0f6-0678-48fc-9d58-6dc005b5614b_396x505.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><p>398 days. That is the number of days since my Alzheimer&#8217;s disease diagnosis. </p><p>My journey since September 8, 2025, has been akin to riding a roller coaster that will never return to its starting point. This roller coaster has an occasional peak as it proceeds on a steady downward trajectory. There are many twists and turns with surprises around every curve. </p><p>While the downward slope is gradual today, at any moment my roller coaster will make a severe downward movement. As my roller coaster heads sharply downward, the speed is expected to increase exponentially.</p><p>As a child, I was fearful of roller coasters. I was afraid of the height, the speed, and the rapid movement through the turns. Today, I fear my roller coaster because I know when it stops, my life has stopped.</p><p>Until my roller coaster makes its final turn, I must seek joy in the occasional peaks, hold on tight for the sudden drops, and rest while the coaster is coasting.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wQ01CaWc1Orae6bwk0d&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Support Greg's Writing&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wQ01CaWc1Orae6bwk0d"><span>Support Greg's Writing</span></a></p><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Errors, Oversights, and the Profit Motive: The Frustrating Evolution of Alzheimer’s Research]]></title><description><![CDATA[October 10, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/errors-oversights-and-the-profit</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/errors-oversights-and-the-profit</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:25:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!peRF!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F266da08a-a348-4054-8578-8291d043aad4_1024x1024.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>A patient&#8217;s perspective on the frontlines of amyloid treatments, real-world side effects, and the costly path of trusting the medical establishment.</strong></p><p><strong>By Greg Rowland</strong></p><p>From my perspective as an early-stage Alzheimer&#8217;s disease patient, the evolution of Alzheimer&#8217;s research and treatment options is a frustrating and costly experience. Why have the scientific and medical communities made so many mistakes understanding the disease and how to best treat it?</p><p>I can&#8217;t answer that question with a definitive answer.</p><p>In 1907, Alois Alzheimer noticed &#8220;one or several fibrils&#8221; in the center of an otherwise almost normal cell in the brain of a deceased woman. Prior to her death, Auguste D. exhibited symptoms like those of modern-day Alzheimer&#8217;s patients. In addition to the fibrils, Alois Alzheimer found &#8220;numerous small miliary foci,&#8221; or what are now called plaques, in the cell&#8217;s outer layers. Alzheimer declared that &#8220;we have to face a peculiar disease process.&#8221;</p><p>One hundred and nineteen years later, there remain a myriad of unanswered questions about Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. In fact, the cause of Alzheimer&#8217;s is unknown. Since the cause is unknown, a cure is not available. Drugs designed to slow the progression of the disease are only modestly effective. These drugs, lecanemab and donanemab, are expensive and they carry high risks.</p><p>Duke Health recently released a <a href="https://corporate.dukehealth.org/news/real-world-study-provides-new-insights-safety-new-alzheimers-drug">study </a>of 230 Alzheimer&#8217;s patients treated with lecanemab. The study found 79% of patients who started lecanemab treatment were able to continue it, and the 21% who discontinued the drug did so mostly due to adverse events. The most closely watched side effect, which involves brain swelling or bleeding, commonly referred to as Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIA), occurred in 24.3% of the 230 patients.</p><p>&#8220;This is about buying time in a disease that takes it away,&#8221; Andrew (Andy) Liu, M.D., associate professor in the departments of Neurology and Pathology at Duke University School of Medicine said. &#8220;And our real-world experience shows that with careful risk-benefit assessments, time can be gained by many patients.&#8221;</p><p>Based on the landmark Phase 3 Clarity AD clinical trial<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a>, lecanemab slows the clinical progression of early Alzheimer&#8217;s disease by 27% over a period of 18 months when compared to a placebo. On average, 27% equates to a 5.3-month delay in cognitive and functional decline compared to those who did not take the drug.</p><p>I received 18 lecanemab infusions at Duke Health between October 2025 and June 2026. Duke stopped my infusions at the midpoint of the full regimen due to persistent adverse effects. My frequent chills and shivers were nearly intolerable. I wasted time and money with no slowing of the disease.</p><p>For decades, scientists believed amyloid plaque was at the center of Alzheimer&#8217;s. The theory is if you remove amyloid plaque, Alzheimer&#8217;s progression slows. Lecanemab and donanemab were designed based on this theory. Recent research has turned the so-called &#8220;amyloid hypothesis&#8221; on its head. It is now believed that there are multiple causes of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease.</p><p>I believe the ultimate Alzheimer&#8217;s therapy will be both individualized and a combination of drugs. Sadly, that ultimate therapy is likely decades away.</p><p>In the meantime, patients like me are suffering. Our families and friends are suffering alongside us. The suffering is not limited to the actual disease symptoms; the financial and societal impact can be devastating.</p><p>I have spent the past year learning everything a layperson can learn about Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. With my new knowledge, I believe the entire community of Alzheimer&#8217;s researchers, physicians, and pharmaceutical companies have a role in the errors, oversights, and misunderstandings of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease.</p><p>Of course, progress toward effective treatment and maybe a cure has been made. From a patient perspective, it is too little. It has been 119 years since Alois Alzheimer declared Alzheimer&#8217;s a disease.</p><p>Heather Whitson, M.D., co-author of the recent Duke Health study and co-director of the Duke &amp; UNC Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease Research Center says, &#8220;We at Duke are on the leading edge of generating real-world evidence and AI tools to help you and your doctor make the right personalized medicine choice for you and improving safety for those who do go on treatment.&#8221;</p><p>I disagree with Dr. Whitson. My wife and I met with Duke Health in September 2025 to discuss my treatment options. Information on both lecanemab and donanemab was presented. Limited information about Alzheimer&#8217;s disease was provided to us. We felt an urgency to begin treatment to slow the progression of my disease. Ultimately, we trusted Duke Health&#8217;s counsel, and we decided to begin lecanemab infusions.</p><p>We closed our business in South Carolina and relocated to Chapel Hill so I would be near Duke Health for the biweekly infusions and related tests. Fast forward twelve months, and I am much worse off than if we had simply declined the lecanemab treatment and remained at our home in South Carolina. We are struggling financially. Stress exacerbates my depression, which is likely speeding the progression of my Alzheimer&#8217;s disease.</p><p>I believe a patient-focused approach is sorely needed. That focus should begin with allocating adequate public and private dollars for global research to find a cure for Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. The patient focus must continue with the pharmaceutical companies, the FDA, and the clinical providers. Is a profit motive inhibiting a true patient focus?</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p><strong>Where We Go From Here: Our Sustainability Plan</strong></p><p>Now that we have stabilized our living situation, Linda and I are taking the next big step on our journey. We want to earn our living using our own skills and talents, building long-term, independent financial sustainability. We are leveraging Linda&#8217;s formal fine art training and my background in corporate consulting, ghostwriting, and media production.</p><p>If you would like to help us launch this next chapter, your support would mean the world to us:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Donate to Our Sustainability Plan:</strong> <a href="https://gofund.me/ddd0a2da4">Go Fund Me</a></p></li><li><p><strong>Equip Our Journey:</strong> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3GKURZ8BXWFJZ?ref_=list_d_wl_lfu_nav_4">Amazon Wish List of Sustainability Items</a></p></li><li><p><strong>Learn More About Me and My Advocacy:</strong> <a href="https://www.gregoryrowland.com/">GregoryRowland.com</a></p></li></ul><p>Your support and friendship are deeply appreciated.</p><p></p></div><p></p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author as a patient and advocate and do not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.</p></div><p></p><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p>https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2212948</p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meeting People Where They Are: Dementia-Inclusive Design and the Cost of Public Monuments]]></title><description><![CDATA[October 9, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/meeting-people-where-they-are-dementia</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/meeting-people-where-they-are-dementia</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2026 16:24:55 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hello, friends.</p><p>Early this morning, I read an insightful <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/?highlightedUpdateUrn=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7509613622688473088&amp;highlightedUpdateType=SOCIAL_SHARE&amp;origin=SOCIAL_SHARE&amp;utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAELlYr4Bz7vHKW17iFtTEx0CVES7Cqax4yQ">article</a> on LinkedIn about how a United Kingdom-based company called <strong><a href="https://www.timelesspresents.com/">Timeless Presents</a></strong> designs specialized activity products for dementia patients. Their innovative design approach completely flips traditional models on their head: they focus entirely on the experience of the activity itself, without forcing a specific or rigid outcome. </p><p>According to their website, <strong><a href="https://timelesspresents.net/">Timeless Presents</a></strong> creates dementia-inclusive activity products specifically for care settings, families, and communities - and they even offer free shipping to North America. </p><p>The company&#8217;s co-founder, Sharon Daltrey, beautifully summarizes their philosophy:</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>&#8220;We make resources families and carers can pick up and use. The guidance that comes with our products is part of the resource. Our approach helps to slow down an interaction, offer an activity, and pay attention to what might matter. An activity can offer a way to begin without putting the person on the spot. It can make room for curiosity, touch, recognition, or shared attention.&#8221;</p></div><p>Because their products are built to invite different levels of response and participation based on an individual&#8217;s needs at any given moment, the goal is simple. As Ms. Daltrey notes, <em>&#8220;The point is to meet the person where they are and pay attention to what happens.&#8221;</em> <a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p><p><strong>Designed for Real Accessibility</strong></p><p>All of their products are intuitive and exceptionally user-friendly. By utilizing high-contrasting colors, they significantly enhance visual accessibility. Furthermore, the layouts ensure the activities remain fully visible within a reduced visual field, accommodating individuals who struggle with limited peripheral vision. </p><p>Beyond being reliable and effective, the company emphasizes sustainability by using environmentally friendly materials. While their primary UK storefront offers a sprawling catalog of interactive blocks, coloring books, and puzzles, the North American site currently features a curated selection of three items</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif" width="523" height="420" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:420,&quot;width&quot;:523,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:46173,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/avif&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/i/219586857?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s9Eb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a7012a0-5679-4fda-828b-52739b5a3f18_523x420.avif 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Among those available to North American buyers is the <strong>Curiosity Box</strong>, which retails for $53.49 USD. The site describes it as:</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p><em>&#8220;...a dementia-inclusive activity box, carefully designed for late-stage dementia care. It isn&#8217;t just a box of objects &#8212; it&#8217;s a selection of tactile items, nostalgic images and sensory prompts that support meaningful connection without pressure.