Dementia 101

When Blood Meets Brain

What’s good for the heart is good for the brain. Across your lifespan, there are many ways for blood supply to your brain to be compromised - some are covert. It is estimated that up to 20 percent of people over 80 experience blood vessel damage in the brain. In this episode, we explore vascular dementia and how problems with blood vessels can increase dementia risk over time. Dr. Eric Smith, Professor of Neurology, Radiology and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, explains how vascular health affects brain function and what steps can help reduce dementia risk. Christine Aiken shares her lived experience, offering insight into life after a vascular dementia diagnosis and the importance of advocacy, support and finding meaning. Together, they highlight prevention, the warning signs to watch for and recovery after stroke. Christine Aiken Diagnosed with vascular dementia at 56, Christine is an advocate, speaker and author who promotes living well after diagnosis. Based in Canada, she shares her experiences and works to improve access to dementia resources, guided by her motto, “I’m not done yet.” Dr. Eric Smith Professor of Neurology, Radiology, and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, and the holder of the endowed Kathy Taylor Chair in Vascular Dementia. He is a member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the Cumming School of Medicine.

Personality Unraveled: Frontotemporal Dementia

Could personality changes in a loved one be more than a midlife change? In this episode, we explore frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a less commonly known form of dementia that often begins between ages 45 and 65 and can be mistaken for a “mid-life crisis.” Symptoms may include disinhibition, overspending and other uncharacteristic behaviours. Ashley Sharma shares her lived experience as a young caregiver supporting her grandmother after an FTD diagnosis, while Dr. Robert Laforce, behavioural neurologist and neuropsychologist (CHU de Québec, Université Laval), explains what FTD is, how it progresses and what families need to watch for. Together, they unpack early signs, practical steps to caring for someone living with FTD and how brain-healthy behaviours may help support quality of life. Ashley Sharma, 26, born and raised in Abbotsford, B.C., is a full-time social worker. At the age of 20, she found herself slipping into a part-time caregiver role for her grandmother, who was diagnosed with FTD. Dr. Laforce, Behavioural Neurologist and Clinical Neuropsychologist at CHU de Québec, Université Laval. Trained in neurology and neuropsychology, he has published 200+ papers and leads international research on atypical dementias and primary progressive aphasia.

A Shot at Prevention? The Shingles Vaccine & Dementia Risk

Could a routine vaccine help protect your brain? In this episode, we explore emerging research on the association between shingles vaccination and reduced dementia risk. Ron Swan shares his perspective as a community advocate focused on aging and accessibility, while Dr. Dawn Bowdish (Professor, McMaster University) breaks down what the science says, and what it doesn’t, about how vaccines may influence brain health. Together, they unpack what shingles is and what “promising but early” research about shingles vaccination could mean for reducing dementia risk. Tune in at defydementia.org, or wherever you get your podcasts. Guests: Ron Swan is a retired business development professional and entrepreneur with a strong focus on accessibility and aging-in-place. He founded Home Safe Living, a company that provided independent living and accessibility solutions across the Maritime region before selling the business to Lawton’s Drugs, a Sobeys company. A passionate advocate for older adults, Ron continues to contribute through leadership roles, including Chair of the Board of CARP Nova Scotia and past Chair of the Seniors’ Advisory Council of Nova Scotia. He is frequently called upon to speak on aging, accessibility and community well-being. Dr. Bowdish is a Professor at McMaster University and Executive Director of the Firestone Institute of Respiratory Health. Her research focuses on how aging affects the immune system, particularly how inflammation alters immune cell function and increases susceptibility to infections. Her work also examines how the aging immune system interacts with the microbiome and how these processes influence healthy and unhealthy aging. Dr. Bowdish leads the Preclinical Studies in Aging Laboratory and serves on the Board of Directors of the Lung Health Foundation, where she advocates for improved lung health and research funding for older adults.

Young Hearts, Hard News — Talking to Kids about Dementia

We explore how to talk to children and young people about dementia in age-appropriate, stigma-reducing ways—supporting connection and well-being for both the person living with dementia and the entire family. Guest Angeleta Cox shares how she talked about her late mother’s young onset Alzheimer's diagnosis with her young child and two teens. And Hannah Gardner, Consultant Admiral Nurse for Children and Young People at Dementia UK, speaks to improving support and awareness for children and young people living in families affected by dementia. Tune in at defydementia.org, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Dementia 101

This important Dementia 101 episode breaks down some of the “basics” of dementia, and guides us through the touching experiences of someone supporting a loved one. Guest Alexandra Aguzzi, who cares for her mom Anna, shares candid insights into her life as the caregiver of someone living with dementia, and reflects on moments along her and her mom’s journey. Then neuroscientist, clinical neurologist and associate Professor in the Division of Neurology at the University of Alberta, Dr. Valerie Sim, helps us make sense of several major dementia diseases, including those affecting Alexandra’s mother. Visit us at defydementia.org. Our Guests: Alexandra Aguzzi, a retired civil servant, is the main caregiver to her mom, Anna Aguzzi. Early in life, Anna picked up a paintbrush and transformed a hobby into a life’s passion, becoming a successful painter. Alexandra and Anna now enjoy spending time together at Baycrest, where Anna has been a resident for 3 years, following a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s with Lewy body dementia. Dr. Valerie Sim is a neuroscientist, clinical neurologist, and Associate Professor in the Division of Neurology at the University of Alberta, as well as a scientist at the University’s Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases. Her research has explored dementia at many levels: from the misfolding of proteins in a tube, to growing slices of brain in a dish, to human diagnosis and treatment trials. She cares for people living with a variety of neurological disorders, including dementia, and teaches medical students and residents how to diagnose and help people living with complex neurological problems.