Bowling Green startup helps community fight cognitive decline

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - A local startup is helping people with and without dementia develop strategies to improve cognitive health during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

Defying Dementia, founded in 2024 by Jenny Jacobs, operates at the WKU Innovation Campus and provides comprehensive cognitive care. The company made the 2026 startups to watch list in Kentucky.

“Defying Dementia provides comprehensive cognitive care. We focus on supporting individuals who are living with dementia and the people who are caring for them,” Jacobs said. “We support those that are looking for information around navigating this disease and also focus on prevention, telling people how they can try to prevent dementia.”

Jacobs, a speech therapist with 20 years of experience, founded the company after her father’s diagnosis. As an only child, she cared for her late father.

“I wanted to find a way to help, number one, prevent this from happening to other people because it’s brutal. And I also wanted to create a space where people felt like they could talk to each other,” Jacobs said. “Because of the journey that I went through with my dad, I think that walking with others through a similar journey and a similar path and being able to offer information, support, and resources has been something that’s helped me heal after his passing.”

While dementia is often associated with older people, Jacobs said the time to start thinking about dementia is midlife, especially for women, as they are more likely to get dementia compared to men.

The program emphasizes exercise and physical movement. Jacobs said nutrition is also important, encouraging healthy foods, nut butters, natural foods and natural fats, not processed or sugary foods.

“Those are things that contribute to cognitive decline over time,” Jacobs said.

Information and consultations are available at Defying-Dementia.com.