Caregiver Storyteller - About Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregiving

What if caregiving felt a little less overwhelming and a lot more supported?

Caregiving can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. In this episode of Caregiver Storyteller, we sit down with Dr. Jessica Zwerling, neurologist and Director of the Montefiore Hudson Valley Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease, and a 2025 CaringKind New York City Alzheimer’sWalk honoree.

Dr. Zwerling shares her perspective on how families can find balance while caring for someone with dementia. She explores the many ways caregivers can build meaningful connections, even as communication changes, and why compassion is so central to the dementia journey. She also discusses how clinical trials and community partnerships, including CaringKind, JASA, and GUIDE, bring real support directly to families when they need it most.

Her insights remind us that caregiving is not just about responsibilities, but about relationships, and that small moments of self-care can be just as important as the care we provide to others.

This episode offers both inspiration and practical guidance, highlighting how medical expertise and community resources come together to make the dementia journey more manageable.

Visit Montefiore Einstein Hudson Valley Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease: https://montefioreeinstein.org/patient-care/services/neurology/programs/alzheimers

If you’re caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, you are not alone. Visit caringkindnyc.org to learn more about free programs, resources, and support.

 #Alzheimers#DementiaCare #CaregiverStoryteller #CaringKind #montefioreeinstein

✨ When words fade, music still speaks—and heals.

For our season finale, we are honored to welcome Kendra Ray,  PhD, MBA, MPH, MT-BC, LCAT, Chief Research Officer at CaringKind.

Dr. Ray shares her inspiring journey of falling in love with music and discovering its profound role in healing. She offers practical ways music can ease agitation, lift depression, spark joy, and restore connection, reminding us that sometimes the smallest tools can transform even the hardest moments. Music brings joy, comfort, and connection into the caregiving journey, renewing the spirit of both care partners and the people they support.

Dr. Ray also explains how music can help us stay present in the here and now—creating what she calls moments of paradise—where care partners and loved ones can experience calm, joy, and connection together.

Listen to this uplifting finale on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform. Thank you for being part of our community of care partners and champions. We hope this season has brought you strength, validation, and hope.

🙏 Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors:

Eli Lilly and Family Caregiver Alliance

and to listeners like you, who make this community possible.

Links from the Episode:

Song BPM — Find the beats per minute of a song, as well as the key (be mindful of ads).

·Progressive Relaxation withMusic

3-Minute GroundingMeditation

DementiaWorkbook (MJHS) — Created for caregivers; includes music interventions to use when caring for people with cognitive disorders and memory loss.

The best care partnerships honor two people-  the one you’re caring for, and the one doing the caring.

In this heartfelt conversation, Gwen, a devoted mother, licensed practical nurse, and sole care partner for her 80-year-old mother, shares the lessons she’s learned from a lifetime of caring for others. From her service on the deacon board at Greater Zion Hill Baptist Church to her 34-year nursing career, Gwen’s commitment to helping others runs deep. She reflects on the importance of self-care for care partners, the true meaning of partnership in caregiving, and the power of embracing loved ones for who they are today, rather than who they once were. Gwen’s story is a moving reminder that caringfor others begins with caring for yourself.

Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors:

Eli Lilly and Family Caregiver Alliance

and to listeners like you!

You don’t have to live in the same zip code to feel the weight ofcaregiving. Whether you’re across the street or the country, the dementia journey changes you.

In this episode, we welcome Francesca B.Falzarano, PhD, a developmental psychologist and Assistant Professor of Gerontology at USC, whose life and work have been shaped by her caregiving journey. Francesca became a caregiver at just 14 years old, an experience that has fueled her mission to understand better and support those caring for a loved one living with dementia.

Our conversation explores the unique challenges of caregiving from a distance, the realities of the “sandwich generation,” and how a caregiver’s needs evolve throughout the illness, from the first diagnosis, through progression, and into grief and bereavement. We discuss how technology can be a lifeline, not just for managing care, but for sustaining emotional connection, reducing stress, and building resilience.

Whether you are a long-distance care partner, part of the sandwich generation, or navigating your own changing caregiving role, this episode offers insight, validation, and practical ideas for finding connection and support- wherever you are in the journey.