&#8221;</em> </p><p></p></div><p>It is no surprise that <strong><a href="https://healthcarematters.uk/timeless-presents-designed-with-connection-in-mind">Timeless Presents</a></strong> has earned numerous awards for these thoughtfully designed tools. <em>(Note: I am not affiliated with Timeless Presents, nor am I being compensated for writing this review or for any products sold as a result of it.)</em></p><div><hr></div><p><strong>A Shift in Focus: From Modern Infrastructure to Historical Value</strong></p><p>Before moving on, a quick safety note: it looks like Hurricane Isaias is projected to make landfall along the United States Gulf Coast between Mississippi and Florida. If you live anywhere in the storm&#8217;s path, please take immediate precautions and stay safe.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hz_B!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffea5406d-2565-404e-968d-f17c956a55ff_1200x800.webp" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hz_B!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffea5406d-2565-404e-968d-f17c956a55ff_1200x800.webp 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hz_B!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffea5406d-2565-404e-968d-f17c956a55ff_1200x800.webp 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hz_B!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffea5406d-2565-404e-968d-f17c956a55ff_1200x800.webp 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hz_B!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffea5406d-2565-404e-968d-f17c956a55ff_1200x800.webp 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hz_B!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffea5406d-2565-404e-968d-f17c956a55ff_1200x800.webp" width="1200" height="800" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hz_B!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffea5406d-2565-404e-968d-f17c956a55ff_1200x800.webp 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hz_B!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffea5406d-2565-404e-968d-f17c956a55ff_1200x800.webp 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hz_B!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffea5406d-2565-404e-968d-f17c956a55ff_1200x800.webp 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hz_B!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffea5406d-2565-404e-968d-f17c956a55ff_1200x800.webp 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>With that on my mind, I leave you to ponder a bit of American history. On this exact day in 1888, the <strong>Washington Monument</strong> - originally designed by architect Robert Mills -officially opened to the public.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I8Vh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ecd9082-4f0b-4567-a02f-96ee875bfb87_300x300.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I8Vh!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ecd9082-4f0b-4567-a02f-96ee875bfb87_300x300.jpeg 424w, 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class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Constructed from more than 36,000 individual blocks of white marble and granite, it remains the world&#8217;s tallest stone structure and tallest obelisk. Remarkably, it stands held together entirely by gravity and friction&#8212;not a single ounce of mortar was used during its construction.</p><p>The total historical cost to build the monument was $1,187,710 in 19th-century currency. Factoring in the historical Consumer Price Index (CPI)&#8212;which shows average prices have risen by roughly 3,318% since its completion in 1884 - that equals approximately <strong>$40.6 million in 2026 dollars</strong>.</p><p>Of course, duplicating the Washington Monument today would cost exponentially more due to modern labor laws and strict structural safety standards. However, looking at contemporary spending priorities puts those numbers into a stark perspective.</p><p><strong>Prioritizing Public Dollars</strong></p><p>For comparison, current estimates for the Trump administration&#8217;s proposed 250-foot monument near Arlington National Cemetery - often dubbed the <strong><a href="https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2026-09-05/ali-trumps-vanity-arch-is-coming-its-no-triumph">&#8220;Great Triumphal Arch&#8221;</a></strong> or &#8220;Arc de Trump&#8221; - project construction costs to reach anywhere from $100 million to $250 million. While the Washington Monument towers at 555 feet, this proposed arch would be 250 feet tall - making it 305 feet shorter, yet vastly more expensive. </p><p>My amateur, back-of-the-napkin math makes me question why a single structural arch requires a quarter of a billion dollars. The reason I am so deeply tracking the progress of the <strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/21/trump-arch-washington-dc">Great Triumphal Arch</a></strong> is simple: I am looking closely at where our federal tax dollars are funneled. </p><p>Imagine if we pivoted. What if the best solution is to skip building the arch entirely, and instead route that <strong>$250 million directly into Alzheimer&#8217;s and dementia research</strong>? Could those funds be the key to unlocking a cure? <a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-2" href="#footnote-2" target="_self">2</a></p><p><strong>What do you think?</strong></p><p>Have a wonderful weekend, and please stay safe if Isaias is heading your way.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wQ01CaWc1Orae6bwk0d&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Donate To Support Greg&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wQ01CaWc1Orae6bwk0d"><span>Donate To Support Greg</span></a></p><p></p><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p>https://healthcarematters.uk/timeless-presents-designed-with-connection-in-mind</p></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-2" href="#footnote-anchor-2" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">2</a><div class="footnote-content"><p>https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2026-09-05/ali-trumps-vanity-arch-is-coming-its-no-triumph</p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Healthy Morning Walk (with a stop at Krispy Kreme)]]></title><description><![CDATA[October 7, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/a-healthy-morning-walk-with-a-stop</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/a-healthy-morning-walk-with-a-stop</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:48:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/219314726/9a108c9a6ce381ea56f1b27b34fbfefc.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wQ01CaWc1Orae6bwk0d&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Donate to Support Greg&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wQ01CaWc1Orae6bwk0d"><span>Donate to Support Greg</span></a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/MYEiq2Orblk">YouTube link</a> to the video.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Hidden Risks of Pseudomedicine]]></title><description><![CDATA[You can&#8217;t watch television, scroll Instagram, or look at Facebook without experiencing an advertisement for a magic cure for memory lapses, cognitive deficiencies, or even an Alzheimer&#8217;s reversal.]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/the-hidden-risks-of-pseudomedicine</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/the-hidden-risks-of-pseudomedicine</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2026 22:05:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!peRF!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F266da08a-a348-4054-8578-8291d043aad4_1024x1024.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You can&#8217;t watch television, scroll Instagram, or look at Facebook without experiencing an advertisement for a magic cure for memory lapses, cognitive deficiencies, or even an Alzheimer&#8217;s reversal. </p><p>The gap between marketing hype and medical reality when it comes to Alzheimer&#8217;s is staggering. My latest research report dives into the high-cost and hidden risks of pseudomedicine - from expensive jellyfish protein pills to $500 vitamin drips.</p><p>Relying on unproven cures doesn&#8217;t just drain savings; it delays legitimate care. Read the full breakdown of the data, prices, and FDA warning histories here.</p><p>&#128071; What unproven &#8220;miracle cures&#8221; have you seen targeted at the dementia community? Let&#8217;s discuss in the comments.</p><div class="embedded-post-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;id&quot;:218954425,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersresearchreport.com/p/the-rise-of-pseudomedicine-for-alzheimers&quot;,&quot;publication_id&quot;:9112908,&quot;embedding_publication_id&quot;:6270850,&quot;publication_name&quot;:&quot;Greg Rowland's Alzheimer's Research Report&quot;,&quot;publication_logo_url&quot;:&quot;https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g0G6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c516aff-47c1-48d8-a913-ee975d435519_768x768.png&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;The Rise of Pseudomedicine for Alzheimer&#8217;s and Brain Health - Part One&quot;,&quot;truncated_body_text&quot;:null,&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-10-05T21:26:39.774Z&quot;,&quot;like_count&quot;:0,&quot;comment_count&quot;:0,&quot;bylines&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:313923194,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Greg 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href="https://gregsalzheimersresearchreport.com/p/the-rise-of-pseudomedicine-for-alzheimers?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_campaign=post_embed&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;embedding_publication_id=6270850"><div class="embedded-post-header"><img class="embedded-post-publication-logo" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g0G6!,w_56,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c516aff-47c1-48d8-a913-ee975d435519_768x768.png"><span class="embedded-post-publication-name">Greg Rowland's Alzheimer's Research Report</span></div><div class="embedded-post-title-wrapper"><div class="embedded-post-title">The Rise of Pseudomedicine for Alzheimer&#8217;s and Brain Health - Part One</div></div><div class="embedded-post-cta-wrapper"><span class="embedded-post-cta">Read more</span></div><div class="embedded-post-meta">8 days ago &#183; Greg Rowland</div></a></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Fighting the Daily Weight of Depression]]></title><description><![CDATA[October 5, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/fighting-the-daily-weight-of-depression</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/fighting-the-daily-weight-of-depression</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:26:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TI6E!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F562f96ae-0f6f-4bd3-83ee-ce6b4eb22c14_452x678.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TI6E!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F562f96ae-0f6f-4bd3-83ee-ce6b4eb22c14_452x678.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TI6E!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F562f96ae-0f6f-4bd3-83ee-ce6b4eb22c14_452x678.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TI6E!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F562f96ae-0f6f-4bd3-83ee-ce6b4eb22c14_452x678.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TI6E!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F562f96ae-0f6f-4bd3-83ee-ce6b4eb22c14_452x678.jpeg 1272w, 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class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Hello, friends.</p><p>Over the past year, I have written extensively on depression and, specifically, the relationship between Alzheimer&#8217;s disease and depression. In an <a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/my-alzheimers-journey-629?utm_source=publication-search">article</a> posted June 3, 2026, I discussed ongoing research suggesting depression is both a risk factor and an early symptom of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease.</p><p><strong>Depression is a daily struggle for me. No matter what I do, I can&#8217;t overcome depression. </strong></p><p>I recently discovered a fellow Substack author, <a href="https://substack.com/@jakegoodmanmd">Dr. Jake Goodman</a>. He is a board-certified psychiatrist, mental health educator, and founder of Goodman Psychiatry. Interestingly, Dr. Goodman&#8217;s virtual practice specializes in caring for the mental health of healthcare workers. Many of his Substack articles and videos contain valuable information on depression, preventing dementia, and living a healthful life. </p><p>Dr. Goodman is half my age. One of my greatest mental struggles is my age. At 69 years of age, suffering with an incurable disease, what is the point of fighting the inevitable? Dr. Goodman has a characteristic that I once embraced - optimism. Sadly, my optimism has faded away. </p><p>I believe stopping Lecanemab infusions was a significant trigger for the reduction of optimism and the increase in depression. </p><p>In my opinion, Lecanemab is not an effective therapy to slow the progress of Alzheimer&#8217;s. Even for the low percentage of patients that experience positive results with Lecanemab, the time gained before Alzheimer&#8217;s kills you is small. Yet, Lecanemab gave me a degree of hope. The routine of going to Duke Specialty Infusion Center every two weeks kept me focused on hope.