Wander (verb) - To walk or move in an aimless way. Wandering is an all-too-common behavior amongst people with dementia, Autism spectrum disorder, and Down syndrome, and are a huge fear for those concerned for their safety and well-being. A person's failing memory and declining ability to communicate can make it impossible for them to remember or explain the reason they wandered. In episode 47, Don and I had the honor of speaking with retired Manager, Systems Engineer, * Kirk Moody, and filmmake...
Nov 29, 2021•58 min•Season 3Ep. 47
IN EPISODE 46 - Don and I had an absolutely inspiring conversation with Jackie Goldberg , also known as the Pink Lady. Pink is 89 years young - and I don’t say that lightly. Pink is a teacher, actor, author, and toastmaster. For over 40 years, she was in the fashion industry as a Womens’ Wear marketing & sales rep. At age 70, she developed a series of seminars called, “Get Up, Get Out, & Get a Life,” to encourage fellow seniors to embrace new challenges. She also began an acting career. ...
Nov 13, 2021•39 min•Season 3Ep. 46
In Episode 45, Don and I have an absolutely dynamic conversation with Elizabeth Miller, a CCC (Certified Caregiver Consultant) and HHHCP (Host of the Happy Healthy Caregiver Podcast), an incredible aesthetic (check out her branding ... it's gorgeous!), and just all around WW (wonderful Woman! If you are not familiar with her then throw on your EarPods and enjoy!! Yes, of course, we discuss the overwhelming responsibilities that come with being a caregiving, how she got started as a caregiver, an...
Oct 29, 2021•51 min•Season 3Ep. 45
In Episode 44, Don and I had a candid conversation with Jennifer Fink - Founder and Host of Fading Memories Podcast - about a topic that doesn't seem to get as much attention as it should. Personal hygiene and our loved ones. As Alzheimer's progresses, poor hygiene can become an issue: people living with dementia (PLWD) often refuse to bathe and even change their clothes. It can even lead to medical problem such as urinary tract infections. Because Alzheimer’s causes a slow decline of cognitive ...
Oct 15, 2021•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 44
In our Season Three Premiere (wow!!), Episode 43, Don and I talked with the force that is Marianne Sciucco -a registered nurse who's cared for hundreds of dementia patients over a 20-year career. Her novel, Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s Love Story , is based on a couple she met through her work and is a testament to the power of love in the face of this heart wrenching disease. Marianne’s tender work of fiction brings consolation and understanding to all who encounter Alzheimer’s. Ironically, ...
Oct 06, 2021•55 min•Season 3Ep. 43
In Episode 42, Don and I spoke with Swedish Caregiver, Patrick Berglund, We "met" this angel after he watched our film, My Mom and The Girl , and reached out through social media to tell us how much he enjoyed it. And we have been friends ever since. I have always been struck by Patrick's dedication to caregiving and the pure joy it gives him. I found it fascinating and beautiful that a young father -- without any family living in a senior facility -- chose to make his living in Elder Care. He d...
Jul 20, 2021•40 min•Season 2Ep. 42
In episode 41, Don and I spoke to the absolutely delightful and dynamic Kennedy Loftin, Chief Development Officer at the Montrose Center , one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ resource centers . Kennedy led the $26.5 million campaign to build The Law Harrington Senior Living Center , the nation’s largest, LGBTQ affirming senior housing center that opened on June 24, 2021. In response to Hurricane Harvey, Kennedy launched the LGBTQ Hurricane Harvey Relief fund which raised $2.3 million to help the ...
Jul 07, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 41
While our population lives longer... caregivers get younger. More millennials are becoming caregivers in their 20s and 30s. Of the over 40 million caregivers in the United States, one-fourth of them are millennials. Like the incredible Lauren Dykovitz. Lauren Dykovitz knew nothing about Alzheimer’s when her mother was diagnosed at the age of 62. She was only 25 years old at the time. By the time she was 28, she quit her full-time job and became a caregiver for her mom. Lauren started the Life, L...
Jun 24, 2021•51 min•Season 2Ep. 40
In celebration of Pride Month 2021, we had the honor of speaking with Chris MacLellan, author of "What's The Deal With Caregiving?" . Christopher and his partner, Richard Schiffer, were featured in a 2015 Pulitzer Prize-nominated caregiving story "In Sickness and Health; A Couple's Final Journey" , that chronicled their journey of caregiving. The story told of the challenges that LGBT partners have in dealing with the medical and legal system, but it also told of the love and joy that Richard’s ...
