Tools, guides, and things that actually help
Trusted organizations to call, free tools from this site, and a short guide to products for people living with dementia, chosen by a Certified Dementia Practitioner.
Start here
Family Experience Assessment
See how your loved one's community measures up across the five pillars, with three questions to bring to staff.
Five questions for any memory care tour
One question per pillar that gets past the sales pitch.
Share your experience
Help build the first family experience benchmark for memory care, and get the findings free.
Dementia Caregiver Clarity Kit
Practical, plain-language guides for families making dementia care decisions, available in the Memory Care Project shop.
Trusted organizations
Alzheimer's Association
24/7 Helpline with care consultants, any time of day: 1-800-272-3900.
Lewy Body Dementia Association
Information and support specific to Lewy body dementia, which is often misunderstood.
Family Caregiver Alliance
Fact sheets, caregiver support, and planning tools.
Eldercare Locator
Find your local Area Agency on Aging and services near you.
Positive Approach® to Care
Teepa Snow's practical techniques for connecting with someone living with dementia.
Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Free, independent advocates for residents of assisted living and memory care. Every state has one.
Things that help, by what they help with
Every item here is something I'd recommend to the families I work with. I note which stage of dementia it suits and anything to watch for. Commissions never decide what goes on this list.
The guide is being put together now.
I'm testing and choosing each item carefully rather than listing everything. Leave your email and I'll send the guide when it's ready.
My rules for this list
Dignity first. Nothing childish, and nothing that treats an adult like a patient instead of a person.
Safety checked. No small parts, cords, or anything that could be swallowed or cause a fall, unless I say clearly who it's for.
Simple to use. If a caregiver needs a manual, it doesn't make the list.
Honest notes. I say what each item is good for, what it isn't, and which stage it suits.