</p><p>I believe other contributing factors to the depression I suffer from are the following:</p><ul><li><p>personal income shortfalls</p></li><li><p>high rate of inflation making necessities unaffordable</p></li><li><p>moving to a new city</p></li><li><p>national and global politics</p></li></ul><p>Linda and I are working hard to address those factors. It is not an easy journey, though. The current high rate of inflation is most likely a major reason I rarely receive donations from this publication, subscriptions to my <a href="https://gregsalzheimersresearchreport.com/">research report</a>, and contributions to our <a href="https://gofund.me/e6254f6f6">Go Fund Me campaign</a>. I can&#8217;t blame anyone for taking a conservative stance with their personal finances during these uncertain times.</p><p>I had two experiences Saturday morning that gave me hope and a renewed sense of perspective. As I waited to board a bus for the short ride to a post office, a man also waiting for the bus greeted me with a cheerful &#8220;Good morning.&#8221; As we chatted, I learned that he is temporarily homeless. His outlook on life, his positive attitude, and his friendly personality showed me that just because life becomes difficult, you can still maintain hope.</p><p>After taking a package to the post office, I walked about a mile to a grocery store. A couple ahead of me at checkout were talking to the cashier about the rising cost of food. They told her they lived on Social Security, and it did not cover their living expenses. A myriad of emotions came over me as I listened to their conversation. Most importantly, the plight of this couple was deeply relatable.</p><p>Later today, I will walk around the community, work on implementing our <a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/sustainability-building-for-our-future">Sustainability Plan</a>, and take time to be still and reflect. I hope those activities help mitigate the depression I am fighting.</p><p>Please share your thoughts.</p><p>Thank you.</p><p><em>Greg</em></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wQ01CaWc1Orae6bwk0d&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Support Greg's Writing&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wQ01CaWc1Orae6bwk0d"><span>Support Greg's Writing</span></a></p><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Pills, Mice, and Mind Protection: Sorting Fact from Fiction in Cannabis Alzheimer’s Studies ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Current clinical evidence shows no indication that cannabis or CBD oil can cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease, though targeted compounds may help manage severe symptoms.]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/pills-mice-and-mind-protection-sorting</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/pills-mice-and-mind-protection-sorting</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2026 21:21:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!peRF!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F266da08a-a348-4054-8578-8291d043aad4_1024x1024.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Current clinical evidence shows no indication that cannabis or CBD oil can cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease, though targeted compounds may help manage severe symptoms. However, heavy cannabis use among older adults remains associated with a significantly increased risk of dementia. Read the full report at <strong><a href="https://gregsalzheimersresearchreport.com/p/paving-the-way-forward-how-smart">Greg Rowland's Alzheimer's Research Report</a></strong>.</p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Alzheimer’s Awareness Apparel Special]]></title><description><![CDATA[October 3, 2016]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/alzheimers-awareness-apparel-special</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/alzheimers-awareness-apparel-special</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2026 12:55:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!peRF!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F266da08a-a348-4054-8578-8291d043aad4_1024x1024.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RiBt!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RiBt!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RiBt!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RiBt!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RiBt!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RiBt!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp" width="260" height="280" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:280,&quot;width&quot;:260,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:10414,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/webp&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/i/218637255?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RiBt!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RiBt!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RiBt!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RiBt!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67478191-6787-4b1e-bcc0-be32e0e616a7_260x280.webp 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h1>20% discount when you buy two or more <a href="https://gregsazstore.com/collections/bella-canvas?srsltid=AU7gw4W4Ta8PI-RG6PJmduFduOvMeBazjK5VmB3rAondGM85UMy-nI1o">Bella+Canvas Alzheimer&#8217;s Awareness Apparel</a></h1><p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><div class="image-link image2" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ox_B!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0a3fdb4e-afbb-40eb-b777-e01a53ff89ae_887x143.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ox_B!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0a3fdb4e-afbb-40eb-b777-e01a53ff89ae_887x143.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ox_B!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0a3fdb4e-afbb-40eb-b777-e01a53ff89ae_887x143.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ox_B!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0a3fdb4e-afbb-40eb-b777-e01a53ff89ae_887x143.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img 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class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p>We believe that being different &#8212; embracing what truly makes you unique &#8212; is the key to meaningful self-expression. So we don&#8217;t just produce the highest quality apparel, manufactured in an eco-friendly, ethical way.</p><p>Doing things the right way has never been up for debate. BELLA+CANVAS has always been the solution for premium apparel with majority of our production taking place both here at home and near-shore. Because of our innovative supply chain, we&#8217;re minimally impacted by tariffs, and we have always been and will always be USA Strong.</p><p>Our commitment to ethical practices and global certifications have earned us FLA Accreditation and WRAP Certification, underscoring our dedication to our people and the planet. Only 30 companies globally have earned Fair Labor Accreditation. The FLA is an international network of companies, universities, and civil society organizations that ensure that millions of people working at the world&#8217;s factories and farms are paid fairly and protected.</p></div><p><strong>INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING IS AVAILABLE. CONTACT GREG BEFORE ORDERING</strong></p><p>Offer expires at 8:30 pm (EDT) Sunday, October 4.</p><p>Thank you for your support.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why You Need a Healthcare Advocate]]></title><description><![CDATA[October 2, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/why-you-need-a-healthcare-advocate</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/why-you-need-a-healthcare-advocate</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2026 19:17:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png" width="1200" height="627" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N6mA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F787136f5-b68e-4edb-8b1a-d4fd63ebc739_1200x627.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>I recently read a landmark study conducted by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine that truly shook me. The data indicates that <strong>medical error is the third leading cause of death in the United States</strong>, claiming more than 250,000 lives every single year.</p><p>This means that system-wide failures, diagnostic mistakes, and communication breakdowns trail only heart disease and cancer in taking American lives. While modern medicine possesses an incredible power to heal, it remains deeply vulnerable to human and systemic lapses. For anyone navigating the healthcare system today, patient advocacy is more important than ever.</p><p><strong>But for those of us living with Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, patient advocacy isn&#8217;t just important - it is absolutely critical.</strong></p><p>Looking back, I deeply feel this reality. I desperately needed a patient advocate to help Linda and me make my own treatment decisions when Duke Neurology presented us with two competing options: Lecanemab and Donanemab.</p><p><strong>Key Findings of the Johns Hopkins Study</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Surpassing Respiratory Disease:</strong> The study&#8217;s estimate of roughly 251,000 deaths significantly outpaces the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&#8217;s (CDC) officially ranked third leading cause of death, respiratory disease, which claims about 150,000 lives annually.</p></li><li><p><strong>Systemic Failures over &#8220;Bad Doctors&#8221;:</strong> Led by Dr. Martin Makary, the researchers emphasized that the majority of errors are not caused by inherently bad clinicians. Instead, they stem from system-wide issues, including poorly coordinated care, fragmented insurance systems, communication breakdowns during patient handoffs, and a lack of safety nets.</p></li><li><p><strong>Flawed Data Collection:</strong> The primary reason medical errors are excluded from official CDC statistics is the reliance on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) billing codes on death certificates. Because these codes are designed for insurance billing rather than public health tracking, they do not contain a classification for human or systemic error. If a patient dies from a surgical mistake or a medication mix-up, the death certificate typically lists the underlying cardiovascular or illness condition instead.</p></li></ul><p><strong>For the Patient: Protecting Yourself</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Designate a &#8220;Captain&#8221; of Your Care:</strong> If you are seeing multiple specialists or are admitted to a hospital, explicitly ask which doctor is coordinating your overall care.</p></li><li><p><strong>Verify Your Identity Every Time:</strong> Whenever a clinician administers medication, draws blood, or performs a test, ensure they check your hospital wristband and ask for your name and date of birth. This has happily become standard practice at most major medical centers. For example, when I went to the Duke Specialty Infusion Center for my Lecanemab infusions, there were at least six distinct points during the process when my name and date of birth were rigorously confirmed.</p></li><li><p><strong>Speak Up About Hand Hygiene:</strong> Hospital-acquired infections are a major driver of medical complications. It is entirely appropriate to politely ask any doctor, nurse, or technician, <em>&#8220;Have you washed your hands or used sanitizer?&#8221;</em> right before they touch you.</p></li><li><p><strong>Confirm the Surgical Site:</strong> If you are having surgery, ensure that you, your doctor, and your surgeon are all in agreement about exactly what is being done. Ask the surgeon to physically mark the correct surgical site with a marker while you are awake. While this is common practice at most hospitals, you must remain vigilant and look out for yourself.</p></li></ul><p><strong>The Unique Vulnerability of Cognitive Decline</strong></p><p>Alzheimer&#8217;s disease progressively strips away a person&#8217;s ability to recognize errors, report pain, or speak up for their own safety. In a fast-paced medical environment, an Alzheimer&#8217;s patient may not be able to independently verify their identity, track their medications, or explain their medical history.</p><p>Even at the early stage of Alzheimer&#8217;s or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a patient may struggle to fully comprehend complex medical information related to their treatment. This isn&#8217;t just due to the cognitive symptoms. The sheer gravity of receiving a diagnosis for an uncurable disease can cause an emotional overload, making anyone temporarily incapable of separating raw facts from overwhelming fear.</p><p>In my own situation, Linda and I felt an intense sense of urgency to begin treatment immediately to slow the progression of the disease.</p><p>Based on the Johns Hopkins study results and my personal experiences at Duke Neurology, I highly recommend taking these four steps before making any major treatment decision:</p><ol><li><p><strong>Assign a Trusted Advocate:</strong> Appoint a friend, caregiver, or qualified family member as your official patient advocate. This person should attend all treatment discussions without exception.</p></li><li><p><strong>Hit the Pause Button:</strong> Do not make a rushed treatment decision out of panic. Waiting a week or two to process information is not going to make a difference in the long-term progression of your disease.</p></li><li><p><strong>Conduct Independent Research:</strong> Your advocate should assist you in independently researching the proposed treatment. Do not make my mistake and entirely externalize your trust to the medical team. I have learned the hard way that the information provided by large institutions like Duke Neurology can be unintentionally biased by hospital metrics, clinical trial structures, and institutional goals.