New memoir How Old Are You Today? Dementia, A Mother, A Daughter, and The Game That Transformed Their Lives offers a personal story of caregiving, connection, and unexpected transformation.

When Glenna Hecht’s fiercely independent mother began slipping into the fog of dementia, their relationship changed overnight. So did

Glenna’s life. In her intimate and unexpected memoir, How Old Are You Today? Dementia, A Mother, A Daughter, and The Game That Transformed Their Lives, Glenna — a national speaker, author, consultant, and daughter — shares a story that’s deeply personal, often funny, and profoundly resonant for anyone navigating memory loss and caregiving.

Within days of its debut, the book became a #1 New Release in both Aging Parents and Eldercare categories on Amazon.

At the heart of the story is a simple daily question — a ritual Glenna created to connect with her mother in the midst of confusion and loss. That question became the start of a game that transformed their relationship.

her mother. What began as a search for a way to break through confusion became a game—one that opened the door to memory, sparked laughter, and transformed their final years

together.

With over three decades of experience leading people, developing leaders, and building cultures for powerhouse brands like Starbucks, Marshall Field’s, and The Levy Restaurants at Disney, Glenna has always been fascinated by how human connection can transform outcomes—whether caring for people in a company or caring for a loved one. For the past 15 years, she has led her own firm, Humanistic Consulting, delivering leadership development, training, and HR expertise to organizations across the country. She has worked with more than 70,000 employees, but her most personal and life-changing role was as a caregiver.

Her memoir, How Old Are You Today? Dementia, A Mother, A Daughter, and The Game That Transformed Their Lives, blends brutal honesty, vulnerability, hope, and humor to share what it’s really like to navigate dementia—and how one simple question can keep a relationship alive even as memory fades.

Glenna is a two-time author, a sought-after speaker, and the voice behind the What the Hecht? blog, where she brings wit and candor to conversations about work, life, and the human side of leadership. She’s committed to service and making a difference, volunteering at Dallas theaters, serving on a nonprofit board, and creating the GJ Hecht Scholarship for Women to Make a Difference. Through her business, she donates proceeds to 13 global charities — because for her, making an impact means giving back.