When to Address Smoking as Part of a Dementia Prevention Plan
Learn why smoking deserves attention at every age and how to build cessation into a broader dementia-risk plan.
Steve Levine
Steve Levine brings hands-on caregiving and years of dementia research to HelpDementia.com. After becoming a supplementary caregiver for a grandparent diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease in 2023, he has spent hundreds of hours navigating the realities of cognitive decline — vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, sundowning, behavioral changes, medication transitions, and the financial and emotional toll caregiving takes on families.
He writes about memory care, caregiver burnout, dementia-friendly activities, and emerging treatments for Parkinson's disease dementia and other forms of dementia, distilling lived experience and peer-reviewed research into practical guides families can actually use. His goal is simple: to give the next generation of caregivers the playbook he wishes he'd had on day one. Connect with Steve on LinkedIn.
Namenda Cost and Coverage for Dementia: What to Verify
Learn which prescription, plan rules, pharmacy status, and assistance benefits determine what you pay for Namenda.
Functional Assessment Results and Dementia: Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Use these questions to clarify what a functional score means, what may explain it, and which safety steps should begin now.
What Caregivers Should Know About Poor Judgment in Dementia
Learn how to recognize unsafe decisions, preserve autonomy, reduce household risks, and respond to sudden changes.
Balloon Volleyball in Memory Care: Group and One-on-One Variations
Choose and adapt group, small-circle, or one-on-one balloon play to fit a resident's abilities, attention, and comfort.
Can Someone With Dementia Still Make Decisions About Legal Capacity?
Learn how dementia affects specific decisions, how capacity is assessed, and when planning or court action may be needed.
How Dementia Stage Changes the Approach to Verbal Aggression
Match your response to current communication ability, then check sudden aggression for pain, illness, or medication effects.
What Families Should Know About Smoking After a Dementia Diagnosis
Learn how to manage withdrawal, reduce fire risk, and build a smoking plan that accounts for memory loss.
Can Namenda Be Combined With Other Dementia Treatments?
Learn when Namenda may be paired with donepezil, why results vary, and which medication combinations need caution.
Do You Need a Functional Assessment for a Dementia Diagnosis?
Learn what functional evidence dementia diagnosis requires, when formal tools help, and how to prepare useful examples.