</p></li><li><p><strong>Seek Lived Experiences:</strong> Seek specific treatment experience information from other patients and caregivers who are already walking the path. Online communities like Reddit are excellent sources for real, unvarnished personal experiences. If possible, contact a patient directly for advice. Because my Alzheimer&#8217;s experience is an open book, several people have reached out to discuss their treatment options with me, and those conversations are invaluable.</p></li></ol><p><strong>Managing Secondary Medications</strong></p><p>After you begin a primary treatment, there will inevitably be situations requiring additional medications, often to manage side effects. Before agreeing to take any new pill, I recommend your advocate ask the care team these four questions:</p><ul><li><p><em>What is the exact name of this medicine, and what is it for?</em></p></li><li><p><em>What is the exact dosage, frequency, and time it should be given?</em></p></li><li><p><em>Are there any side effects, and what should we do if they happen?</em></p></li><li><p><em>Does this interact dangerously with any current medications or food?</em></p></li></ul><p><strong>The Hospital &#8220;Invisible Note&#8221; Strategy</strong></p><p>Alzheimer&#8217;s patients can easily become agitated, embarrassed, or defensive if a caregiver or patient advocate corrects them or discusses their cognitive decline in front of them. An easy way to avoid difficult situations in a medical environment is to discreetly hand a pre-written card to the receptionist or charge nurse upon arrival.</p><blockquote><p><strong>Example Text:</strong><br><em>&#8220;My loved one has Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. They may answer your questions accurately regarding the past, but they confuse current facts, dates, and symptoms. Please direct complex clinical questions to me, but please continue to address them directly to preserve their dignity.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p><strong>Safely Navigating an Overnight Hospital Stay</strong></p><p>If your loved one must be kept overnight in the hospital, the clinical environment can rapidly become dangerous. A hospital - with its constant beeping, bright lights, shifting staff, and sleep interruptions - is a breeding ground for anxiety and sudden delirium in Alzheimer&#8217;s patients.</p><p>To reduce patient anxiety and maximize physical safety, implement these strategies immediately:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Bring &#8220;Anchors&#8221; from Home:</strong> Keep the hospital room grounded in familiarity. Bring a blanket they use daily, a clock with large numbers, a few family photos, and preferred comfort items (even a plush toy can work wonders).</p></li><li><p><strong>Establish a Strict &#8220;Do Not Leave Alone&#8221; Protocol:</strong> Hospitals are chronically understaffed. An Alzheimer&#8217;s patient who wakes up disoriented in the middle of the night is at an exceptionally high risk for severe falls, pulling out crucial IV lines, or wandering out of the unit. Organize a rotation of family members or hire a private care aide so a familiar face is present 24/7, especially during the hazardous evening hours.</p></li><li><p><strong>Flag &#8220;Sundowning&#8221; Behaviors Early:</strong> Inform the nursing staff immediately if the patient experiences &#8220;sundowning&#8221; (increased confusion, anxiety, or pacing in the late afternoon or evening). Request that routine vitals or blood draws be scheduled during their best time of day (usually the morning) to avoid unnecessary escalation.</p></li><li><p><strong>Review Psychotropic Medications Closely:</strong> In high-stress hospital environments, chemical restraints (sedatives or antipsychotics) are sometimes used to manage patient agitation. Review these orders aggressively with the attending physician. Ask: <em>&#8220;Is this medication absolutely necessary, or can we try behavioral modifications, dimming the lights, or changing the environment first?&#8221;</em></p></li></ul><p><strong>Create a Bedside Care Card</strong></p><p>Finally, create a single-page document to tape directly to the room&#8217;s message board or clinical chart. This outlines the patient&#8217;s baseline habits for rotating nurses who don&#8217;t know them:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Communication Quirks:</strong> What words or phrases do they use when they need to go to the bathroom? What topics or music calm them down when they are upset?</p></li><li><p><strong>Physical Limitations:</strong> Can they safely swallow thin liquids? Do they require assistance to stand up from a chair, or are they a high fall risk?</p></li><li><p><strong>Daily Routine:</strong> What is their normal sleep and wake schedule?</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><p><strong>What about you?</strong> If you have additional tips, tricks, or personal stories about keeping a loved one safe in the medical system, please leave a comment below. Let&#8217;s look out for each other.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wQ01CaWc1Orae6bwk0d&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Support Greg's Writing&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wQ01CaWc1Orae6bwk0d"><span>Support Greg's Writing</span></a></p><p>Sources:</p><p>https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/05/03/researchers-medical-errors-now-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-united-states/</p><div data-component-name="FragmentNodeToDOM"><p>https://hub.jhu.edu/2016/05/03/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death/</p></div><div data-component-name="FragmentNodeToDOM"><p>https://www.fuchsberg.com/blog/leading-medical-errors-cause-of-death-in-us</p></div><p></p><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cruel]]></title><description><![CDATA[October 1, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/cruel</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/cruel</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:35:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hello, friends.</p><p>It is 5:45 Thursday morning in Greensboro, North Carolina.</p><p>After a restless night spattered with vivid dreams and long periods of insomnia, I woke up and read emails that came in overnight. One email contained a comment on my blog post about <a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/the-big-picture-is-overwhelming-narrowing">hope</a>. As I proceeded to respond to the comment, I struggled to type the word &#8220;cruel.&#8221; I could not remember how to spell &#8220;cruel.&#8221; I then realized I felt disoriented and confused.</p><p>After drinking water and making a cup of coffee, my Alzheimer&#8217;s brain began clearing out the fog. I laughed at the irony of not being able to spell &#8220;cruel.&#8221; Alzheimer&#8217;s disease and all dementias are cruel. So cruel that my Alzheimer&#8217;s would not let me spell the word that best describes it.</p><p>I turned on the morning news, and the headlines demonstrated the rampant cruelty in the world currently. Even the <a href="https://belbrandsusa.com/news/after-more-than-100-years-the-laughing-cow-stops-laughing/">Laughing Cow stopped laughing</a> due to the petty arguments driving people apart today.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg" width="800" height="533" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:533,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:45018,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/i/218313723?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e33i!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ddcd465-1867-4c4c-b9f0-3f32829f1af1_800x533.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>It is easy to look at the headlines, or even look at my own hands trembling and struggling to find the right keys on a Thursday morning, and feel overwhelmed by that darkness. The fog of this disease wants to isolate us. It wants us to believe that cruelty is the default state of the world.</p><p>But as the coffee takes effect, Big Bit curls up beside me, and the morning light enters the room, I am reminded of a deeper truth. This disease may be cruel, but the people who have stepped into this valley with me are overwhelmingly gracious. Each of you provides the hope I wrote about yesterday.</p><p>Over the past year, my wife Linda and I have been deeply moved by the quiet acts of kindness from friends, old contacts, and strangers alike. When Alzheimer&#8217;s forced us to close our business, uproot our lives, and face a mountain of expenses, it was your grace that kept us steady. You have shown me that while the disease is relentless, human empathy can be even stronger.</p><p>Yet, as we turn the calendar page today, I have to be completely transparent with you.</p><p>Today marks the beginning of October. In the calendar of advocacy, October is a critical threshold for us. Right now, our <a href="https://gofund.me/ec1aade5d">GoFundMe campaign </a>has stalled, the direct donations that keep this blog sustainable have slowed to a standstill, and subscriptions to my <a href="https://gregsalzheimersresearchreport.com/">independent, scientific research reports</a> are below the threshold needed to cover publication expenses. Behind the scenes, the reality of managing worsening symptoms, mounting care costs, increasing basic living expenses, and the daily hours required to scour medical journals is putting a heavy strain on our resources.</p><p>If this work is going to survive and thrive through the winter, we need to turn up the heat.</p><p>I am making October our <strong>Breakthrough Fundraising Month</strong>. My goal is to get our community actively re-engaged. If you have found value, hope, or a sense of shared purpose in these words, I am asking you to back that up with action this month. I want to get both publications into a sustainable, financially viable position. This will allow me to focus on research and writing instead of asking for your support.</p><p>You can help us break this stall in a few concrete ways:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Support the Journey Directly:</strong> Consider making a direct contribution to our <a href="https://gofund.me/ec1aade5d">GoFundMe campaign </a>to help us build the baseline safety net we need for upcoming care and increasing living expenses.</p></li><li><p><strong>Become a Part of the Research:</strong> If you value the deep-dive science updates, consider upgrading to a paid <a href="https://gregsalzheimersresearchreport.com/subscribe?">Substack subscription</a>. It keeps this vital independent advocacy alive. I am extending <strong>a 50% discount on annual subscriptions until October 5</strong>.</p></li><li><p><strong>Share the Story:</strong> If you can&#8217;t give financially, please copy the link to this post and share it with three people in your network.</p></li></ul><p>We cannot stop the progression of the disease on our own, but together, we can absolutely outshine its cruelty with our collective grace. Let&#8217;s make this October a turning point.</p><p>Finally, Linda and I have decided that it would be beneficial for me to get a second opinion on the progression of my Alzheimer&#8217;s and the persistent chills I am experiencing. The process starts this morning with a visit to a primary care physician who will provide a referral. Greensboro has a well-regarded, comprehensive neurology clinic.</p><p>Thank you for caring and supporting me as I fight the cruelty of Alzheimer&#8217;s.</p><p>Greg</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.gofundme.com/f/investing-in-sustainability-help-greg-linda-build-a-future?attribution_id=sl:2539880e-5f47-4bf9-8e62-a67f28dc5f2f&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1790077439&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_content=amp30-treatment-4&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Support Greg's Writing&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/investing-in-sustainability-help-greg-linda-build-a-future?attribution_id=sl:2539880e-5f47-4bf9-8e62-a67f28dc5f2f&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1790077439&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_content=amp30-treatment-4&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link"><span>Support Greg's Writing</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.gregoryrowland.com/&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Contact for Zelle or CashApp Donations&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.gregoryrowland.com/"><span>Contact for Zelle or CashApp Donations</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.gofundme.com/f/investing-in-sustainability-help-greg-linda-build-a-future?attribution_id=sl:2539880e-5f47-4bf9-8e62-a67f28dc5f2f&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1790077439&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_content=amp30-treatment-4&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Invest In Our Sustainability Plan&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/investing-in-sustainability-help-greg-linda-build-a-future?attribution_id=sl:2539880e-5f47-4bf9-8e62-a67f28dc5f2f&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1790077439&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_content=amp30-treatment-4&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link"><span>Invest In Our Sustainability Plan</span></a></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Big Picture is Overwhelming: Narrowing My Horizon to Find Hope]]></title><description><![CDATA[September 30, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/the-big-picture-is-overwhelming-narrowing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/the-big-picture-is-overwhelming-narrowing</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:14:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg" width="1376" height="768" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:768,&quot;width&quot;:1376,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:755518,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/i/218171231?