Jun 12, 2021•49 min•Season 2Ep. 39
In Episode 38, Don and I speak with the incredibly inspirational, ANTHONY COPELAND PARKER. When Tony and his partner, Catherine Elizabeth Popp, were in their 50’s, they found that he needed a heart-valve replacement, and she had early-onset Alzheimer’s. They both had a history as endurance athletes, so their reaction to the news was to sell their home, retire from their jobs, and become nomads, running marathons and half- marathons all over the world. That's also when Tony began writing his blog...
May 26, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 38
In Episode 37, Don and I have a fantastic conversation with DAN JAWORSKI - whose diagnosis a year and a half ago of Mild Cognitive Impairment hasn't slowed down him down one bit! Dan is currently training for the 2021 Kona Ironman World Championship! Dan's philosophy on life and how he chooses to embrace his challenges. Dan is gifted with an enormous amount of inspiration and empowerment to share with everyone, including families on the dementia journey. You will lean into the sunnier side of yo...
May 13, 2021•59 min•Season 2Ep. 37
In episode 36, we had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Judy Cornish , author, founder of the Dementia & Alzheimer’s Wellbeing Network ( DAWN®), creator of the DAWN Method® of dementia care, and a retired elder law attorney. Judy is a maverick in the caregiving community and I hope you will take the time to listen and take notes! We could have talked for, at least, another 2 days!! Her two books , The Dementia Handbook and Dementia With Dignity , take person-centered dementia care from ...
Apr 28, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 36
In EP 35, we spoke with Marisa Pasquini, an international educator for caregivers who serve people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. She has spent the last 12 years developing strategies that help caregivers survive the challenges of caring for people with dementia. She takes an empathic approach in assessing the needs of clients with dementia and teaches caregiving skills that allow the caregiver to accept and enter into the persons' "New Reality." The goal of developing these skills is to decreas...
Apr 14, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 35
Susanne White is the Founder of Caregiver Warrior and the author of the "Caregiver’s Little Guide to Survival!" and has found the most happiness in sharing her knowledge, wisdom, and experience as a Caregiver. She wants Caregivers to survive what she calls "this amazing roller coaster of a ride and be open to scream, cry, laugh, and finally arrive home after the ride of your lifetime". Support the show Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT for quality long term care! Visit the No Country Fo...
Apr 01, 2021•59 min•Season 2Ep. 34
Joey Paul Jensen is an award winning Casting Director, Movie Producer, Acting Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Peak Performance coach. She also is a devoted caregiver who knows first -hand that miracles can and DO happen! Joey has been a driving force working with talent in Hollywood for over 20 years. She is a BFA graduate of Disney’s Cal ARTS. She has appeared as a speaker on Dr. Phil, E Entertainment, TLC, Access Hollywood, Nightline, and The Biography Channel as an expert on self image, acti...
Mar 18, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 33
The Bob and Diane Fund is an annual grant for visual storytellers—about Alzheimer's and dementia. The 501(c) organization was founded by Gina Martin, a longtime National Geographic photo representative for their photo agency. Gina is committed to finding a cure for Alzheimer's and dementia. This is the 5th year of the Bob & Diane Fund. They support photographers who are working on stories related to Alzheimer's and dementia through grants and scholarships. The grant supports work that alread...
Mar 04, 2021•53 min•Season 2Ep. 32
Darren Crombie is the founder of Upstream Health and lead for Team Bridgit. He has experience in building teams and start-ups to deliver technology and health innovation, with a focus on improving social outcomes. Prior to founding Upstream, he managed a care team responsible for looking after an amazing group of patients in Manchester, where he learnt a lot about the gap in health technology for family carers and the people they care for. This, combined with Darren's hands on experience with hi...
Feb 18, 2021•53 min
In Episode 30, Max Goldman , a startup entrepreneur and tech industry veteran, has a message: " To the 45 million of you caring, coordinating and contributing to a loved one’s daily money matters: you are not alone." The Problem To understand why we are here, call a bank and ask literally any question that would help you understand or protect your parents’ financial activity. If making this call sounds awful and unproductive, we agree. The reality is, today's banking systems weren’t built for ca...
Feb 03, 2021•56 min•Season 2Ep. 30
Episode 29: If you have parents, you need to listen to the week's episode with Cameron Huddleston , who shares how caregivers - or anybody - can learn to confidently face the "F" word... FINANCE!!! Cameron Huddleston is an award-winning journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing about personal finance. Her work has appeared in Forbes, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, MSN, Yahoo and many more print and online publications. She is also the author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Hav...
Jan 20, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Episode 28: Senator Monique Limón was elected to the Senate in November 2020 and represents the 19th Senate district, which includes the County of Santa Barbara. Her election makes her the second woman and first Latina to be elected to represent Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties in the State Senate. Her focuses include health, women, consumer protection, natural disasters, and Alzheimer’s Awareness. As Assemblymember, the Senator had the opportunity in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 to put forward ...
