My work is grounded in years of supporting people living with dementia, their families, and the professionals who care for them.
I believe understanding comes before action — and that care should feel humane, not hurried.
What Guides My Work
I value clarity over complexity, compassion over correction, and early understanding over crisis response.
My work integrates behavioral understanding with dignity-first, role-centered engagement—helping care partners interpret what behavior is communicating before distress becomes a crisis.
Professional Experience
I am a physical therapist who has worked with older adults for over 30 years. My first introduction to dementia came as a result of my grandmother. In my late teens I watched her decline with great difficulty, not knowing enough at the time to be able to really help.
As my career (and family) grew, my work took my through skilled nursing care and in a continuing care retirement community that excelled at person-centered care. After spending over a decade on faculty at the University of Delaware, I joined Kendal Outreach as part of the Pennsylvania Restraint Reduction Initiative, the first PT on their staff. Here I learned so much more about dementia, person-centered care, and realized I had found my life’s work. When that grant ended I formed “Living Well With Dementia, LLC” and have provided consulting and education services ever since.