During this Momentum Discussion Podcast episode, Jim Mangi reflects on being the loving and selfless caregiver for his wife, Kathleen, whose 17-year journey with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease ended in December 2024. Jim is a Vietnam veteran, author, retired business owner, and an environmental scientist with a PhD in Ecology – none of which prepared him to be a caregiver. Inspired by his wife’s grace during her journey with Alzheimer’s disease, Jim has dedicated himself to dementia activism efforts, including his tireless work in Saline, Michigan, aimed at making it easier for folks living with dementia to enjoy the community with less difficulty and more dignity.

This podcast episode is supported by Genentech, Otsuka, Lilly, and Eisai. Content was developed by Gerontological Society of America (GSA).

Agitation can be described as increased, often undirected, motor activity, restlessness, aggressiveness, and emotional distress. It may include nonaggressive behaviors such as pacing, repetitious movements, and general restlessness, or it may manifest as physically or verbally aggressive behaviors. It is one of the most distressing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and between 30% and 80% of people living with dementia, depending on the setting, experience agitation. Because of the wide-ranging potential negative impacts associated with agitation in Alzheimer’s disease (AAD), a person-centered, individualized approach to address AAD is a must. In this Momentum Discussion Podcast episode, we provide insights into AAD from the perspective of a professional caregiver and a family member whose loved one lives with AAD. They share how the condition impacts the person with Alzheimer’s disease and those around them and offer strategies to prevent and address troubling behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia associated with AAD.

This podcast episode is supported by Otsuka. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).

In this episode of GSA’s Momentum Discussions, sociologist Dr. Mindy Fried shares how caring for her father inspired her memoir Caring for Red and launched her into podcasting about aging and caregiving. She reflects on the emotional realities of caregiving, the complexities of assisted living, and the power of storytelling to build community and drive change.

GSA Momentum Discussions webinar, Family Caregiving at a Tipping Point, explores the evolving role of family caregivers and the support needed through healthcare systems, policies, and technology. Panelists discuss the diversity of caregiving experiences, the importance of recognizing caregivers in healthcare, access to mental health and educational resources, and the role of digital tools in easing caregiving burdens. Topics include data-driven advocacy, evidence-based interventions, reimbursement strategies, and integrating caregivers into care teams. Panelists emphasize personalized solutions, system-level support, and the 4Ms Framework (Medication, Mobility, Mind, and What Matters Most) to enhance caregiver and patient well-being.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, over 11 million Americans provide an estimated 18 billion hours of unpaid care for people with Alzheimer's or other dementias. In 2022, this care was valued at $339 billion. Most of these caregivers are women, and many caregivers are from diverse and underserved communities. In this Momentum Discussion podcast episode, leaders from the Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York discuss the unique needs of diverse caregivers and how they are meeting these needs. They offer insights into how healthcare providers and others can best meet the needs of all caregivers while promoting brain health for all individuals.

This podcast episode is supported by Eisai, Genentech, Lilly, and Otsuka. 

"Congressional Stories of Family Caregiving: Challenges, Rewards, and a Call to Action" is a proceedings paper from a GSA-hosted briefing on Capitol Hill. GSA invited these legislators to share their personal stories of family caregiving to illustrate that the caregiving experience and the challenges that accompany it are shared by Americans of all levels of income, employment, and education. The briefing was supported by The John A. Hartford Foundation and partners were AARP, the Alzheimer’s Association, and the National Alliance for Caregiving. This paper includes recommendations from the "Families Caring for an Aging America" report below, as well as caregiving-relevant legislation.

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With support from 15 sponsors, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened an expert committee to examine what is known about the nation’s family caregivers of older adults and to recommend policies to address their needs and help to minimize the barriers they encounter in acting on behalf of an older adult.

The resulting report, "Families Caring for an Aging America," provides an overview of the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults as well as its personal impact on caregivers’ health, economic security, and overall well-being. It also examines the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs and interventions designed to support family caregivers. The report concludes with recommendations for developing a national strategy to effectively engage and support them.