September 1, 2026

When the World Changes: Understanding Dementia Beyond Memory

When we think about dementia, we often think first about forgetting. Yet some of the changes that most profoundly affect families, relationships, safety, and care have surprisingly little to do with memory.

In this interactive session, clinical psychologist and dementia advocate Shadi Gholizadeh, PhD, MPH, and home care expert and registered nurse Deanne Belcher, RN, will take participants inside some of the lesser-known ways dementia can change a person’s experience of the world: from losing awareness of one’s own impairment, to changes in perception and initiation, to shifts in how a person interprets social cues and responds to the environment around them.

Through brief experiential exercises, real-world cases, and practical strategies, participants will explore not simply what dementia looks like from the outside, but what may be happening from the inside.

The session offers a different way of understanding cognitive change, one that moves beyond labels such as “stubborn,” “unmotivated,” or “difficult” and toward a more accurate, person-centered understanding of what the changing brain may need from us.

Participants will leave with practical language, frameworks, and strategies they can use in conversations with older adults and families, along with a copy of Navigating Cognitive Change as a companion resource.

Shadi Gholizadeh, PhD, MPH, MSc is a licensed clinical psychologist. Shadi serves as Head of Quality and Clinical Development at TheKey where she also
heads their Scientific Advisory Board. Shadi completed her education at Stanford University, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and UC San Diego. She completed her clinical internship at UCLA, where she is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor. She has an academic background in behavioral medicine and epidemiology and clinical expertise in aging in
place, coping with and adapting to chronic illness and cognitive changes, and health intervention stargeting modifiable risk factors for cognitive and physical  health. Shadi works with family and professional caregivers in training and support contexts and maintains a small private practice.

Deanne Belcher, RN: As a Regional Director of Business Development, Deanne is passionate about coordinating home care services for seniors, educating the community on TheKey's innovative approach to in-home care, and working with other elder care professionals to assist seniors in Palo Alto and the greater Peninsula. As an RN,  Deanne brings over 35 years of clinical experience as a highly acclaimed home health and home care expert. She is committed to delivering an exceptional care experience to both clients and referral partners.