David PerlmutterPresident,, Perlmutter Health Center · Board-Certified Neurologist | Functional Medicine Pioneer | #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author | International Speaker | Host of The Empowering Neurologist Podcast

Why Showing Up Still Matters in Alzheimer’s

20 Aug 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:59

In this excerpt, the speaker emphasizes that people with Alzheimer’s may not retain factual memories of a visitor after a short period, but they do retain the emotional impression of the interaction. The speaker challenges the common hesitation among family and friends to stop visiting, arguing that abandoning visits does a disservice to the person with cognitive decline. By continuing to be present, caregivers provide emotional connection and validation, reinforcing the importance of showing up even when memory is impaired.

Chapters

They might not remember you in 5 minutes after you have left, but they will remember how they feel. If you're looking at Alzheimer's and you're thinking about someone who is in sort of that, the later part of that diagnosis, and then, you know, family members or friends are like, well, I'm, you know, I'm not going to go because they're not going to remember me anyway. I think that does a disservice to, you know, the person who is living with the cognitive decline because they might They may not remember you in 5 minutes, you know, after you have left, but they will remember how they feel in that moment. And I think that is really important to share that we do not want to discard someone who has Alzheimer's and that their feelings are very important and that you will make them feel that connection by being with them in that moment.