For us, it's personal.
ReCODE Practitioner, LNHA Co-Founder & President, Kemper Cognitive Wellness
"My vision for Kemper Cognitive Wellness was borne out of a passion to change the hopelessness and devastation that comes with cognitive decline and many chronic diseases. In my more than 25 years in the long term care industry, at Kemper House, and even in my own family, I am constantly reminded of the suffering. I watched as my father was diagnosed with many chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and finally Alzheimer's disease. Even though we were "in the industry", the final diagnosis was shattering.
Modern-day medicine was failing us over and over again, so I began to look for alternative treatments. In 2017, Dr. Dale Bredesen released his book, The End of Alzheimer's. In it, he detailed his success, as well as the approach he took in reversing cognitive decline in many of the patients he treated. I became a ReCODE Practitioner and formulated the plan to launch Kemper Cognitive Wellness. I knew we controlled so much of the daily lives of many of our Kemper House residents. Could we help reverse some of their chronic illnesses and maybe even their dementia? What about family members of residents who worried they were next? Is it possible to prevent cognitive decline? For the first time, there is hope."
"My interest in dementia care began when my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1980 and I discovered there were no homes that cared for people with dementia differently than the aging population. I wrote one of the first programs in the country for people with dementia and put the program into action in the continuing care community where I was working. In 1999, I opened Kemper House, the first standalone facility in Ohio that cared exclusively for those with all stages of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Today, my husband is in the advanced stages of this disease. It may be too late for him, but not for me and my family. My daughter Kristin and I are doing this to fight for our family's future. We're doing this for you, and for your family too. Today, a person is diagnosed with dementia every 65 seconds; you don't have to become a statistic!"
