Hello!

Oh, Balloon is a newsletter about dementia and caregiving, and the existential crises that come with both. I assume you’re here because you’re interested in the subject matter. Or maybe you’re here because you know me, Patti Greco, and you’re curious about what I’ve been up to. Either way, welcome! I haven’t been up to too much.

In my past life, I was an entertainment editor in NYC. I worked at New York Magazine’s Vulture, where I ran party coverage and edited celebrity Q&As, and Cosmopolitan, where I headed up the online entertainment vertical and stared at Chartbeat for longer than I’d care to admit. I’ve also written for outlets like Glamour, Elle, and Vanity Fair (just once, but still).

I recently completed a fellowship with Columbia’s Age Boom Academy, where I honed my skills as a reporter on the caregiving beat. (I’ve written about dementia and other health topics in the past, but I wanted to kick things up a notch, okay?) I’ve started this newsletter to think through my own experiences with caregiving, and to share some of the insights I’ve picked up along the way.

What to Expect

I’ll start by publishing a mix of personal essays, reported stories, and shorter blog posts—one article per week on Wednesdays—and go from there. While this newsletter isn’t all about me, it is by me. It will represent my interests and sensibilities (and include at least one reference to My So-Called Life). It is not a stand-in for medical or therapeutic advice.

My hope is that Oh, Balloon evolves into a community for caregivers of people with dementia—and anyone else who thinks about things like grief, acceptance, and Seth Rogen’s connection to Alzheimer’s.

Thanks for being here.