Ranelle Nissen, Ph.D., OTR/L, serves as an associate dean and associate professor in the School of Health Sciences at the University of South Dakota. Dr. Nissen is a licensed occupational therapist in South Dakota and has helped families and individuals affected by dementia through both her professional work and her volunteer work with the South Dakota Alzheimer’s Association.
The human side of dementia
First, you notice the small changes. It may be challenging to find the right word or remember the name of someone you just met. You may forget where you placed your keys when you came home from the grocery store. Overall, you feel healthy, and these instances are easily brushed off as a normal part of aging or the result of poor sleep the night before. However, over time,…
