Tired of Feeling Tired, Wired, & Uninspired? You Are Not Alone!

Thirty years ago, I was passionate about my career in critical care medicine. From car accidents to cardiac arrests, I learned the fascinating science of heart-lung medicine and assisted with emergency procedures that saved lives. But after twenty years in the ER and ICU, I knew it was time to get out in the community to not only save lives but improve the quality of life. So, I dusted off my duffle bag and went to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner and open my own practice.

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Like many of my colleagues, I was BURNED OUT at the hospital bedside and, as they say, feeling tired, wired, and uninspired. From 12-hour shifts that quickly turned into 16 to being constantly short staffed running all night on fumes – I knew that was no way to live.

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I was only in my 30s at the time and there was no way I could possibly be losing my memory but it certainly felt like I was.  I was always running late to my kids swimming practices and running out the door to make it to PTA meetings on time. I was cooking the same old boring meals day after day and grabbing takeout when swim meets lasted all…day…long.  I knew there had to be a better life waiting for me, my family (and my brain) … so I rolled up my sleeves and started my career reinvention.

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But shortly after opening my own practice, I found myself immersed in a different ‘critical care’ – Alzheimer’s disease and dementia – a crippling disease that impacts not only the patient but their entire family.

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Did You Know:

• Over 55 million people worldwide were living with dementia as of 2020. This number is projected to double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050. Much of the increase will be in developing countries

• The annual global cost of dementia care is $ 1.3 trillion USD and is expected to rise to $ 2.8 trillion USD by 2030

• An estimated 1 in 9 people age 65 and older in the United States has Alzheimer’s disease. About 110 of every 100,000 adults between ages 30 and 64 have young-onset Alzheimer’s – a crippling, life-altering disease

• Early-onset dementia and Alzheimer’s diagnoses spiked 373% for Generation X and Millennials in 2020. The average age of a person living with either form of dementia is 49

• When Alzheimer’s begins in midlife as hormones are also changing, misdiagnosis in women may be more likely