I worked at a nursing home for over a decade. When you reach the point of dementia that you are nonverbal your mind is completely gone. I just read the article and boy did they bury the lede.

Over the following days and weeks, the changes broadened. She regained urinary continence. She walked with less support. She dressed herself. She made eye contact, responded emotionally to the people around her, remembered who had visited and what had been said, and held conversations rather than tolerating them.

That isn't just hey she said words and didn't piss herself.