Richard Taylor is a retired Psychologist diagnosed with Alzheimer's-type dementia at the age of 58. Now 66, he is a champion for individuals with early-stage and early-onset Alzheimer's disease, and author of the book, Alzheimer's from the Inside Out (Health Professions Press, 2006).

Richard, who lives in Cypress, Texas, started writing to enable him to understand what was going on inside of him. He regularly speaks on the challenges of living with dementia and writes for two or three hours every day.

A passionate advocate for issues concerning the involvement of people living with a diagnosis of dementia, Richard was a moving force in the establishment of the Dementia Advisory Committee of the U.S. Alzheimer's Association. He now serves as the chair of a similar committee he helped to establish for the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

An articulate, thoughtful, and thought-filled speaker, Richard has presented to thousand of caregivers who use his insights to gain a deeper understanding of the person with dementia. He also chronicles his experiences and reactions to a life he lives to the fullest in his own monthly newsletter.

Richard is passionate about staying ‘in today', being enabled rather than disabled, convincing others he is and always will be a whole human being and promoting more psycho-social research into finding ‘best practices'.

Richard leads a vibrant life though control of his concentration is sometimes elusive. His language facility is still mostly intact, although he increasingly searches for the right word. His granddaughter Christina is learning to read and sometimes reads to him. He still plays bridge (with a cheat sheet) once a week; is about to release two DVD's chronicling his experiences and thoughts living with dementia; and is writing another book updating his journey.

Richard's thoughts on the Spark of Life:

'The spark of life - is life. It is the light in the eyes of every baby born on the planet. It lights up the lives of others, and provides the light for all human beings to see and be seen in their full wholeness and humanity. The symptoms of dementia may appear to cause the spark to flicker, but the spark is still there. All it takes to brighten itself is others who believe in us and show patience, love, and support.

An old hymn advises, "Brighten the corner where you are." Believe we all have the same spark, the same "life", the same human needs; even though we live with a cognitive disorder. Show us your spark and believe in our spark. The Spark of Life Approach can and should be a part of every carers life, everyone who is living with dementia, and indeed everyone on the planet.'

To discover more about Richard Taylor, visit his website, www.richardtaylorphd.com