A New Perspective on Living with Dementia

Cognitive decline does not erase a person’s identity, dignity, or capacity for meaning.

Even in the presence of memory loss, there can still be joy, purpose, and moments of connection.

 

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength.
Loving someone deeply gives you courage.

 

Helping families living with dementia is more than my profession—it's my own journey.

Found some wild art on our Ross Park Zoo walk. 🦁🎨

Baking with Mom: Ketoflex 12/3 cauliflower bread edition. 👩‍🍳🥪

Recharging my battery out in nature with the folks. 🔋🌲

My mom is living with anxiety-related cognitive decline, and my dad is her devoted primary caregiver. As I help care for them, I've experienced the uncertainty, frustration, and emotional weight that so many families face every day.

 

As a board-certified clinical pharmacist, ReCODE 2.0 Certified Practitioner, and health coach, I've spent years studying the science of brain health. But some of my most impactful lessons have come from walking this path with my own family.

 

Functional Pharmacy was created to share what I've learned—through both clinical experience and personal caregiving—to help others feel more informed, supported, and hopeful.

 

If you're caring for someone you love, please know you're not alone. I'm here to help you navigate the journey with practical guidance, compassion, and evidence-based strategies that support both brain health and quality of life.

 

I know firsthand how caring for someone with dementia can feel stressful and emotionally exhausting.

 

Managing appointments.

Repeating conversations.

Organizing medications.

Monitoring safety.

Trying to stay emotionally steady for everyone else.

 

The good news is we can:

 

✔ Reclaim identity and protect cognitive function

✔ Simplify medications and supplements

✔ Replace burnout with balance

On This Page

A ReCODE-Informed Shift: From Decline → Optimization

The Missing Piece: What Actually Changes Your Story

More Good Days Ahead: The Happiness Advantage

Get Expert Guidance: Master the Basics & Advanced Protocols

Moving from Calamity to Calm: Let’s Take the First Step Together

A ReCODE-Informed Shift:

From Decline → Optimization

The ReCODE Program™, developed by Dr. Dale Bredesen, reframes cognitive decline.

 

Instead of asking:

“How do we cope with inevitable decline?”

 

We ask:

“What is driving this—and how do we address it?”

This approach focuses on:

 

A plant-rich, ketogenic nutrition plan

Aerobic and strength training

Consistent, high-quality sleep 

Effective stress regulation

Ongoing cognitive stimulation

Reducing toxin load and exposure

Supplementation for deficiencies

The Missing Piece:

What Actually Changes Your Story

But even the best program won’t succeed if you feel hopeless and defined by a diagnosis.

 

You are not your diagnosis.

Preserving that truth is just as important as any lab marker. 

 

Because beyond biology, there are profound emotional factors that shape how we experience each day.

Positive psychology highlights these protective factors:

 

1. Hope isn’t false reassurance—it’s built through action. It’s: “There are things we can do—and we’re doing them.”

 

2. Love, kindness and the simple comfort of being together remains some of the most potent forms of healing.

 

3. Appreciation of beauty and excellence, whether found in the arts, the serenity of nature, or the virtues of others—is what births transcendent moments.

 

4. Spirituality teaches us that God keeps our sacred self whole through every external trial, and that our prayers are always significant.

 

5. Humor is a powerful way to find 'light in the dark,' awakening the mind and easing the heart.

As the distractions of the past and future fade, the ability to live in the here and now grows.

 

Anxiety gives way to stillness.

 

Simple joys—like a shared smile or a quiet cup of tea—become extraordinary. 

 

This presence ensures our loved ones feel truly valued.

 

Knowing these special moments matter changes everything about how we care.

More Good Days Ahead:

The Happiness Advantage

 

By aligning your inner strengths with mindful nourishment, movement, and emotional care, we strive to cultivate happiness that lingers even when specific memories fade.

 

Ultimately, you uncover a powerful truth: you have the power to expand your healthspan and reclaim your life.

