July 24, 2024 As humans, we change our character personalities with the weather, music, television shows and so forth! We are complex people. Sometimes happy, melancholy or sad. Nice winds, the sun or even butterflies can change our perspective. This doesn’t end with a dementia diagnosis.
July 17, 2024 Today my guest is one of my best friends Amelia Schafer, who is the Area Director of Memory Care for Ascent Living Communities. She has an innovative project that has launched for people with various dementia’s who are not ready for a memory care yet and she wants to “Bridge” the gap so that they may live a purposeful life for as long as possible without a locked community binding their freedom....
May 30, 2024 I had the extreme pleasure of having Joe Wallace on my show recently. Joe is a journalist and photographer who spent a significant amount of time capturing the stories and essence of people living with Alzheimer disease. His exhibit is traveling around the country and is breathtaking and powerful to view. Listen as Joe describes the process of meeting the participants, gaining their trust, and capturing their feelings about their journeys. Portraits of Dementia is toured by Exhibits...
February 27, 2024 Many states have approved allowing people to transition their death in a way they want, if they have a terminal disease. However, this does not apply to people with dementia diseases. The reason is because the criteria includes someone being in their last six months of life, able to say they know what is happening and can give life ending medications themselves. None of this applies to my friends with a diagnosis. What can we do and who can help? Do laws need to change? I for o...
February 13,2024 No one wants to be pitied, they just want to be understood and loved. How to navigate through sadness and grief and do it in a positive way!
June 27, 2023 There are many complicating issues such as brain injuries, TIA’s, delirium, localized head injuries, brain injuries and more. I will explain all of this as best I can!
June 20, 2023 Dispersing medication is one of the hardest tasks caregivers have to do. No one enjoys it! Let’s add changes in medication and we don’t know why our person is having symptoms we don’t recognize! Yikes!!!! What to do and how to determine what is causing the problems!!!
June 13,2023 Hallucinations, arthritis, restless leg syndrome, wandering and more can keep us awake at night. Is there an end to this nightmare?
May 30, 2023 When someone has paranoid delusions and they are aimed at you, life can seem overwhelming and never ending. What to do!
May 16 , 2023 When you are living with someone who is in advanced stages of a dementia disease and every day is a constant fight, how do you manage? It is stressful and emotionally taxing. Here is some help for you!
May 9,2023 Working through emotions and acting instead of reacting can help ease tension and open lanes of communication.
April 25, 2023 This show is dedicated to discussing cognitive impairment and memory loss with children. They are smart and adaptable when they are informed, and often look for ways to address the situations in ways we never even considered.
April 11, 2023 Hi! I have new tool for caregivers!!!
March 28, 2023 Caregiving is hard, and having cognitive and memory loss is probably even harder. We need to remind ourselves to take steps that help us stay emotionally stable through this journey. I have loads of ideas for you today! Help is just a click away!
March 14, 2023 Sometimes when we are living with or caring for a person with a dementia disease, the days can seem long, tiring and tough. This podcast is devoted to helping you through these difficult times and helping you to find joy. It is possible my friends!
February 21, 2023 A deep look at the way a person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s feels about the way they are treated and how they perceive the world.
February 14, 2023 Today I am exploring the perspective of a person with Alzheimer’s and how they feel about how they are treated after diagnosis. Extremely eye opening!
February 7, 2023 Catching up on shows – so sorry my friends!!!! This show is about focusing on people with dementia who may be violent, or those who are not safe with their care givers. Very important information!
January 23, 2023 After the holidays are over, snow and rainy weather are the norm, we have new challenges as care partners. This show aims to help you during these difficult months!
Jan 5, 2023 Today’s show is about dealing with abuse situations that need to be dealt with head on and forthright. Please don’t put your head in the sand when you see someone who is neglected or being abused.
December 29, 2022 This holiday season has shown you some things you didn’t want to see or know if you visited someone displaying signs of memory loss and cognitive impairment. Everything seems immediate! Let’s get help! What do we do 1st? Well, first – breathe! Doctor appointments are six months out, filing for Medicaid for the less fortunate takes months. Don’t get stressed out, I have some ideas for you!...
December 8, 2020 A few years ago my husband & I went into the studio to make our second Christmas CD, Finding Christmas Spirit and had a great time over the next seven months working on the music. Jim Played acoustic guitar and harmonicas, including a 40 year old bass harmonica once owned by his father, as well as sharing the vocals with me. His rendition of The Grinch is fabulous and a can’t miss! We played with a few other musicians, Brian Hunter (electric guitar, piano and drums) and Juli...
December 13, 2022 As we return home for the holidays, gather for family celebrations, some of you will encounter disturbing and confusing issues of memory loss and cognition. It can be helpful to listen to this podcast so as not to be overwhelmed. I hope to give you some guidance on what to do next; steps to take to address these issues.
December 6, 2022 My guest in studio today is Sarah Thompson, a PHD student at the University of Colorado Anschutz in Denver. She is conducting a studio on music therapy and how it benefits people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and their care partners. She is looking for a team of 20 people for the study which begins in January. If you are interested, please contact Sarah as soon as possible to register. To load music from Youtube, open the APP on your phone or tablet, then, on the lower righ...
November 29, 2022 When we are caring for a family member or friend, assisting with a dementia disease, sometimes asking questions about finances is tricky. This is personal information, and they may be suspicious why you are asking. Many people hide information throughout their homes, cars, safe deposit boxes and more. Where do you even begin to look? I address all of this and line out exactly what you need to look for and where....
November 22,2022 Today my guest is Dr Amy Sanders, a neurologist based in Hartford, Connecticut. I found Amy as I was working on a project and searching for literature reviews. She worked with a large team to theorize better ways to work with their patients who need a clear diagnosis and path of success slated for their upcoming journey.
November 15, 2022I enjoy getting comments from my Caregivernation and sharing them with others. I think most of you can relate to the joys, sorrows and ways people cope with dementia diseases and caring for the people around them.
November 8, 2022 Visiting your long-time family doctor or general practitioner when someone you care for is struggling with impaired cognition or memory issues seems to be the first stop for many of you. Not a bad idea because they know you best, however, they may not be the most qualified to give you the answers you are seeking. Don’t be afraid to ask them to refer you to a specialist who can do more testing and provide an assessment which may be more accurate. Your general physician can still ...
October 4, 2022 My guest today is Dr. Peter Pressman, Neurologist and Researcher at the University of Colorado Hospital Anschutz in Denver, Colorado. Dr Pressman and Dr. Huntington Potter are looking for people to join the newest phase of the Sargramostim clinical trial. Otherwise known as the Leukine study. This clinical research is showing promise in fighting Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Pressman talks about what the research trial will entail, as well as answering some burning questions about the ...
September 27, 2022 This is a very hard show today because I am meeting so many people who do not like the person they are supposed to be caring for on a daily basis. When there is baggage, hard feelings, there is the potential for abuse, neglect and more trouble. I see adult kids who never felt loved, I see couples who have fallen out of love and have zero patience. I meet people who are yelling and screaming at their care givers. Think long and hard before you say you will be their power of att...
