They say necessity is the mother of invention. Or, as Oprah has said, “Turn your wounds into wisdom.” Well, with dementia running in their families, two noted physicians have taken that advice to heart. First, meet Dr. John DenBoer, an Arizona-based clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in preventing the onset of dementia. During his professional training, Dr. DenBoer’s grandmother developed dementia which had a profound effect on him personally and professionally. A new documentary about Dr. DenBoer, This Is Dementia, is now out on many streaming platforms and will be on Netflix on May 1st. It tells the story of his grandmother, his mission to educate the public about dementia and his efforts to lessen or minimize its impact, through brain training exercises. Dr. DenBoer is the founder of the website Smart Brain Aging, which promotes brain training exercises to preserve cognitive function in those with mild cognitive impairment or early stage dementia. Learn more about his virtual, interactive program, Brain U Online, here.

Dr. Tia Powell has taken a different approach in her dementia activism. The daughter and granddaughter of dementia sufferers, Dr. Powell believes she, too, may someday face that diagnosis, which got her thinking about how society treats people with dementia. In her brand new book, Reimagining Dementia: Building a Life of Joy and Dignity from Beginning to End, Dr. Powell provides an excellent history of the diseases of Alzheimer’s and dementia, mixing both her personal experience as well as her professional expertise in psychiatry and bioethics. She’s most passionate about the need to shift our focus from cures to instead creating care programs and facilities that allow persons with dementia to experience joy and rich life experiences, despite their diagnoses. This is especially important given the rising number of dementia cases coinciding with the exploding baby boomer population. Read an interview with Dr. Powell here, and listen to her recent radio interview on WNYC here. The takeaway from the efforts of these dementia activists? Despite a dementia diagnosis, there is much that may be done to lessen its impact while enriching the lives of those who are diagnosed.