Before Alzheimer’s disease crept up on him, Jay Newton-Small’s father built an impressive career as a United Nations’ diplomat, travelling the world.

But the disease faded his memory and often caused him to behave uncharacteristically. 

That’s when his daughter knew she had to move him to a care facility.

In an effort to ensure his nursing staff understood him as well as she did, the former TIME magazine journalist wrote his life’s story much like the articles she’d written on deadline. Instead of endless data points on medical forms, his caregivers were able to learn about all of the things that made Jay’s father the man he was and this small difference transformed his care.

In this Full Frame Close Up, we take a look at how Newton-Small’s organization, MemoryWell, is hoping to change how people with Alzheimer’s and dementia are cared for, one story at a time.