An Alzheimer’s Survivor? Brent Beasley on Life on Treatment
Alzheimer’s disease ended his career as a physician and threw his life into chaos, but Dr. Brent Beasley says he feels hopeful. In fact, he said the new anti-amyloid therapies available for patients like himself have made him an “Alzheimer’s survivor.” In this episode, Dr. Jason Karlawish sits with Dr. Beasley to hear his story, how his community has continued to sustain him, and why there’s reason to be hopeful about an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2026.
Inside this episode:
3:11 – Living Truthfully with Alzheimer’s: Dr. Beasley explains why he immediately shared his diagnosis with his church community and how openness helped him find support.
8:56 – The Power of a Biomarker Diagnosis: Dr. Beasley discusses receiving a p-tau217 blood test result that confirmed Alzheimer’s disease and how diagnostic certainty changed his outlook.
14:26 – The Stigma of “Dementia:” Dr. Karlawish and Dr. Beasley explore the stigma surrounding dementia and the consequences of using the term as a political insult.
16:45 – Purpose, Joy, and Grandchildren: Dr. Beasley describes the people, relationships, and activities that give his life meaning, from music and writing to his growing family.
18:16 – The Care Partner Behind the Care: Dr. Beasley shares how his wife Cindy navigated insurance hurdles, treatment approvals, and the complex healthcare system to help him access lecanemab.
32:31 – The Four-Letter Word: Dr. Beasley closes his conversation with a single message for listeners: hope.
34:52 – Why Community Matters: Dr. Karlawish reflects on the role of friends, family, faith communities, and care partners in helping people live well with cognitive impairment.
39:40 – Living With Alzheimer’s in the Era of Treatment: Dr. Karlawish and Terrence Casey discuss how Dr. Beasley’s experience differs from previous generations and what anti-amyloid therapies can and cannot do.
44:49 – The Hope Future Treatments: A discussion of anti-tau therapies, emerging research, and why cautious optimism is appropriate for the field today.
Resources available on the episode webpage linked below
Read Brent Beasley’s Wall Street Journal essay, "I Detected My Alzheimer’s at 57, Early Enough to Intervene"
Read Dr. Karlawish’s STAT News essay about biomarker testing for Alzheimer’s disease
Listen to our previous episode featuring neurologist Dr. Dan Gibbs, "What’s It Like to Be Dan?"
Listen to Brent Beasley’s Spotify playlist
Special thanks this episode to Brent Beasley, MD, for sharing his story and today’s co-hosts, Jason Karlawish, MD, and Terrence Casey.
The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Terrence Casey and Executive Producer Jason Karlawish. Contributors include Morgann Adams, Dalia Elsaid, Holly Elser, Jake Johnson, Emily Largent, and Alison Lynn.
The Age of Aging is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund, Lena Chow, and the TIAA Institute.
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