DAI member, Ginger Smith is an 88-year-old woman who had to retire as a speech language pathologist due to encroaching dementia and was diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia in 2018. She spent almost two years in a nursing home bedridden, aphasic, hallucinating, with fluctuating cognition until on hospice she had a turn around and came home.
Below is an excerpt from Ginger’s recently released memoir, Dementia Denied: One Woman’s True Story of Surviving a Terminal Diagnosis & Reclaiming Her Life.
The Path to Healing: How You Can Start Your Own Journey
I don’t claim to have all the answers. But what I do know is that the way we approach healing needs to change. The body and brain are not separate entities; they work together. And if my experience has taught me anything, it’s that true healing is never just one thing.
Take care of yourself. Nourish your mind. Move, breathe, connect with others, and give your brain every possible advantage. Because I truly believe that one day, there will be a cure for dementia. Maybe not in my lifetime, but perhaps in yours. And when that cure arrives, you’ll want to be in the best shape possible—ready to embrace it, ready to thrive.
If you’re reading this and wondering, “Where do I even begin?”—let me tell you:
Start with your body.
Ground Yourself in the Present. Your nervous system needs safety before it can heal. Simple grounding techniques—pressing your feet onto the floor, touching something cold, or focusing on your breath—can signal to your body that it is safe, allowing it to shift out of survival mode (Aybar,2021).
Reconnect with Your Body Through Movement. Whether it’s stretching, walking, or even just swaying to music, movement tells your brain that you are alive, engaged, and capable of change. Gentle movement-based therapies like tai chi, yoga, or dance can help integrate trauma stored in the body and improve neural connections. (Barhum, 2024).
Harness the Power of Your Breath. Deep, intentional breathing can calm the nervous system and regulate emotions. Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing or humming (which stimulates the vagus nerve) can help your body move out of a stress response and into a state of repair.
Engage in Somatic Healing. Trauma and illness leave imprints on the body. Somatic therapies—such as body scans, trauma-release exercises, and gentle massage—can help process emotions trapped withing the body (Somatic Self Care, n.d.).
Reduce External Stressors. Chronic stress fuels neurodegeneration. Mindfulness, meditation, and spending time in nature have been shown to decrease inflammation in the brain and promote cognitive resilience (Blumberg, 2024).
Reevaluate Medications with Your Doctor. While medications can be lifesaving, unnecessary or excessive prescriptions can also contribute to cognitive decline. If you suspect that your medications may be affecting your brain function, talk to a trusted doctor or pharmacist about deprescribing options.
Nourish Your Brain. Food plays a massive role in brain health. Reducing processed foods, increasing healthy fats (like omega-3s), and prioritizing anti-inflammatory nutrients can support cognitive function and longevity.
Seek Connection. Isolation is one of the biggest contributors to cognitive decline. Find ways to stay engaged—through support groups, volunteering, or simply reaching out to a friend. Even small acts of social engagement can keep the brain active and resilient.
Challenge the Idea that Decline is Inevitable. Science is catching up to what many of us already feel in our bones: The brain can change. Neuroplasticity is real. Healing is possible.
And if I can stand here today telling you this after being written off as terminal—then maybe it’s possible for you, too.
🌟 About DAI
Dementia Alliance International (DAI) is a global advocacy and support organization led by and for people living with dementia. Our mission is to empower individuals with dementia to live with dignity, purpose, and support through peer-to-peer connections, education and advocacy. Read more here.
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