Yes, I Am a Total Nerd.

I have never shied away from my identity as a nerd. My wife enjoys teasing me about many of the idiosyncrasies that comprise this peculiar person that I am. In high school, one of my best friends and I defiantly drove across the Texas desert with the sunroof open in my Saturn SC2, blaring the soundtrack to Apollo13 so loudly that one of the rear speakers blew out during the launch sequence. Rebels. I own, and have listened to frequently, John Tesh's Live at the Red Rocks album. Hardcore. Within the last twenty four hours, I have worked out to the pounding rhythms of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park With George. When I was a given a Sony Discman for my birthday many years ago, my first two CD purchases were Beethoven's 5th Symphony and Kenny G. (Ok I guess that one may have taken it a bit too far.) If my wife were contributing to this I have no doubt that she would have several descriptive scenarios to add. Regardless, I am in fact a nerd.

It stands to reason that I get excited about nerd things. For instance, Home Instead Senior Care has just launched an Alzheimer's and Other Dementia app for iphone users which is AMAZING. As you may or may not know, September is World Alzheimer's Awareness Month and we have been out doing our best to educate the masses. Our family caregiver educational program not only highlights the different types of dementia but prepares families for "real world" situations that they face each and every day. While it may be frustrating to listen to someone with dementia tell the same story over and over again we found that most of our families really just needed help with things like getting their loved one to take a bath. This new app is beautifully organized to give families quick information when they are facing difficult behaviors. The situations are all laid out by category and contain quick tips and suggestions when those difficult moments arise. Additionally, there are great opportunities to leave feedback, encouragement, and tips of your own for other caregivers who are facing some of the same challenges.

This app is an extension of a new book, Confidence to Care: A Resource for Family Caregivers Providing Alzheimer's Disease or Other Dementias Care at Home, which was written by my good friend Molly Carpenter. Molly has been at the forefront of Home Instead's pioneering work on Alzheimer's education. It is exciting to be a part of a company that is not only putting out phenomenal free resources in the fight against Alzheimer's but also to be a part of a company that recognizes the many different vehicles which must now carry information to the public. Nerds everywhere rejoice! There's now an app for that.