Caregiver Crossing

Each of the 5.6 million Americans with dementia has one or more caregivers struggling to make meaning while watching their loved one’s personality vanish. The caregiver is sure to be changed―not only by the myriad tasks and responsibilities, but by the soul-searching questions: Dare, I hope? Who’s to blame? What do I do with my anger? Where’s God in this? These questions of doubt, guilt, intimacy, depression, and acceptance are ultimately questions of spirit. 

Joining us today is Jean Denton. Jean is a former Joy’s House caregiver, an ordained Episcopal priest and spiritual companion with a background in nursing and public health, and the author of Walking Each Other Home: Spiritual Companionship for Dementia Caregivers. 

Jean Denton 

Website: https://jeandenton.com/about/  

Walking Each Other Home (the book): https://www.amazon.com/Walking-Each-Other-Home-Companionship/dp/1640654151  

Email Tina: [email protected]  

Learn more about Joy’s House: www.joyshouse.org 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elderly guardianship, also known as elderly conservatorship, is a legal relationship created when a court appoints an individual to care for an elderly person who is no longer able to care for himself or herself. The appointed guardian has certain duties and responsibilities to the elderly person. Unfortunately, an elderly person may become unable to care for himself or herself. This could include the inability to remember to take necessary medications, maintain regular hygiene, or properly manage finances. In these instances, it may be in the elderly person's best interests for a court to appoint a guardian. In the case, that a family member is not able to serve as a guardian, alternative guardianship options may be needed – options like the Guardianship Program offered through Shepherd’s Center Hamilton County. 

Through the Hamilton County VASIA Guardianship Program, Shepherd’s Center will serve as the court-appointed legal guardian of incapacitated adults in Hamilton County and aids those adults through trained Volunteer Advocates. The Guardianship Program promotes the dignity of a person who no longer has the capacity to make major life decisions by helping them find the least-restrictive assistance that also prioritizes their best interest, safety, and self-determination. It also provides training and support to Volunteer Advocates. Join us as we sit down with Lisa Albano, Program Director at Shephard’s Center Hamilton County to learn more about this incredible program. 

Shepherd Center of Hamilton County 

Website: https://shepherdscenterofhamiltoncounty.org/  

Guardianship Program: https://shepherdscenterofhamiltoncounty.org/guardianship-program/  

Volunteer Advocate Job Description: https://shepherdscenterofhamiltoncounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Volunteer-Advocate-Job-Description-Signature-Page.pdf  

Volunteer Advocate Application: https://shepherdscenterofhamiltoncounty.org/guardianship-program/  

Phone: 317-674-8777 

Email Tina: [email protected]  

Learn more about Joy’s House: www.joyshouse.org 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Research studies show that prolonged isolation of individuals leads to depression and anxiety. The anxiety and depression increase exponentially as people enter the senior age group. To combat the epidemic of depression and anxiety among seniors, in May of 2021, the Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County launched a Counseling Program with the goals of decreasing symptoms from mental health issues, improve quality of life, and decrease isolation.

Email Tina: [email protected]  

Learn more about Joy’s House: www.joyshouse.org

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

They are in our air, in our water, in our soils, and in our food supply: Toxins and chemical pollutants are everywhere -- including in our bodies. So, how do we eat with health in mind while living on a planet many say is poisoned beyond repair? Today we welcome back Dr. Julie Gatza, founder of the Florida Wellness Institute – you may remember her from our Poop 101 episode – to offer advice on how we can protect our health and the health of those you care for by eating smart in a toxic world. 

Absorb Aid 

Website: https://naturessources.com  

Phone: 1-800-827-7656 (Use code: RADIO) 

Email Tina: [email protected]  

Learn more about Joy’s House:  www.joyshouse.org 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you are a "typical" caregiver, then you are strapped for time and under way too much stress. You don’t need a study to know that many caregivers feel financial, physical, and emotional fallout from their role. 

What you need is a way to remove some of that stress – and many caregivers are turning to mindfulness and meditation to help relax the body and calm the mind. Effective techniques include body scans, breathing exercises, affirmation, and guided imagery meditations. Of course, if you are unfamiliar with these techniques, or simply unpracticed, you may not know how to get started. The good news is you can find guides for all these practices, and even some that are specifically tailored for caregivers! 