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emyF!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F393fac7b-5fe4-4d03-9706-2eac27023f14_1376x768.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">image generated by AI</figcaption></figure></div><p>If you have Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, you quickly realize that <strong>it can overwhelm your entire life.</strong> There are days when I feel like Alzheimer&#8217;s wants to control every aspect of my existence. It takes away the independence that healthy people take for granted.</p><p>Last December, I faced a scary situation while driving that could have been tragic. In that moment, I realized I could no longer safely operate a vehicle. Actually, my Alzheimer&#8217;s disease made the decision for me; <strong>I had to stop driving.</strong> While it was the right choice from a safety perspective, losing that freedom has enormous implications. Walking, public transportation, and Uber are the driving alternatives I now use frequently.</p><p>The effect Alzheimer&#8217;s has on my memory impacts many everyday activities, such as preparing meals, shopping, reading, writing, and taking leisurely walks around our neighborhood. I adapt as much as possible. For example, I keep a tracking app on my phone so Linda knows where I am at all times. If I get lost or forget how to get to a specific store, she calls me.</p><p>These limitations and inconveniences naturally add to my feelings of sadness, anguish, and depression. I recently wrote about how the easy path forward would be to give up, let the disease naturally progress, and eat donuts all day. As much as I love <a href="https://www.krispykreme.com/">Krispy Kreme</a> donuts, I am not a quitter.</p><p><strong>I realize that hope is the answer.</strong></p><p>I am a realistic person. Beyond that, I need provable facts. This is why I enjoy research. My form of hope must be centered on the harsh reality of my Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. Traditional, passive hope does not work with an incurable illness.</p><p><strong>Hope is both an emotion and a way of thinking.</strong> We recognize hope when we feel it and when we need it, but it is often difficult to define. In times of uncertainty and adversity, hope is crucial to happiness. For me, hope is not optimism - which is merely a belief that everything will magically work out. Hope is much more active. It is a feeling and a mindset that you must work at to achieve your goals, despite the uncompromising circumstances of this disease.</p><p>Faced with the numerous consequences of Alzheimer&#8217;s, it is impractical to hope that everything will suddenly be fine. Instead, I decided to narrow the focus of my hope. The big picture is just too damn overwhelming.</p><p><strong>I hope for many small things every day.</strong> Sometimes that hope is only for something in the next hour. I consider these &#8220;micro-hopes.&#8221; When I wake up in the morning, I hope I have the energy and clarity of thought to make a cup of coffee. Later in the day, I hope for quiet moments to appreciate the love and support Linda provides.</p><p>On a larger scale, <strong>I translate hope into action</strong>. Hope is a choice I make to reclaim control by doing things like writing this blog post. I hope our plan for financial self-sufficiency and sustainability is successful. Every day, I hope my writing provides value that will motivate my readers to support me.</p><p>True hope must be supported by action. I must have the will or desire to do something, as well as a realistic pathway to move forward. Finally, I must cultivate the knowledge of how to reach my desired outcome.</p><p>My Alzheimer&#8217;s experience has taught me that <strong>hope is not an endless commodity</strong>. I certainly get discouraged. Feelings of despair, sadness, and fear often creep into my thoughts. I have learned that fear and despair are much easier to fall into than hope.</p><p>The pathophysiology of Alzheimer&#8217;s doesn&#8217;t give you options you can select, like flavors of ice cream and donuts. <strong>Alzheimer&#8217;s disease controls my brain.</strong> The disease decides how I feel, what I remember, and eventually, it seeks to claim every aspect of my life.</p><p>Yet, <strong>choosing hope makes me feel better and strengthens my resilience.</strong> Hope isn&#8217;t a given; you have to actively build it, pair it with action, and fight for it every single day.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p><strong>A Note from Greg:</strong> Researching and writing these updates takes hours of deep focus each day, but it is how I fight back against this disease. If this essay provided value to you or offered a new perspective on resilience, please consider supporting my work. A small contribution of <strong>$5 a month</strong> helps Linda and me sustain our path forward and prepare for future care. Thank you for holding hope with me.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://donate.stripe.com/bJe5kE7u4d4kbp1gCubwk0a&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Donate&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://donate.stripe.com/bJe5kE7u4d4kbp1gCubwk0a"><span>Donate</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://gofund.me/4ad10f201&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Go Fund Me&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://gofund.me/4ad10f201"><span>Go Fund Me</span></a></p></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Fire in the Belly: Why My Alzheimer’s Shirt at the DMV is an Act of Advocacy]]></title><description><![CDATA[September 29, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/fire-in-the-belly-why-my-alzheimers</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/fire-in-the-belly-why-my-alzheimers</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:52:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png" width="1456" height="874" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:874,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:312266,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/i/217997412?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J3iA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c06ef58-8e6b-49b1-a7cc-61ffcd99bbbc_1500x900.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Advocacy is the act of publicly supporting, arguing for, or pleading on behalf of a specific cause, idea, policy, or person.</p><p>Throughout history, advocacy has influenced and shaped critical policies. Without strong advocacy efforts, landmarks like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the mobilization during the HIV/AIDS crisis (ACT UP), the Breast Cancer Advocacy Movement, and the development of the polio vaccine might never have occurred.</p><p>I believe the most successful advocacy campaigns are grassroots efforts<strong> </strong>that involve many people doing small things. The expression &#8220;skin in the game&#8221; takes a large-scale advocacy campaign down to the individuals most impacted by a disease, injustice, or system. For example, in the mid-20th century, the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (later known as the March of Dimes) launched a massive grassroots advocacy and fundraising campaign. By mobilizing millions of citizens to donate literally a dime at a time, they funded the vital laboratory research that enabled Dr. Jonas Salk to develop the first successful polio vaccine in 1953.</p><p>Today, Alzheimer&#8217;s disease advocacy is driven by families and caregivers making small donations, walking in annual events, testifying before Congress in Washington, D.C., and sharing stories on social media.</p><p>If there is an advocacy gene, I must have it.</p><p>While unpacking boxes of old photos this past weekend, I found a stack of newsletters from the time I served as the president of the New York City chapter of the International Television Association. This organization&#8217;s membership consisted of video production professionals working for corporations. In one newsletter, I wrote about two promotional videos our chapter was producing pro bono for a children&#8217;s foster shelter.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7ace397d-cf7f-448c-985e-04fefe87fa4e_900x1200.png&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b4987904-b680-47d9-88c6-83259f620f7a_900x1200.png&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/eb19718d-3f90-4dd9-9365-699e13eefab3_900x1200.png&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Greg Rowland NY ITVA President&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7ffc5c93-3a90-4d62-9c7b-0e6a0c6a9ade_1456x474.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>Later in life, when I learned about the indignity of homelessness, I became a strong advocate for providing counseling, education, and temporary housing to help those without shelter and jobs find the opportunity to better themselves.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-W7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-W7!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-W7!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-W7!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-W7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-W7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg" width="1456" height="975" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:975,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:4313973,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/i/217997412?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-W7!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-W7!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-W7!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-W7!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a448085-5df3-45af-9ecc-0ffc87a12dde_3872x2592.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Today, I have become an advocate for Alzheimer&#8217;s awareness, prevention, and treatment. As someone living with this disease, I believe my voice can be used in powerful ways.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hPEc!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hPEc!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hPEc!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hPEc!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hPEc!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hPEc!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png" width="1456" height="1097" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1097,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:3255774,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/i/217997412?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hPEc!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hPEc!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hPEc!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hPEc!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94ec18fd-5965-4c4e-a401-d268c9006865_2336x1760.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>As we approach the election, I encourage you to view voting as an act of advocacy. Voting is more than just a civic duty. Your vote can help elect political leaders who prioritize scientific research. This is a vital step toward ensuring that crucial research grants are protected and not canceled.</p><p>A massive portion of Alzheimer&#8217;s research relies heavily on public funding and government grants. Meanwhile, the costs of healthcare, long-term care, and in-home caregivers are increasing at an alarming rate, and programs like Social Security face continual strain. These are just a few of the many critical issues our elected officials influence.</p><p>Ask questions and study the positions of the candidates. Make good, informed decisions and cast your vote. Your vote definitely matters.</p><p>All advocacy matters. It can be as simple as posting a social media story about someone you know who is fighting an incurable disease. Or, it can be traveling to Washington, D.C., to talk to legislators about the need for medical research. I wore my <a href="https://gregsazstore.com/collections/alzheimers-awareness-merchandise/products/alzheimers-sucks-t-shirt-black-unisex-show-your-support">&#8220;ALZHEIMER&#8217;S SUCKS&#8221; shirt</a> to the DMV yesterday. A handful of people commented on the shirt to tell me they agreed with the slogan, and dozens more saw it. Wearing that shirt was simple grassroots advocacy hard at work.</p><p>Advocacy can be lonely at times. I certainly feel isolation and loneliness, and I even get discouraged. Recently, someone left a comment on my <a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/is-empathy-declining">essay about empathy</a>. He said, in part, &#8220;You may never get to see the full reach of that, but please don&#8217;t mistake what you cannot see for an absence of impact. Keep going, Greg.&#8221; This reader was responding to a comment I had made questioning if I am actually making a difference. His words were like throwing a log on my fire. My commitment to advocating for Alzheimer&#8217;s awareness, prevention, and treatment is strong. There is fire in my belly.