Caregivers’ Journey (Part 2) with Dr. Tam Cummings – Understanding the Realities of Dementia Care

Part 2 of The Caregivers’ Journey takes families deeper into the reality of dementia care—emotionally, financially, and medically—while offering practical tools that empower caregivers to navigate the road ahead with confidence and compassion. Led by nationally recognized gerontologist Dr. Tam Cummings, this session provides essential education for anyone supporting a loved one living with cognitive impairment.

A major focus of the class is understanding diet and lifestyle changes that can help stabilize behaviors and reduce discomfort. Dr. Cummings highlights the critical need to reduce or eliminate alcohol, which is toxic to the brain and especially harmful for individuals with dementia.

Caregivers also learn how to outline and delegate support tasks, acknowledge their own guilt, grief, and emotional fatigue, and better understand the grief responses of adult children involved in their loved one’s care. These conversations help families communicate more openly and reduce conflict during a very challenging time.

The presentation includes a detailed overview of the annual cost of dementia care, comparing expenses for homecare, home health, assisted living and memory care communities, and adult day centers. Dr. Cummings underscores the importance of respite care—a lifeline for caregivers—and explains how adult day programs like Town Square University Parkway offer meaningful engagement for the individual while providing families with significant cost savings.

At Town Square University Parkway, every team member completes Dr. Cummings’ 12-hour dementia training, and caregivers receive ongoing guidance from Catherine McDermott, PMHNP, co-owner of the center and dementia-care specialist. This advanced level of staff education ensures families receive truly informed, compassionate, and person-centered support.

Dr. Cummings also discusses realistic treatment options, including medications that can ease anxiety, depression, and pain—helping those living with dementia maintain comfort, dignity, and quality of life.

Finally, the class reinforces the importance of building community, finding connection, and surrounding both caregivers and individuals with cognitive impairment with a strong, supportive, and dementia-literate network. This is the foundation of what Town Square University Parkway provides every day.