As the founder and CEO of the Positive Approach, LLC, Teepa Snow is committed to educating individuals and communities about best practices in dementia. Her videos, training, coaching, consulting, and creative social media posts help millions impacted by this challenging condition, in more than 30 countries. About Teepa Teepa Snow is one of the world’s leading advocates and educators for anyone living with dementia or other forms of brain change. An Occupational Therapist with over 40-years of rich and varied clinical and academic experience, her philosophy is reflective of her education, work experience, medical research, and first-hand caregiving experiences. Her advocacy efforts led her to the development of the GEMS® State Model for understanding the progression of dementia and changes in abilities. She also created the Positive Approach to Care® training strategies, which are effective techniques for anyone seeking to optimize care and support for those living with brain change. As the Education Director of Eastern North Carolina’s Alzheimer’s Association, she also helped to create the nation’s award-winning DVD entitled Accepting the Challenge: Providing the Best Care for People with Dementia. Her user-friendly approaches provide guidance and leadership to national efforts to promote best practices in care. Key Takeaways What we previously thought was true about dementia is inaccurate in many ways. Cognitive impairment is not a normal part of aging. Impairment in the ability to walk quickly is one of the earliest indicators of dementia. There is a possibility a change in the cerebellar area that negatively effects our reactions to unexpected challenges in the environment. In people with dementia, there's damage to the part of the brain that allows them to see their changing abilities accurately. The senior living experience highly dependent on the leader. If the leader leaves, the whole system comes apart rapidly.