</p><p>Please support my writing so my advocacy work can continue. I promise to keep fighting for continued treatment research, prevention education, and making Alzheimer&#8217;s a problem that everyone cares about.</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p><em>Greg Rowland&#8217;s Alzheimer&#8217;s Journey</em> is dedicated to honest reflection and thought-provoking opinions. While we build this publication into a self-sustaining platform through <a href="https://buy.stripe.com/14AbJ0foR3aH71Vcks53O07">donations</a>, you can support our <strong><a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/sustainability-building-for-our-future">sustainability plan</a> </strong>via <a href="https://gofund.me/200f5f708">our GoFundMe</a>. <strong>Reading, subscribing, and sharing this work</strong> with others is equally appreciated. Thank you for walking this road with us.</p></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is Alzheimer's Really "Optional"? The Predatory Marketing and Profitable Promises of Apollo Health]]></title><description><![CDATA[September 28, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/is-alzheimers-really-optional-the</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/is-alzheimers-really-optional-the</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:25:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!peRF!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F266da08a-a348-4054-8578-8291d043aad4_1024x1024.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>"Alzheimer's is now optional." That is the bold promise made by Dr. Dale Bredesen and his company, Apollo Health. But behind the glossy marketing of his $20,000+ "ReCODE" protocol lies a stark medical reality. This investigative deep dive exposes the unproven science, the staggering out-of-pocket costs, and the heartbreaking psychological trap that shifts the blame of a terminal disease from the protocol onto exhausted caregivers.</p><p><a href="https://gregsalzheimersresearchreport.com/p/the-built-in-excuse-inside-the-staggering">Read my full report (no paywall).</a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/14AbJ0foR3aH71Vcks53O07&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Support Greg's Writing&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/14AbJ0foR3aH71Vcks53O07"><span>Support Greg's Writing</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[My Emotions Swing Wildly]]></title><description><![CDATA[September 28, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/my-emotions-swing-wildly</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/my-emotions-swing-wildly</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2026 11:12:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!peRF!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F266da08a-a348-4054-8578-8291d043aad4_1024x1024.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It is Saturday late afternoon, and I am feeling sad. </p><p>Late afternoon and evening sadness is occurring more often. I believe it started a few weeks ago. I am unaware of a trigger. It frustrates me, and I believe that compounds my sadness. </p><p>Before my sadness settled in, today had been a good day. After an early breakfast, I finished the <a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/is-empathy-declining">essay</a> on empathy, read for a while, and then watched news on the television. I took a <a href="https://www.sleep365.com/blogs/news/why-is-it-called-a-cat-nap-cat-nap-meaning-explained?srsltid=AU7gw4XKrgdN5BmOxm0mnGTiTr7s_i24-9LIj7HerJgK5RSS8tyv-9Ly">catnap</a>, and then a close friend called to check on me. I thanked Chris for his continued support and empathy. We laughed about the timing of his call (he had not read the empathy blog post).</p><p>After lunch, I opened two boxes filled with photos and memorabilia from my career. That trip down memory lane was fun. It prompted me to contact a few friends and colleagues whom I hadn&#8217;t talked to in twenty years or more.</p><p>It is now five o&#8217;clock, and my feelings of nostalgia and happiness have been replaced by sadness.</p><p>I will continue writing on Sunday.</p><p>It is Sunday, and I feel like my brain has shrunk. Oh wait, <strong>it has shrunk. </strong></p><p>This has been a restful day. I read and wrote most of the day. There were two - maybe three - naps scattered between eight this morning and three this afternoon. I tried to watch a Sunday morning news and politics television program. I felt my blood pressure rising, so I turned the television off. Later, I walked around our community. </p><p>While on my walk, I experienced chills and shivering several times. It is 78 degrees and sunny, so the chills are not related to the weather. </p><p>I do not feel sad. I have a slight headache, my tinnitus is loud, and I have zero energy. Linda is watching a television show with Lola and Bella, while Big Bit and I are hanging out together. </p><p>My diminishing energy, stamina, and vitality are concerning. </p><p>I absolutely love the deep research and writing I do every day. It is rewarding for me, and I know it helps many Alzheimer&#8217;s patients, family members, and caregivers. Not to mention the physicians and researchers who learn from my musings.</p><p>If only I could figure out a less stressful way to earn a few dollars from the blog. It is not just my blog struggling for monetary support, though. It is a Substack issue. If 200 readers <a href="https://buy.stripe.com/14AbJ0foR3aH71Vcks53O07">donated $5 per month</a>, my stress would be reduced by a copious amount. You don&#8217;t want me stressed any more than Alzheimer&#8217;s naturally causes, do you?</p><p>Linda and I enjoy watching television after we eat dinner. We tend to watch old shows more than new network programs. We are hooked on Criminal Minds: Evolution. It will be nice when some of our other favorite shows return for a new season in the next week or so.</p><p><strong>Monday morning. </strong>Linda and I are going to the North Carolina DMV today. We have to get a North Carolina driver&#8217;s license (state identification for me) so we can register to vote. We expect a long line resulting in a minimum three-hour wait. I can&#8217;t imagine a more fun and relaxing way to spend a Monday. </p><p>If you like the journal format of this post, please let me know. </p><p>Please click the button below and support my writing. Thank you.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://buy.stripe.com/14AbJ0foR3aH71Vcks53O07&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Support Greg's Writing&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://buy.stripe.com/14AbJ0foR3aH71Vcks53O07"><span>Support Greg's Writing</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is Empathy Declining?]]></title><description><![CDATA[September 26, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/is-empathy-declining</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/is-empathy-declining</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 26 Sep 2026 13:52:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg" width="678" height="452" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:452,&quot;width&quot;:678,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:31332,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/i/217435052?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B-14!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b516778-d3cd-4de9-a09b-979c7aa42167_678x452.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Anyone suffering from an incurable disease understands the <strong>emotional pain that accompanies physical pain.</strong></p><p>Emotional pain resulting from an incurable illness is difficult to explain to someone who is healthy. There are, of course, many causes of emotional pain other than knowing you are facing a terminal diagnosis: the death of a loved one, the loss of a pet, divorce, social rejection, or personal failure. While those traumatic situations feel insurmountable in the moment, we generally recover, adapt, and move forward.</p><p>Throughout history, people have shown empathy toward those suffering. As a child, I remember my parents taking food to a family grieving a loss or calling a friend whose pet had died. The list of things - large and small- that my parents did to express care to friends, neighbors, church members, and complete strangers was long. They were not unusually saintly; they were average people who believed in looking out for others. Growing up, it seemed to me that <strong>almost everyone acted that way.</strong></p><p>In my adult life, I tried to mimic their concern. They taught me through action that <strong>helping others is standard behavior</strong>. Looking back, I sometimes gave too much of myself to causes and organizations at the <strong>expense of my own well-being</strong>. At the time, it felt like the only right path - and I have no regrets, unless the rent is due and Linda and I find ourselves a few dollars short.</p><p><strong>Over the decades, however, I noticed a cultural shift.</strong></p><p>Fifty years ago, I served as a volunteer emergency medical technician at our neighborhood fire department. Back then, more people wanted to volunteer than the department could accept. Today, volunteer departments across the country struggle to find help, mostly surviving on hybrid models of paid staff and a dwindling roster of volunteers. Twenty years ago, when I served as board chair for a homeless shelter in Durham, North Carolina, recruiting steady volunteers was already an uphill battle.</p><p>Today, as an Alzheimer&#8217;s patient, I do not experience the widespread civic empathy that was commonplace in my youth. Yet at the same time, my close friends, family, and even occasional strangers have shown me extraordinary, demonstrative warmth.</p><p><strong>That contrast made me wonder: was my feeling of a broader decline real, or was it just nostalgia? Is empathy actually declining?</strong></p><p>The research suggests a troubling, nuanced reality. Major studies indicate a measurable drop in our collective propensity for empathy alongside a steep rise in individualism - even as our capacity for compassion remains alive beneath the surface.</p><p>A landmark meta-analysis led by researcher Sara Konrath analyzed decades of data from American college students using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Her team documented a <strong>startling 40% decline in empathy between 1979 and 2009, with the sharpest plunge occurring after the year 2000.</strong> Subsequent research in 2017 examining 51 years of data across 78 countries confirmed that individualism has risen steadily worldwide. As societies place greater premium on personal branding, self-actualization, and independence, our collective attention naturally drifts away from community-first habits.</p><p>This cultural transition was captured perceptively by Isabella Ehring in a November 2024 <a href="https://newuniversity.org/2024/11/25/the-rise-of-hyper-individualism-in-america/">article</a> for UC Irvine&#8217;s <em>New University</em>. Tracking America&#8217;s path from post-war community solidarity to modern &#8220;hyper-individualism,&#8221; Ehring notes how <strong>civic duty gradually gave way to curated self-expression</strong>. By the time smartphones and social media took hold, the self became a product to market. In a culture driven by online identity and consumption, kindness easily turns transactional - relationships become guarded, and compassion is choked out by the exhausting demand to project perfection.</p><p>Writing for <em>Scientific American</em>, <strong><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-us-has-an-empathy-deficit/">commentators have pointed to a similar &#8220;empathy deficit.&#8221;</a></strong> Facing relentless modern anxieties and isolated behind screens, people find fewer organic opportunities to give and receive care. It is not necessarily that human hearts have hardened, but that people are so preoccupied with their own day-to-day survival that they lack the emotional margin to look outward.</p><p>Yet research also offers hope. A <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-34128-006">2014 study on the empathy deficit </a>revealed that people who view empathy as a learnable skill - rather than a fixed personality trait - deliberately push themselves to listen to opposing views, cross social divides, and support those who are suffering. Empathy is not extinct; it is a muscle that has atrophied from disuse.</p><p>I believe I speak for millions living with incurable illnesses when I say that the <strong>emotional pain of a slow decline can be heavy.</strong> We need that empathetic muscle working again.</p><p>It would be easy for me to spend my remaining weeks, months, and years watching television, scrolling endlessly, and eating <a href="https://www.krispykreme.com/">donuts</a>. But my parents taught me the value of purposeful work and looking out for my neighbor. I want to spend my &#8220;long goodbye&#8221; as an author and an advocate for the Alzheimer&#8217;s community.</p><p>To help make that work possible while navigating the mounting financial realities of this illness, Linda and I have put together a <strong><a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/sustainability-building-for-our-future">Sustainability Plan</a></strong>. If my words have resonated with you, or if you believe in the importance of this advocacy, please consider supporting our journey through our <strong><a href="https://gofund.me/282a9aaff">Go Fund Me campaign</a>.</strong> Every bit of assistance helps us become <strong>financially self-sufficient</strong> and frees me to focus on writing, connecting, and making an impact.