Ep 115 - The Calls You Can't Answer: Building a Voice Bridge for Dementia Caregivers with Kirstin Thomas

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.Caregivers of people with dementia know the toll of repetitive, anxiety-driven phone calls — sometimes dozens or even a hundred a day. On this episode of BrainStorm, host Meryl Comer talks with Kirstin Thomas, co-founder of KindredMind, about the personal crisis and pivotal moment that led her to build a voice-companion app that answers those calls in the caregiver's own cloned voice. They dig into dementia separation anxiety, validation therapy, privacy safeguards, and why Thomas insists the technology is meant to be a bridge for caregivers — never a replacement. You don’t want to miss this informative episode of linking caregiving and technology. Support for BrainStorm by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s comes from Genentech. Genentech is committed to pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery in Alzheimer's disease by researching and developing treatments to preserve what makes us who we are.Support the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.Your mouth may be doing more than you think — it could be a gateway to your brain. In this episode of BrainStorm, host Meryl Comer sits down with Dr. Flavio Rasetto, a Washington DC-based prosthodontist and University of Maryland School of Dentistry faculty member, to explore the emerging science linking oral inflammation to Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline. Dr. Rasetto breaks down how bacteria like Porphyromonas gingivalis can travel from the gums into the bloodstream and brain, why bleeding gums and bad breath are early warning signs worth taking seriously, and how caregivers can manage oral hygiene for loved ones living with Alzheimer's. The conversation also touches on advances in modern dentistry, barriers to dental care access, and the everyday habits that protect both your smile and your mind.Support for BrainStorm by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s comes from Genentech. Genentech is committed to pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery in Alzheimer's disease by researching and developing treatments to preserve what makes us who we are.Support the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.In this episode of BrainStorm, host Meryl Comer leads part 2 in a series on UsAgainstAlzheimer's newly released Brain Health Journey resources. The discussion with Dr. Diana Summanwar, a practicing family physician and implementation scientist, and Chris Miller, project manager for UsAgainstAlzheimer's Brain Health Journey, centers on the challenges facing primary care physicians in detecting and diagnosing Alzheimer's disease early. Chris Miller describes the core problem: there is no clear pathway for patients or care partners to navigate brain health concerns, and primary care physicians are often under-resourced to detect mild cognitive impairment, while specialists face overwhelming wait times of up to a year. Dr. Summanwar speaks to the realities of physician burnout and the growing demands placed on primary care. The conversation explores how a new suite of tools aims to bridge the gap between patient concern and accurate Alzheimer's diagnosis.The episode touches on practical tips for families preparing for a doctor's appointment and the complexity of mixed dementias. This episode is for anyone concerned about their brain health, or the brain health of a loved on. Brain Health Journey resources are available at mybrainguide.org/journey.Support the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.Endocrinologist and longevity expert Dr. Florence Comite joins Meryl Comer to challenge conventional wisdom about aging, hormones, and brain health. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and her new book Invincible, Dr. Comite explains why the fear around hormone therapy is based on outdated, flawed research. She believes testosterone, progesterone, quality sleep, and resistance training can meaningfully improve brain function at any age, even into your 90s. Dr. Comite also stresses that "normal range" lab results can be misleading, and that individualized, detail-oriented care outperforms one-size-fits-all evidence-based medicine. You don’t want to miss this candid, detail-driven conversation about taking control of your own aging process.Support the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.What if the way we think about aging and dementia is fundamentally wrong? Dr. Florence Comite, precision medicine pioneer and author of Invincible: Defy Your Genetic Destiny to Live Better Longer, joins host Meryl Comer to make the case that cognitive decline is not inevitable. From the difference between biological and chronological age, to the five key biomarkers everyone should know, Dr. Comite offers a science-backed roadmap for protecting your brain and body decades before crisis hits. They discuss the role of hormones in cognitive function, and why dementia risk must be addressed in midlife. Dr. Comite advocates for precision medicine, wearable technology, and personalized lifestyle interventions as tools to delay the point where