Meditations for Caregivers (book): https://www.amazon.com/AARP-Meditations-Caregivers-Practical-Emotional/dp/0738219029  

AARP Guided Meditation for Caregivers: https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/books/bookstore/home-family-caregiving/info-2016/meditations-for-caregivers.html  

Family Caregiver Alliance You Tube Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuKqxWJFap8  

Email Tina: [email protected]  

Learn more about Joy’s House:  www.joyshouse.org 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Family caregivers play a crucial role in the successful healthcare transitions of the loved ones. They are uniquely capable of monitoring their loved one’s progress and spotting red-flags early on; they can also provide valuable information to physician regarding disease progression, environmental changes, and other key details. Caregivers should be treated as partners in the medical care of their loved ones. Sadly, this is not always the case. Caregivers are often not involved in discharge and care transition planning processes, and they may not be adequately educated on their loved one’s diagnosis, risk factors, or other essential information. And that failure to involve caregivers has high costs for everybody. 

Today, Terri Stacy and Joy Wallsten, our producer, are joined by Regenstrief Institute Research Scientist, Dr. Kristin Levoy, who led a meta-analysis of findings from 54 studies (involving more than 31,000 individuals) confirming that caregiver engagement across healthcare transitions of chronically ill adults is instrumental in preventing rehospitalizations and holds potential for enhancing other patient outcomes. 

Connor Prairie 

Memory Cafes: https://www.connerprairie.org/explore/things-to-do/memory-cafe/  

Sensory Friendly Hours: https://www.connerprairie.org/event/sensory-friendly-hours-3/2022-08-14/  

Email Tina: [email protected]  

Learn more about Joy’s House:  www.joyshouse.org 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Family caregivers play a crucial role in the successful healthcare transitions of the loved ones. They are uniquely capable of monitoring their loved one’s progress and spotting red-flags early on; they can also provide valuable information to physician regarding disease progression, environmental changes, and other key details. Caregivers should be treated as partners in the medical care of their loved ones. Sadly, this is not always the case. Caregivers are often not involved in discharge and care transition planning processes, and they may not be adequately educated on their loved one’s diagnosis, risk factors, or other essential information. And that failure to involve caregivers has high costs for everybody. 

Today, Terri Stacy and Joy Wallsten, our producer, are joined by Regenstrief Institute Research Scientist, Dr. Kristin Levoy, who led a meta-analysis of findings from 54 studies (involving more than 31,000 individuals) confirming that caregiver engagement across healthcare transitions of chronically ill adults is instrumental in preventing rehospitalizations and holds potential for enhancing other patient outcomes. 

Email Tina: [email protected]  

Learn more about Joy’s House:  www.joyshouse.org 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More than 21 million people provide unpaid care for millions of people living with dementia in the U.S. With input from caregivers, researchers from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University, the University of Wisconsin, and Purdue University are developing and testing Helping the Helpers, a user-centered, evidence-based app to support dementia caregivers as they help manage medications -- very often multiple drugs for various conditions -- of individuals who cannot do so independently.  

In one of the first studies leveraging app-based information technology to help caregivers with medication management for individuals living with dementia, and with the goal of sharing their research with others who are developing or adapting technology to help caregivers, the Regenstrief, IU, Wisconsin and Purdue research scientists have published the peer-reviewed journal, Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy.  

We are joined today by human factors engineer, Richard Holden, PhD, who led the study, and co-author, Noll Campbell, PharmD, M.S. 

Email Tina: [email protected]  

Learn more about Joy’s House:  www.joyshouse.org 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A recent study by the Alzheimer’s Society found that over half (56%) of people surveyed are put off seeking a dementia diagnosis for up to a year or more. According to the WHO 55 million people live with dementia worldwide and there are nearly 10 million new cases each year. The leading dementia charities are warning that a lack of diagnosis is denying many of these people the chance of getting the best possible treatment, information and/or support - evidence shows the earlier on you receive these, the better your chance of living well for longer. It also means that thousands of people are not being enabled to plan for the future while they still have capacity to make important decisions.  

There are many things that can deter families from seeking a diagnosis, but most of them boil down to a fear of the unknown. That’s why we’re here, to make this process less mysterious, hopefully more approachable. 

We are joined by an exceptional physician and longtime friend of Joy’s House, Dr. Patrick Healey. Dr. Healey is a Geriatric Medicine Specialist in Indianapolis with over 39 years of experience in the medical field. Dr. Healey brings many years of knowledge and expertise to the practice while giving quality compassionate care to his patients. 

Email Tina: [email protected]  

Learn more about Joy’s House:  www.joyshouse.org 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable yet annually many people succumb to extreme heat. Historically, from 1979-2003, excessive heat exposure caused 8,015 deaths in the United States. During this period, more people in this country died from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. In 2001, 300 deaths were caused by excessive heat exposure. As caregivers it is important that understand the risks and symptoms of heat related illness and how to prevent it in those we care for. 

Email Tina: [email protected]  

Learn more about Joy’s House:  www.joyshouse.org 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.