</p><p>Kindness hasn&#8217;t vanished - I see it in the people who stand by me every day. But our world needs a conscious reminder to look up from our screens, reach out a hand, and remember how to care for one another again. <strong>Please <a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/subscribe?utm_source=menu&amp;simple=true&amp;next=https%3A%2F%2Fgregsalzheimersjourney.com%2F">join me,</a> and let&#8217;s make that difference together.</strong></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.gofundme.com/f/investing-in-sustainability-help-greg-linda-build-a-future?attribution_id=sl:2539880e-5f47-4bf9-8e62-a67f28dc5f2f&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1790077439&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_content=amp30-treatment-4&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Invest In Our Sustainability Plan&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/investing-in-sustainability-help-greg-linda-build-a-future?attribution_id=sl:2539880e-5f47-4bf9-8e62-a67f28dc5f2f&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1790077439&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_content=amp30-treatment-4&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link"><span>Invest In Our Sustainability Plan</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3GKURZ8BXWFJZ?ref_=wl_share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Purchase Sustainability Plan Needs&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3GKURZ8BXWFJZ?ref_=wl_share"><span>Purchase Sustainability Plan Needs</span></a></p><p></p><p>  </p><p></p><p></p><p> </p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Digital Lifelines: Social Media and Alzheimer’s]]></title><description><![CDATA[September 25, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/digital-lifelines-social-media-and</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/digital-lifelines-social-media-and</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:10:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp" width="1200" height="1200" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1200,&quot;width&quot;:1200,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:64462,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/webp&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/i/217378940?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IvtL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc69db483-e395-482d-b548-80a804ff1963_1200x1200.webp 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Did my <a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/mom-and-apple-pie">post yesterday</a> result in your consumption of apple pie? If not, maybe the above photo will nudge you to enjoy a slice of pie &#224; la mode.</p><p>Social media platforms can offer meaningful benefits for Alzheimer&#8217;s disease (AD) patients by supporting identity, connection, and memory.&#185; There are risks with social media, and precautions are encouraged.</p><p><strong>Key Benefits</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Identity Continuity:</strong> Platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn help AD patients maintain a sense of who they are by connecting their pre- and post-diagnosis lives.  </p></li><li><p><strong>Reminiscence:</strong> The &#8220;memories&#8221; and photo-sharing features on social media allow patients to look back at past events, family milestones, and personal achievements. </p></li><li><p><strong>Social Connection:</strong> Staying in touch with friends and family reduces feelings of isolation and loneliness, which are linked to faster cognitive decline. There are numerous Alzheimer&#8217;s patient support groups that provide a platform for sharing tips, discussing common interests, and making new friends.</p></li><li><p><strong>Mental Stimulation:</strong> Interacting with posts, reading updates, and playing simple digital games provide low-stress cognitive engagement. TikTok and Instagram offer entertainment and information that can provide cognitive stimulation. </p></li></ul><p>We often hear the many ways social media can worsen mental health for younger generations, but when used correctly and responsibly, social media platforms have become integral parts of daily life for many early- to mid-stage Alzheimer&#8217;s patients.</p><p>Outside of Reddit, I did not engage or participate in social media before my Alzheimer&#8217;s diagnosis. My life was busy, and Linda and I preferred meeting friends on our front porch, at restaurants, and while traveling. Like most everything in our lives, my Alzheimer&#8217;s diagnosis changed how we socialize. Because I am unable to drive, social media offers opportunities for us to engage with people with similar interests.</p><p>While social media offers many benefits, it&#8217;s essential to stay safe online. Caregivers should take steps to protect their loved one&#8217;s safety while preserving independence and dignity.</p><p><strong>Risks and Precautions</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Confusion and Overstimulation:</strong> Complex interfaces or negative interactions can trigger frustration, anxiety, or delusions.</p></li><li><p><strong>Online Scams:</strong> Patients may struggle to recognize digital fraud, phishing, or misinformation. I often see videos on Instagram promoting questionable cognitive improvement therapies. </p></li><li><p><strong>Need for Supervision:</strong> Caregivers should use privacy settings, monitor interactions, and guide usage to keep the experience safe and positive.</p></li></ul><p><strong>Secure Account Settings</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Lock Down Privacy Controls:</strong> Go into the settings of platforms like Facebook or Instagram and change the visibility to <strong>&#8220;</strong>Friends Only<strong>&#8221;</strong>. Turn off public search visibility so strangers cannot find their profile or send unsolicited messages. </p></li><li><p><strong>Manage Passwords Jointly:</strong> Talk to your loved one early about sharing passwords so you can log in to check for unusual activity. Keep passwords stored in a secure offline location or a family password manager. </p></li><li><p><strong>Enable App Download Restrictions:</strong> In the device&#8217;s main system settings, set up a requirement that requires a password (which only you know) before any new application can be downloaded. This stops accidental downloads of sketchy platforms or games riddled with in-app purchases.</p></li></ul><p><strong>Curate the Digital Environment</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Reduce Overstimulation:</strong> Turn off nonessential notifications and alerts. Constant buzzing and popping banners on the screen can cause severe confusion, anxiety, or a feeling of being rushed. </p></li><li><p><strong>Prune the Friends List:</strong> Periodically review their connections. Remove duplicate or hacked profiles, and unfriend individuals they no longer recognize or who post highly stressful, politically charged, or negative content. </p></li><li><p><strong>Install Ad Blockers:</strong> Use reputable browser extensions to block pop-ups. Individuals with cognitive decline are highly susceptible to malicious clickbait ads, fake prize wins, or misleading health advice. </p></li></ul><p><strong>Protect Financial &amp; Personal Information</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>De-link Financial Accounts:</strong> Remove all saved credit cards, bank accounts, and payment app information from the device&#8217;s internet browsers and app stores. </p></li><li><p><strong>Hide Personal Details:</strong> Ensure their public profile does not list their home address, phone number, date of birth, or routine schedules. </p></li></ul><p><strong>Establish Behavior Boundaries</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Identify Emotional Triggers:</strong> Watch how your loved one reacts. If a specific topic, news source, or online acquaintance routinely makes them angry or triggers a delusion, unfollow or block that source immediately.</p></li><li><p><strong>Consider a &#8220;View and Like Only&#8221; Rule:</strong> If typing or commenting begins to cause frustration - or if they accidentally post inappropriate or confusing remarks - gently guide them toward treating social media purely as a digital photo album. Encourage them to look at photos and use the &#8220;Like&#8221; button rather than drafting text.</p></li></ul><p>I believe the benefits of social media involvement for Alzheimer&#8217;s patients outweigh the risks. <strong>Smart social media usage can help fight depression, continued cognitive decline, and feelings of isolation.</strong></p><p>Have a wonderful weekend!</p><p>Greg</p><div class="callout-block" data-callout="true"><p><em>Greg Rowland&#8217;s Alzheimer&#8217;s Journey</em> is dedicated to honest reflection and thought-provoking opinions. While we build this publication into a self-sustaining platform through <a href="https://buy.stripe.com/14AbJ0foR3aH71Vcks53O07">donations</a>, you can support our <strong>sustainability plan </strong>via <a href="https://gofund.me/200f5f708">our GoFundMe</a>. <strong>Reading, subscribing, and sharing this work</strong> with others is equally appreciated. Thank you for walking this road with us.</p></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Mom and Apple Pie]]></title><description><![CDATA[September 24, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/mom-and-apple-pie</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/mom-and-apple-pie</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:33:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg" width="936" height="1200" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1200,&quot;width&quot;:936,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:201983,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/i/217254817?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoJa!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F48cf32ce-0f20-4895-8dc9-51cd16263c51_936x1200.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Something about my Alzheimer&#8217;s disease is making me think about childhood experiences. I say that because I have not given much thought to memories from my childhood until recently. Maybe Alzheimer&#8217;s is not a direct cause of my frequent trips down memory lane. It could be related to me thinking about my mortality more than I used to.</p><p>I woke up this morning thinking about eating apple pie at the S. H. Kress &amp; Co. five-and-dime store lunch counter with my mother. The store was located on Main Street in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Looking back, these outings with Mother were formative experiences that likely influenced what I became as an adult.</p><p>Apparently, I hated going shopping with my mother. I suspect my negative feelings about shopping resulted in frequent tantrums. Being a smart woman, Mother figured out that she could bribe me with apple pie at the S. H. Kress lunch counter. Sometimes we would go eat apple pie before shopping, and sometimes I would only get apple pie if I behaved myself while she shopped. If I behaved perfectly while shopping, she would give me ice cream with the apple pie. I don&#8217;t believe that happened very often, though.</p><p>The apple pie bribery occurred in the early 1960s. The lunch counter was strictly segregated, enforcing an all-white policy for seated service. I was too young to understand why there were only white people at the counter. Most likely, I was focused on the apple pie and nothing else.</p><p>I remember sitting on a stool at the counter. If I think really hard, I can taste the apple pie and ice cream. My Alzheimer&#8217;s brain struggles to go back that far, though.</p><p>Mother&#8217;s bribery scheme taught me a few lessons about life:</p><ul><li><p>The nuances of bribery</p></li><li><p>Kindness (the waitress would give me a big scoop of ice cream without telling Mother)</p></li><li><p>The joy of shopping (I learned to love shopping)</p></li><li><p>That good behavior and following rules are rewarding</p></li><li><p>That warm apple pie and vanilla ice cream are my favorite foods</p></li></ul><p>Most importantly, I grew up loving my mother more than words can express. We certainly had disagreements over the years. All in all, we had a very positive relationship. She once told me that she loved taking me to eat apple pie. I guess what started as a bribery scheme evolved into a fun mother-and-son outing.</p><p>About six months before Mother died, I took her to the Spartanburg Christmas parade. She was in a wheelchair, and her ability to talk was limited. Regardless, we had so much fun.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4jgM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7de5542-108e-4e06-85d9-3d3461fc58b5_3672x2765.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4jgM!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7de5542-108e-4e06-85d9-3d3461fc58b5_3672x2765.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4jgM!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7de5542-108e-4e06-85d9-3d3461fc58b5_3672x2765.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4jgM!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7de5542-108e-4e06-85d9-3d3461fc58b5_3672x2765.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4jgM!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7de5542-108e-4e06-85d9-3d3461fc58b5_3672x2765.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4jgM!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7de5542-108e-4e06-85d9-3d3461fc58b5_3672x2765.jpeg" width="1456" height="1096" 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class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Thanks for the apple pie, Mother.