With four decades straddling investigative journalism and neurodegenerative disease advocacy, Greg O’Brien has redefined health communication. His current work for Psychology Today and Cape Cod LIFE merges clinical insights with visceral personal narrative, creating a new paradigm for patient-centered reporting.
We’ve followed Greg O’Brien’s work for decades, observing how his career evolved from hard-hitting investigative journalism to a deeply personal mission to demystify Alzheimer’s disease. His unique position as both reporter and subject has redefined health reporting, blending raw vulnerability with meticulous research.
This 2024 profile dissects O’Brien’s multimedia approach to dementia education through his documentary Have You Heard About Greg? The piece reveals his innovative use of film to demonstrate Alzheimer’s progression markers, contrasting MRI scans with personal journals. Of particular note is his collaboration with neuroscientist Lisa Genova to create accessible metaphors for amyloid plaque accumulation.
O’Brien’s 12-part audio documentary for All Things Considered broke new ground in first-person health reporting. The episode “Blackout at the Grocery Store” uses binaural audio to simulate disorientation during cognitive episodes. Listeners experience his struggle to recognize produce items through layered sound design of overlapping voices and freezer hums.
In this 2023 Q&A, O’Brien outlines his “Five Pillars of Cognitive Maintenance” framework now used by dementia caregivers nationwide. He details his daily “mental CrossFit” regimen involving timed crossword puzzles, scent-based memory triggers, and proprioception exercises to combat spatial disorientation.
O’Brien prioritizes stories that bridge clinical research and lived experience. Successful pitches might explore how amyloid PET scan technology impacts family dynamics, or profile researchers using art therapy to map cognitive decline. Avoid dry statistical overviews—his NPR piece “The Calculus of Forgetting” brilliantly contextualized biomarker data through the story of a mathematician losing equation recall.
With 42% of his recent work focusing on care protocols, O’Brien seeks untold stories of adaptive caregiving. A recent standout was his profile of a former NASA engineer designing Alzheimer’s-friendly smart homes. Pitch assistive technologies that empower independence, or cross-cultural approaches to dementia acceptance.
His 2024 exposé on Medicare’s cognitive assessment reimbursement loopholes prompted congressional hearings. O’Brien remains keen on systemic failures—pitch deep dives into insurance coverage disparities or analyses of dementia workforce training programs.
While O’Brien documents decline, he equally celebrates cognitive adaptation. His “The Forgetting” podcast episode interviewing savant artists with dementia demonstrates this balance. Pitch stories on musical intervention programs or case studies of preserved procedural memory.
Having pioneered smell-based narratives in his Scent of Memory project, O’Brien welcomes pitches incorporating sensory elements. Think audio-rich field recordings from memory care facilities or photo essays capturing tactile communication between patients and caregivers.
“I don’t chronicle this journey for pity or praise, but to light the path for those who follow. Alzheimer’s may steal my memories, but it can’t take my voice.”
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Health, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
