Brain Health for Two: Supporting Your Loved One's Cognition and Your Own
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Brain Health for Two: Daniel Kelly Joins Zinnia Caregiver Support
NewDays co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer Daniel Kelly recently joined Allyson Schrier, co-founder of Zinnia TV, for Zinnia's caregiver support series. Their conversation covered what the research says about keeping the mind active after a dementia diagnosis, and why care partners need to protect their own brain health too.
Watch the full conversation on YouTube
A family story behind the work
Daniel opened with a photo of his father's family from 1975. Five of his dad's six siblings have been diagnosed with dementia. His grandmother cared for her husband and two of her children through the disease. That history is why he frames dementia as something that affects at least two people at once: the person diagnosed, and the care partner living with the stress, lost sleep and shrinking social circle that come with it.
What the latest research shows
Daniel walked through three recent studies shaping how we think about brain health:
The 2024 Lancet Commission report linked 14 modifiable risk factors, including exercise, sleep, hearing loss and education, to about half of dementia cases.
The 2025 U.S. POINTER study followed more than 2,000 older adults and found that structured lifestyle changes protected and improved cognition.
The 2026 ACTIVE trial follow-up found that people who did a short course of processing-speed training had 25% lower dementia incidence 20 years later.
He also explained three therapy approaches with strong evidence behind them. Cognitive stimulation focuses on conversation and social engagement. Cognitive training challenges the brain the way lifting weights challenges muscles. Cognitive rehabilitation helps people set and reach everyday goals, like making a weekly Sunday call to a daughter.
The care partner's brain matters too
Daniel shared that spouses of people with dementia face a markedly higher risk of developing it themselves, and that most studies find caregivers experience some cognitive decline while caregiving. He offered four habits for care partners:
Keep a standing social commitment every week.
Learn something new that pushes you outside your comfort zone.
Protect your sleep, aiming for seven to eight hours.
Move every day, even a walk with the person you care for.
Physical therapy for the brain
Daniel described NewDays as "physical therapy for your brain." Patients meet with a clinician by telehealth twice a month for cognitive rehabilitation and mental health support. Between visits, they practice with conversational exercises they can use on the web or by phone. The program is covered by traditional Medicare for people diagnosed with MCI or dementia in Washington, California, Texas, New York, Nevada and Florida.
He also shared the benefits families notice most: people reconnecting with hobbies they'd given up, a judgment-free space to practice conversation, a daily break for care partners, and a way for loved ones to feel they're giving back.
Audience questions
In the Q&A, Allyson and attendees asked about coverage, prevention, and how the exercises adapt. Daniel explained that exercises get easier or harder based on how someone is doing, and remember personal details to make conversations more engaging. He encouraged people to keep their other activities, like Sudoku, trivia nights and local memory programs, and to treat NewDays as extra practice rather than a replacement.
Watch and learn more
Watch "Brain Health for Two" on YouTube to hear the full conversation. To see if NewDays is a fit for you or someone you care for, book a free consultation or try the exercises for free on our website.
Thank you to Allyson Schrier and the Zinnia team for hosting.