</p><p>If you missed my Wednesday post, please take a moment to <a href="https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/sustainability-building-for-our-future">read</a> about our plan to become financially self-sufficient. Reposting and sharing our plan will help us tremendously. It takes a village to fight Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. </p><p>Thank you.</p><p>Greg</p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Promising New Alzheimer’s Therapy In Development ]]></title><description><![CDATA[September 23, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/promising-new-alzheimers-therapy</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/promising-new-alzheimers-therapy</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:07:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6049f03f-84cb-49ed-8585-e86b35ba6383_4067x2304.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3mCn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1a439d63-94ab-48b3-b606-bef1a8534e47_4080x3072.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3mCn!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1a439d63-94ab-48b3-b606-bef1a8534e47_4080x3072.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3mCn!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1a439d63-94ab-48b3-b606-bef1a8534e47_4080x3072.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3mCn!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1a439d63-94ab-48b3-b606-bef1a8534e47_4080x3072.jpeg 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class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Bella and Big Bit</figcaption></figure></div><p>While two of our three cats are enjoying a rainy morning, I am busy researching a promising novel drug being developed by the Belgian biotech company <a href="https://www.remynd.com/">reMYND</a>.</p><p>This drug is specifically designed to counteract the pathological calcium leak and overload caused by tau and amyloid buildup.</p><p>Even if anti-amyloid antibodies like lecanemab and donanemab successfully remove physical plaques from the outside of brain cells, a critical question remains: What happens to the internal, structurally broken neurons left behind in their wake?</p><p>A groundbreaking shift in Alzheimer&#8217;s therapeutics focuses on the catastrophic internal calcium leaks that continue to destroy brain cells even after plaques are cleared.</p><p>In today&#8217;s <a href="https://gregsalzheimersresearchreport.substack.com/">research report</a>, I look closely at reMYND&#8217;s REM392&#8212;a novel &#8220;molecular glue&#8221; heading into Phase 1b patient trials in early 2027. Funded by the Alzheimer&#8217;s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), this treatment aims to repair the cellular scaffolding (septin filaments) from the inside out, plugging the toxic calcium leaks that drive tau tangles and memory loss.</p><p>The report will be published later today. Until September 30, there is no paywall.</p><p><strong>Please consider a donation to the GoFundMe campaign for our sustainability plan. Even a few dollars will kickstart the campaign. Thank you.</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3tOw!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F929a853d-cfbf-471d-8ff0-bc566c461c7b_620x620.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3tOw!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F929a853d-cfbf-471d-8ff0-bc566c461c7b_620x620.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3tOw!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F929a853d-cfbf-471d-8ff0-bc566c461c7b_620x620.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3tOw!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F929a853d-cfbf-471d-8ff0-bc566c461c7b_620x620.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3tOw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F929a853d-cfbf-471d-8ff0-bc566c461c7b_620x620.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3tOw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F929a853d-cfbf-471d-8ff0-bc566c461c7b_620x620.png" width="620" height="620" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3tOw!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F929a853d-cfbf-471d-8ff0-bc566c461c7b_620x620.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3tOw!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F929a853d-cfbf-471d-8ff0-bc566c461c7b_620x620.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3tOw!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F929a853d-cfbf-471d-8ff0-bc566c461c7b_620x620.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3tOw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F929a853d-cfbf-471d-8ff0-bc566c461c7b_620x620.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="icon-noB79L"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2 icon-noB79L"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sustainability: Building for Our Future]]></title><description><![CDATA[September 22, 2026]]></description><link>https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/sustainability-building-for-our-future</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://gregsalzheimersjourney.com/p/sustainability-building-for-our-future</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Rowland]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:38:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/417b7b17-005f-4e8d-b61e-d6d2ba49a9cc_2000x1414.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><div class="native-video-embed" data-component-name="VideoPlaceholder" data-attrs="{&quot;mediaUploadId&quot;:&quot;9075123c-bdf9-4f43-88b4-26313bb8bc35&quot;,&quot;duration&quot;:null}"></div><p>Hello, friends.</p><p>Sustainability is the quality of being able to continue over a period of time. <strong>Linda and I desire to have financial sustainability for the remainder of our lives.</strong> The stress resulting from financial insecurity tends to overwhelm everything else in our lives. Reaching sustainability is not an easy task, though&#8212;especially with today&#8217;s high inflation.</p><p><strong>We developed a sustainability plan that, if executed correctly, will be successful.</strong></p><p>As I have said many times, <strong>we want to earn money</strong> as opposed to depending on donations. Our sustainability plan provides the structure for earning money using our talents and skills. Due to our health issues, physical and sustained work is difficult to maintain over a long period of time. We created our sustainability plan with that limitation in mind.</p><p>Here is a simplified version of our roadmap:</p><p><strong>Linda&#8217;s Art Studio</strong></p><p>Most of you are not aware that Linda is a talented artist formally trained at the Corcoran School of the Arts &amp; Design in Washington, DC.</p><p>She has set up an art studio in our apartment. Her artistic experience includes colored pencil drawing, chalk illustrations, and watercolor painting. In addition to painting, Linda has experimented in various other mediums, including wood, glass, stone, and others.</p><p>As a key element of our sustainability plan, <strong>Linda is creating and selling paintings. </strong>Additionally, she is <strong>accepting commissioned work</strong>. We will market her services through Fiverr, our company website, social media, and word-of-mouth. She has a few beautiful paintings for sale today. These paintings were created at various points in her art career. Please review the photos below and let me know if you would like to schedule a call with Linda. There are also photos of previous commissions to give you a feeling of Linda&#8217;s artistic style.</p><p><strong>Greg&#8217;s Media &amp; Writing Services</strong></p><p>I am offering <strong>ghostwriting for blogs, essays, and other documents</strong>. These services can be a one-time project or a long-term partnership. The subject doesn&#8217;t matter as long as I have the necessary background information. Additionally, I have the experience and knowledge to convert written blog posts into narrated videos.</p><p>Speaking of video, I am moving forward with my long-held dream to produce a <strong>video podcast show</strong>. I will share more details about the podcast in the coming weeks.</p><p><strong>Corporate Consulting &amp; Team Building</strong></p><p>Finally, I am hanging out my shingle as a <strong>consultant and producer for team-building programs centered on community service projects</strong>. I have produced about two dozen successful programs in the past. Here are two examples of what we can achieve:</p><blockquote><p><strong>Field Games (Honolulu, Hawaii)</strong><br>We took about fifty children from a homeless shelter to a beach resort for an afternoon of field games, followed by a cookout and awards presentation. Each child had an adult buddy assigned to them, chosen from the employees of my corporate client. Every child was given a backpack filled with school supplies, toiletries, and a few fun gifts.</p><p><strong>A Bicycle Christmas (Durham, North Carolina)</strong><br>We purchased about one hundred new bicycles. The team-building aspect of the event involved the corporate team assembling the bicycles together. Children from economically struggling families were then surprised and gifted the bicycles at a festive holiday party.</p></blockquote><p><strong>Looking Forward</strong></p><p>Certainly, these services will not all be rolled out at once. This is especially true since we will maintain our <a href="https://gregsazstore.com/">online store</a>, and I will continue to write my <a href="https://adat68.substack.com/">blog </a>and my <a href="https://gregsalzheimersresearchreport.com/">research report</a>. Our plan is to reach a goal of <strong>at least $2,200 in new monthly income</strong> within twelve months.</p><p>An important aspect of our sustainability plan is rethinking how we use GoFundMe. Our current campaign provided much-needed funds to cover expenses during my first year as an Alzheimer&#8217;s patient. It is time for us to move beyond asking for general donations.</p><p>A <strong>new GoFundMe campaign</strong> has been created to ask for the specific items we need to successfully implement our sustainability plan. For example, Linda needs a portable art easel, and I need light fixtures for video production. Based on recent research, GoFundMe donors prefer to support specific, tangible needs rather than general funds - especially when that donation helps someone become financially sustainable.</p><p><em>You can view our new &#8220;Investing in Sustainability: Help Greg &amp; Linda Build a Future&#8221; campaign <a href="https://gofund.me/9f80b91f8">here</a>.</em></p><p>Our current, <a href="https://gofund.me/68d0a4c50">original GoFundMe campaign</a> will remain open but will be reserved strictly for medical expenses and emergencies. There will be limited promotion of this campaign unless a specific medical need arises.</p><p>Over the next two weeks, I will give you updates on our progress in implementing this roadmap. Beyond that, I will keep you updated as our business grows. As a community of supporters, you have always been here when we needed help. <strong>Linda and I are incredibly grateful </strong>for that support, and we look forward to having you with us on this next phase of our journey.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5e9b1807-50f4-4103-845c-ab88a2b2532b_2636x1919.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d45a760a-0bed-4284-b79c-61bf28074439_3639x2797.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/68fdd3c0-b72d-4850-ac3c-ec9b8431858d_3159x2702.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Linda Najera Original Art&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0afe786e-748b-4833-ba59-8ccd9488c632_1456x474.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7b75467d-64c6-4315-b18a-f23ead08125e_2348x2702.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/693be241-f549-49a8-bb1d-318253f95565_3702x2398.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/930b4972-2316-489a-8e7e-bba45de5b4cd_2504x3113.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a7f7bacb-2edf-43be-84e7-63bf00ec25fd_3291x2536.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Paintings Available for Sale&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Linda Najera Artist&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e77edebd-a0cf-4e10-b501-e0caa5dffb2c_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cbad1682-3b28-446e-bd26-096806d7fd4d_705x934.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/54decfb7-515b-4281-afba-37bcf1184708_636x516.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3f7f4c89-2f0c-439f-b9d4-ba2bf617919f_633x501.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/107400b9-ddb8-482d-b178-ce3a63f867e4_764x570.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/785beb71-4ce4-41dc-a6ee-a29052633533_684x560.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Previous Commissioned Art&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Linda Najera Artist&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7915832a-b728-4ed2-87c9-265913325d83_1456x1210.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://gofund.me/9f80b91f8&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Invest In Our Sustainability Plan&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://gofund.me/9f80b91f8"><span>Invest In Our Sustainability Plan</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3GKURZ8BXWFJZ?ref_=wl_share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Purchase Sustainability Plan Needs&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3GKURZ8BXWFJZ?ref_=wl_share"><span>Purchase Sustainability Plan Needs</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>