Previous Work

The Mother Who Changed: A Story of Dementia

The New York Times Magazine
May 9, 2023

When cognitive decline changes people, should we respect their new desires?

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Should patients be allowed to die from Anorexia?

The New York Times Magazine

Jan 3, 2024

Treatment wasn’t helping her anorexia, so doctors allowed Naomi to stop — no matter the consequences. But is a “palliative” approach to mental illness really ethical?

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I’ve Reported on Dementia for Years, and One Image of a Prisoner Keeps Haunting Me

The New York Times

Aug 11, 2023

One image has especially haunted me: that of a prisoner who, as a result of cognitive impairment, no longer remembers his crimes — but is still being punished for them.

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What Robots Can and Can't Do for the Old and Lonely

The New Yorker
May 24, 2021

For elderly Americans, social isolation is especially perilous. Will machine companions fill the void?

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‘We Are Going to Keep You Safe, Even if It Kills Your Spirit’

New York Times Opinion
February 19, 2021

For the millions of Americans living with dementia, every day during this pandemic can bring a fresh horror.

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‘What Happened in Room 10?’

The California Sunday Magazine
August 23, 2020

Forty-six people associated with the nursing home died, exposing how ill-prepared we were for the pandemic — and how we take care of our elderly. This is their story.

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‘Her Time’

The California Sunday Magazine
March 20, 2019

Debra Koosed was diagnosed with dementia at 65. That’s when she decided she no longer wanted to live.

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Dumped: Nursing Home Evictions a Reality for Some Poor Patients

NBC News (Video)
November 27, 2019

Every year, thousands of Americans are evicted from nursing homes — sometimes illegally, because they’re low-income.

Abortion Back-Up Plan:

Some Women Are Ordering Abortion Pills Online

NBC News (Video)

June 1, 2019

What happens if Roe v. Wade is overturned?
Some women are already giving themselves abortions at home, away from doctors and clinics.

When Are We Truly Dead?

NBC News (Video)

January 3, 2019

Taquisha McKitty was declared “dead by neurological criteria” in September 2017. Then her family went to court.

After Charlottesville: What Happens to Survivors of Terrorism?

NBC News (Video)

August 10, 2018

What happens to survivors of terror attacks in America, after the news cycle moves on?
Who pays their medical bills?

What if Your Loved Ones' Betrayal Landed You in Prison?

NBC News (Video)

June 5, 2018

Anyone who was spied on during Albania’s Communist dictatorship can now access their formerly classified files.

Hunting for the Victims of Nazi Brain Experiments

NBC News (Video)

September 28, 2017

In 2015, a German scientist found a box of brain samples belonging to Holocaust victims at a research institute in Berlin.