When caring for someone with a memory disorder, the “usual” ways we communicate in healthy relationships often don’t work. In daily life, we share plans, solve problems through discussion, and ask for opinions. But for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, these well-intentioned approaches can actually create more confusion and anxiety.

In today’s workplace, one word continues to stand out in conversations about employee well-being: “presenteeism.” It describes employees who show up for work physically but are distracted mentally, often because of caregiving responsibilities at home. While absenteeism is easy to measure, presenteeism quietly chips away at productivity and is often noticed first by the employee themselves.