aging becomes disease. If dementia or cognitive decline is a concern, this conversation is one you can't afford to miss.Support the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.In part two of Meryl Comer’s conversation with Dr. Nathaniel Chin — geriatrician, researcher, and author of When Memory Fades — they explore the practical and emotional realities of life after an Alzheimer's diagnosis. Drawing on both his clinical expertise and personal experience of caring for his father, Dr. Chin addresses the often-overlooked needs of care partners, the importance of acting quickly on legal and financial planning after diagnosis, and why lifestyle interventions matter even before seeing a specialist. The conversation also touches on the complexity of mixed dementia diagnoses, the stigma patients face, behavioral symptoms that families should anticipate, and how pre-existing relationship dynamics don't disappear; they intensify. Dr. Chin closes with an overview of the Clarity study, a national research initiative seeking participants to better understand multiple brain disease processes simultaneously. You won’t want to miss this informative and personal interview!Support the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.What if knowing sooner could change everything? In this episode of BrainStorm, host Meryl Comer sits down with Dr. Nathaniel Chin — geriatrician, Alzheimer's researcher, and author of When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia, to explore why early diagnosis of Alzheimer's and dementia is more empowering than it is frightening.Dr. Chin opens up about the fear, stigma, and denial that keep patients and families from seeking answers, and why those hesitations have a real cost. Drawing on his own experience watching his father's cognitive decline, he walks through the subtle early signs of memory change, the difference between normal aging and something more serious, and how new biomarker tests are reshaping the diagnostic conversation.From navigating family denial to balancing hope, Dr. Chin offers a rare combination of clinical expertise and deeply personal insight of the journey. He reminds us that behind every diagnosis is a family with their thoughts on what matters most. Support the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.In this episode of BrainStorm by UsAgainstAlzheimers, host Meryl Comer continues her conversation with Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, Founder and Chief Director of the Center for Brain Health at UT Dallas, about how to build a more resilient brain in the face of modern life's relentless stressors. Dr. Chapman breaks down the difference between acute and chronic stress, explains why accepting cognitive decline is a myth, and challenges the popular belief that brain games are an effective prevention strategy. She shares practical, science-backed techniques — from possibility thinking and single-tasking to strategic rest and reframing stress — that can meaningfully strengthen the brain at any age. The conversation also touches on retirement as a critical risk period for cognitive decline and the remarkable findings of brain gains even years into a dedicated brain health practice. Whether you're 30 or 80, this episode makes the case that your brain is dynamic, trainable, and worth investing in — starting today.Produced by Susan QuirkSupport the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.What if you could train your brain to outperform the very biomarkers that signal Alzheimer's risk? In this episode of BrainStorm by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s host Meryl Comer sits down with Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, founder of the Center for Brain Health at UT Dallas, to explore the groundbreaking science behind the Brain Health Project — a landmark study tracking over 40,000 people across 65 countries. Dr. Chapman reveals why our peak brain years don't have to stall at 30 and how people in their 70s are showing cognitive gains equal to those in their 20s.  Together they delve into the three pillars of brain health - clarity, connectedness, and calm – and their relevance for your daily life. Dr. Chapman and Ms. Comer also dig into the gender differences in cognitive resilience, the promise and pitfalls of AI on brain development, and the real impact of hormonal changes on women's cognition. Whether you're a peak performer or just starting to notice mental slowdowns, this conversation makes the case that it's never too early — or too late — to invest in your brain.Produced by Susan QuirkSupport the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.In part one of a series on UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Brain Health Journey host Meryl Comer is joined by Nancy Meserve, a lived experience advisor and APOE4 double-carrier, and Catherine Patterson, interim COO of UsAgainstAlzheimer's. Their conversation explores the newly launched Brain Health Journey — a suite of resources designed to help people at elevated Alzheimer's risk, those living with the disease, and their care partners navigate the road from concern to diagnosis.You can find the Brain Health Journey at MyBrainGuide.org.Support the show