I experienced the loss of a loved one who was diagnosed with Alzheimerʼs To begin: honor an ancestor. Think of a person who is no longer alive who had a powerful positive impact on your life. Take a couple minutes to tell us about this person, and share the impact they had on your life. If you can, light a candle in their honor or raise a glass around the table to each person. It is often said that with Alzheimer's and dementia, we lose a person first to the disease, and then ultimately to death. This is often referred to as ambiguous loss, is this something you can relate to? Imagine that you have been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's, how would it feel to receive this news? What plans would you set in motion to ensure as much happiness as possible for yourself and your loved ones? How do you know when you are feeling grief? Can you describe the feeling(s)? Many people find that talking about the person who has died and talking about our grief can be meaningful and helpful, do you often talk to others about your grief and loss? What has that experience of sharing your grief been life for you? What have you learned from grieving the loss of a loved one? If you haven't grieved yet, what do you think you might learn from the process? End each dinner with a simple game called: Appreciation in the Round. This begins with someone at the table turning to the person on their left, and telling them something you admire or respect about them. They might be a person you met tonight, so you can highlight something you heard them express during your time together. This will start a chain reaction that continues around the table, each person admiring someone sitting on their left until everyone has been appreciated.