Jan 06, 2021•39 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Episode 27: Rick Lauber is a professional freelance writer with a sizable portfolio. He began his writing career after pursuing radio broadcasting, bartending, and marketing/public relations. Outside of writing, he continues to work part-time, travel to the mountains as often as possible, and cheer on the Edmonton Eskimos. Rick is also a former co-caregiver for both of his aging parents (his mother had Parkinson’s Disease and Leukemia and his father had Alzheimer’s disease) turned book author. W...
Dec 23, 2020•53 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Episode 26: In 2002, Trish Laub was told that her father was being treated for Alzheimer’s. Trish and her husband moved from suburban Chicago to the Denver area in 2012 not only to enjoy the beautiful mountains but also to be closer to her parents. With her abundant expertise, Trish has created Comfort in their Journey. Her award winning Comfort in Their Journey book series ( A Most Meaningful Life, Peaceful Endings, and Through the Rabbit Hole ) provides the clear, concise and easily accessible...
Dec 03, 2020•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 26
Episode 25 Don't wait to advocate! Nancy Daly is a successful Actor/Playwright/Voice Over Artist, but she says her greatest achievement is as the Founder and National Team Captain of Actors & Artists Unite to End Alz, a National Team for the Walk to end Alzheimer’s sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association. Actors & Artists Unite is the only non-corporate, grass roots National Team and has raised over $300,000 since 2011. Support the show Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT for qua...
Nov 19, 2020•54 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Episode 24: The Power of the Human - Horse Connection. Connected Horse offers human-animal connection, engagement and understanding through its innovative workshops and research which encourage and support individuals living with dementia diagnoses, care partners and professionals. Our work is solely focused on the relationship between people and horses. Through our equine-guided workshops, we are supporting people affected by dementia and their caregivers. www.connectedhorse.com Nancy is a co-f...
Nov 04, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Episode 23: Staying healthy means staying ACTIVE! This is especially true for seniors. And Shememe Williams has created a portal with all the resources you need to help yourself or your loved one maintain a quality of life. Don’t miss this episode! Shememe Williams (pronounced Shu mem) is the CEO and Founder of My Active Senior LLC (MAS). My Active Senior is an online senior service marketplace listing housing, technology, products, events, trips, home health care and more all in one place. myac...
Oct 21, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Episode 22: Susan J. Farese joins us this week to share her poetry, stories of her grandmother and a discussion on the power of art. Twitter: @sjfcommo https://twitter.com/sjfcommo Instagram : @sjfcommo https://www.instagram.com/sjfcommo/?hl=en Facebook: @sjfcommunications : https://www.facebook.com/sjfcommunications Facebook personal: https://www.facebook.com/susan.farese/ Website: sjfcommunications.comor https://sjfcommunications.com BIO Susan J. Farese, MSN, RN, a native of New Jersey, is the...
Oct 07, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Episode 21: Today we are speaking with Leigh Cashman, Vice-Chair of the Central Coast Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association Board to discuss her advocacy work and how anyone can make a difference. Leigh has been on the Board of the Central Coast Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association for 5 yrs. She serves as the Ambassador to her Congress Member in the 24th District, Central California Chapter, and State Champion for her Assembly member in the 37th District of the Central Coast. She travels to Washingt...
Sep 23, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Episode 20: Alzheimer’s is a complex disease. Although we have yet to discover a cure, we have discovered that there is not one single cause of Alzheimer's disease. For a long time, researchers thought the disease was caused by the abnormal build-up of amyloid proteins around brain cells. Now, they believe that another protein, tau, is equally responsible by forming tangles within brain cells. And there may be others as well. If this sounds confusing, join us as we speak to Tanya Lewis, associat...
Sep 10, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 20
EPISODE 19: Join us for a very special episode of Love Conquers Alz, when actress Cerina Vincent (Disney’s Stuck in the Middle, Power Rangers Los Galaxy, Cabin Fever, Not Another Teen Movie) and her aunt, Mary Vincent, share a beautiful caregiver’s story of LOVE. Support the show Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT for quality long term care! Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information. YOU CAN ALSO SUPPORT THE ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL PROMOTION OF OUR DOCUMENTARY "NO COUNT...
Aug 26, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Episode 18: Shawn Perry is the Founder, Executive Producer and Host of The Senior Zone ; DC’s #1 radio program for seniors. The Senior Zone’s weekly radio program is dedicated to serving the needs of the older adult community and now in its eight year, has become a forum of connection and inspiring possibilities for older adults seeking tips and directions to senior programs, services, tools, resources, events, advice as well as cultural tidbits. Since 2012, Shawn has worked tirelessly to promot...
Aug 12, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 18
