Dr. Karen Willfahrt knows what it means to be a caregiver for someone whose mind is fading. A nurse for nearly 50 years and a naturopathic doctor for 25 years, Willfahrt cared for her mother in her final years, a healthy woman who walked a half mile every day, but whose mind began to decline before her body.
“She was the picture of health but she began forgetting where she was,” Willfahrt said, who eventually placed her 95-year-old mother on hospice care. “No matter how healthy you are, if your brain doesn’t last as long as your body, it can erode your quality of life.”
Today, Willfahrt devotes her work to educating the community about brain health and the many factors that influence it. She emphasizes that our brains are shaped not only by lifestyle habits, such as sleep, nutrition, movement and stress management but also by the more spiritual and emotional elements of life. Purpose, connection, forgiveness and meaningful relationships all play a role in supporting long-term cognitive wellness.
