dignify-dementia

The Dignify Dementia Awareness Gift to UCHealth

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:15:33 GMT

The Dignify Dementia Awareness Gift

Empowering Education and Advocacy

Introduction

Dementia touches millions of lives worldwide, shaping not only the experiences of those living with the condition but also the journeys of caregivers, clinicians, and loved ones. Recognizing the profound need for greater understanding, empathy, and evidence‑informed care, the Dignify Dementia Awareness Gift supports educational initiatives that bring clarity, comfort, and hope to those navigating the complexities of dementia.

Philanthropic Description of the Gift

This annual gift represents a meaningful commitment to compassion, education, and dignity for individuals and families affected by dementia. This gift invests in the power of knowledge, storytelling, and human connection to transform how dementia is understood and cared for across communities.

Dignify Dementia, a Colorado based nonprofit organization, awarded a $5000 gift to the University of Colorado Department of Neurology, Section of Neuropalliative Care so they can offer a quarterly speaker series, The Art and Science of Dementia Care. This virtual series is designed to reach a broad and inclusive audience, welcoming family caregivers, patients, and healthcare professionals into a shared learning space grounded in respect and lived experience. Each program features a thoughtfully curated 45‑minute presentation followed by an interactive discussion, creating opportunities for dialogue, reflection, and connection.

The Impact

The Dignify Dementia Awareness Gift is dedicated to supporting passionate and credible speakers from around the world—clinicians, researchers, advocates, caregivers, and individuals living with dementia—whose voices can educate, inspire, and advocate for meaningful change. By supporting these speakers, the gift helps communities gain accurate information about dementia, encourages early recognition and compassionate care, elevates the voices of those with lived experience, and reduces stigma through empathy and understanding.

Philanthropic resources from this gift are used to ensure that speakers can participate fully and equitably. Funding may support travel and accommodation, the creation of educational materials, professional development and training, and honoraria that acknowledge the expertise, time, and emotional labor involved in dementia advocacy and education. In doing so, the gift removes barriers to participation and sustains high‑quality programming that benefits diverse audiences.

Stewardship and Impact Guide the Vision of the Gift

The program’s effectiveness is evaluated through audience feedback, speaker insights, and measurable indicators of reach and awareness. These reflections guide continuous improvement, ensuring that the gift remains responsive, impactful, and aligned with the evolving needs of the dementia community.

Through this generous gift, caregivers and clinicians are empowered, communities are educated, and individuals living with dementia are honored with greater understanding and support. The Dignify Dementia Awareness Gift stands as a lasting expression of philanthropy rooted in dignity, advocacy, and hope—strengthening the collective capacity to care for one another with compassion and respect.

Today I feel greedy

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 02:39:17 GMT

Today I want to know exactly what caused my dad's dementia. I want to know what is making him lose his words, his letters, his numbers, his ability to count and to read, and to just understand basic conversations. I want to know so I can scream at it, punch it, kick it, swear at it, and tell it in no uncertain terms how astronomically cruel it is to a man that does not deserve this. My dad is not a perfect person, but he is a good man, he tried to be a good son, brother, and husband (and I think he still does), and he was (and still tries to be) a good dad and grandpa, but why, why, why does he have to walk through the rapidly hardening cement that is LBD just to make an effort. I'm greedy today and angry today and if I can direct those feelings at dementia rather than my dad, maybe I'll have a chance at forgiving myself for losing my patience with him earlier this am. To anyone out there having a day like mine with your loved one, forgive yourself, breathe, and slowly, but surely move ahead with your day. You have my positivity and support.

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Is it time?

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 02:36:50 GMT

When is it time to consider moving your loved one to a memory care facility? Is it right before they become immobile and are dependent on you for all their needs (and how will you know when that is until you're there)? Is it when they become violent? Or, is it when you feel your own physical and mental health slipping? And my biggest question is how you navigate your own journey through the guilt and anxiety, all while trying to make the transition easier for your loved one. I'm taking the first step in this journey tomorrow by visiting my first memory care facility. I already have complex and mixed feelings about all of it and I'm sick to my stomach.

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So Emotional

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 02:35:30 GMT

I thought it wasn't going to be this emotional when my dad forgets things. I thought all the grief work I'd been doing in therapy was going to prepare me for these parts of the living loss we experience each day, but I was wrong. I walked down the stairs today to hear my dad singing 'Unforgettable' by Nat King Cole and his daughter, Natalie. He was really enjoying it, so I listened until the song was over - he knew every word. When he finished, I asked him if he liked that song, he said he's always liked it. I asked if there was any reason in his head he could think of why he liked it so much and he said it was always one of his mother's favorite songs, to which I replied does anything else about this song stick out for you and he said no. When he said no, it brought me down so far and I tried not to let him hear the profound sadness in my voice or the disappointment, but it was the song he and I danced to at my wedding. The pun of 'Unforgettable' is not lost on me, either, but it sent me into deep despair and I went upstairs and just cried. Somedays, the cruelty of this condition is too much to take.

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Dignify Dementia Blog

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 02:33:05 GMT

Dear Friends, old and new,

I'd like to introduce myself and tell you a bit of my story, I'm Jenni and my dad, Jim is living with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) with Parkinsonism. We got the official diagnosis in Oct 2018 - that was it, the neurologist just said, "I think it's Lewy Body Dementia," then he handed us a prescription for Namzeric and shuffled us out of his office so he could see his next patient. We didn't even get a pamphlet, All we got was a diagnosis and prescription and what felt like a swift kick out of the office. My mom, my dad, and I had all heard of dementia (of course), but we had no clue what Lewy Body Dementia was. Fortunately, I was also a neurological patient and I relayed our experience to my doctor as I was getting a procedure performed for chronic and disabling migraines. As a favor to me, my neuromotor specialist at the University of Colorado Health agreed to see my dad, and look over his scans and test results so he could offer a second opinion. He ultimately agreed that it was Lewy Body Dementia with Parkinsonism in Feb 2019. However, instead of shuffling us out, he explained why he concurred with the initial diagnosis, he went over my dad's CT results with us , he asked questions about my dad's emotional state, and if he was behaving differently at home and in public. He also asked about his physical state, for example, and finally, he asked about recent falls or balance issues. After all that, he explained that Lewy Body Dementia is the second leading cause of dementia after Alzheimer's. He told us that LBD is a disease where abnormal protein deposits, called Lewy Bodies that affect chemicals in the brain that cause problems with thinking, movement, behavior, and mood. After all this, we were referred to the Neuropallitive Care Clinic at UC Health where we've gotten the care we need ever since. It has not been easy, but the support this team offers not only to my dad but also, to our entire family has improved the caregiving environment in our home.

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