 

Decades of research confirm the following protects your brain health:

 

• Faithful companionship
• Anti-inflammatory nutrition
• Aerobic and strength exercise 
• Ongoing cognitive stimulation 
• Stress regulation 

Get Expert Guidance:

Master the Basics and Advanced Protocols

Knowing what to do and actually doing it are two different things.

The challenge isn't a lack of solutions—it’s the overwhelm of having too much to do.

But you don't have to do it all.

 

The Bredesen Protocol® simplifies your health plan by focusing only on the high-impact actions that work for you.

A ReCODE health coach helps you turn that theory into everyday action.

 

   Before signing up, keep in mind:

 

  • Research is still evolving
  • Costs can add up
  • Progress requires consistency 
  • Results vary
  • Earlier action and strong social support boost outcomes

This doesn’t diminish the value of participating in a ReCODE program.

 

It simply means you should start your journey with clear, realistic expectations.

As a ReCODE health coach and practitioner, I’m here to help you:

 

    ✔ Let go of the non-essentials.

    ✔ Weigh benefits verse trade-offs.

    ✔ Honor your goals and values.

 

By blending your medical history with personal insights, we co-create a tailored plan that matches your priorities for manageable, effective progress.

 

Plus, as a pharmacist, I’ll review your medications and supplements to:

 

  ✔ Spot hidden interactions holding you back.  

  ✔ Cut out unnecessary pills.

  ✔ Make your daily routine safer and more effective.

 

Your health improves when everyone works together.

 

I am happy to share our findings with your healthcare team to keep your care fully intergrated.

Moving from Calamity to Calm:

Let’s Take the First Step Together

Pharmacist-led • Evidence-informed • Patient-centered

Cognitive challenges are hard, but they never erase our humanity.


Through every change, love and connection remain.
Together, we can cherish each precious moment.

 

If you're caring for someone you love, please know that you don't have to figure everything out on your own.

 

I'd be honored to walk alongside you, sharing the evidence, practical tools, and encouragement I've gathered both as a clinician and as a daughter traveling this road with my own family.

 

With dedicated care, unexpected beauty and grace unfold. Let's make good days your everyday reality.

 

🔘 Download Your No-Cost Brain Health Action Guide

1. Alzheimer’s Society. (2013). Dementia 2013: The hidden voice of loneliness. alzheimers.org.uk

 

2. Livingston, G., Huntley, J., Sommerlad, A., Ames, D., Ballard, C., Banerjee, S., … Mukadam, N. (2020). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention. The Lancet, 396(10248), 413–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30367-6

 

3. Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. PLoS Medicine, 7(7), e1000316. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316

 

4. Kuiper, J. S., Zuidersma, M., Oude Voshaar, R. C., Zuidema, S. U., van den Heuvel, E. R., Stolk, R. P., & Smidt, N. (2015). Social relationships and risk of dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ageing Research Reviews, 22, 39–57.

 

5.Morris, M. C., Tangney, C. C., Wang, Y., Sacks, F. M., Barnes, L. L., Bennett, D. A., & Aggarwal, N. T. (2015). MIND diet associated with reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 11(9), 1007–1014.

 

6.Scarmeas, N., Stern, Y., Mayeux, R., & Luchsinger, J. A. (2006). Mediterranean diet and risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Annals of Neurology, 59(6), 912–921.

 

7. Sofi, F., Valecchi, D., Bacci, D., Abbate, R., Gensini, G. F., Casini, A., & Macchi, C. (2011). Physical activity and risk of cognitive decline: A meta-analysis. Journal of Internal Medicine, 269(1), 107–117.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Physical activity and brain health.

 

8. Stern, Y. (2012). Cognitive reserve in ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. The Lancet Neurology, 11(11), 1006–1012.

 

9. Lupien, S. J., McEwen, B. S., Gunnar, M. R., & Heim, C. (2009). Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behavior, and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 434–445.

 

10. National Institutes of Health. (2020). Chronic stress and the brain.

Helpful Links

Book a Medication & Supplement Review (NY residents only)

Read 2025 Randomized Controlled Trial Summary

See Health Coaching FAQ 

Explore Bredesen Protocol FAQ

Discover Your Character Strengths

Learn about common dementia medications