Study Mentioned:

Living Memory Home-4-Dementia Care Pairs (LMH-4-DCP)

https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06225986

Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors:

Eli Lilly and Family Caregiver Alliance

and listeners like you!

What if the first step after a dementia diagnosis wasn’t fear—but connection?

In this compelling episode, Olivia Cohen, Director of Early-Stage and Engagement Services at CaringKind, opens the door to a world where a diagnosis is not the end—but the beginning of a deeply supportive journey. Olivia walks us through CaringKind’s early-stage programs, where individuals living with dementia—and the people who care for them—find understanding, purpose, and community from day one.

From initial diagnosis through the full continuum of care, these programs offer more than just education or support—they offer empowerment. Clients, care partners, families, and friends all become part of a shared experience that fosters growth, creativity, and lasting bonds. Olivia also shares how bearing witness to this journey has profoundly shaped her own life and perspective.

If you or someone you love is navigating the early stages of dementia, this episode will show you what’s possible when care starts early—and grows with you every step of the way.

CaringKind Early Stage Programs:

https://www.caringkindnyc.org/earlystage/

CaringKind Website:

https://www.caringkindnyc.org/

Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors!

Eli Lilly and the Family Caregiver Alliance,

and to listeners like you!

Can music unlock the mind? Discover how melody brings memory to life in dementia care.

In this moving episode, Dr. Anne Kenny sits down with world-renowned music therapist Dr. Concetta Tomaino to explore the transformative role of music in dementia care. As a pioneer in the field and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, Dr. Tomaino shares her remarkable journey, from her early fascination with the emotional and neurological effects of music, to working alongside the late Dr. Oliver Sacks, to publishing her acclaimed book Awakenings: Music, Memory, and the Mind.

Through personal stories and professional insight, Dr. Tomaino reflects on what drew her to music therapy and how she’s seen melody rekindle memory, unlock speech, and spark connection in people affected by Alzheimer’s and other neurological conditions. Whether you’re a caregiver, clinician, or simply curious about the brain’s connection to music, this episode is a powerful reminder of music’s ability to heal where words fall short.

Tune in to hear how rhythm, memory, and heart come together—one note at a time.

Thank you to our podcast sponsors!

Eli Lilly and Family Caregiver Alliance

and to listeners like you!

Links from the Epidsode:

Institute for Music and Neurologic Function - Mount Vernon, NY  https://www.imnf.org

Link for book  Music Has Power® in Senior Wellness and Healthcare | Jessica Kingsley Publishers - USA

Spiritune – gives a discount through this imnf link Sign Up - Spiritune

www.CBMT.org – to find local music therapists

When is the right time to talk about the future? On this episode of Caregiver Storyteller, we sit down with Pamela Edgar, Director of Education at CaringKind, to explore how advance care planning can shift from a daunting task into a powerful act of love.

With warmth, wisdom, and years of experience supporting caregivers and families, Pamela shares how to initiate meaningful conversations that honor dignity, values, and choice.

Discover practical insights, heartfelt stories, and actionable tips that will help you approach these conversations with confidence and purpose. Whether you’re just starting to think about next steps or navigating care for a loved one today, this episode offers real-life guidance to help you move forward.

Pamela’s unique blend of expertise and empathy will leave you inspired to take the next step in planning for the future.

Because the most difficult conversations often turn out to be the most meaningful.

Major funding for CaringKind’s Caregiver Storyteller podcast has been provided by:

Eli Lilly & Company, Family Caregiver Alliance, and through contributions to CaringKind by listeners like you!

What would you do if you could know your genetic risk for Alzheimer’s? In this intimate episode, we go beyond science to the heart of a family navigating the impact of a genetic marker known as ApoE4. Michael Pollack, living with Alzheimer’s, joins his daughters Ava and Lucy for a powerful conversation about diagnosis, legacy, and the profoundly personal choices surrounding genetic testing.

We explore:

• What ApoE4 is and why it matters
• How families weigh the emotional impact of genetic risk
• Michael’s journey and the wisdom he shares with others
• Ava and Lucy’s candid reflections on fear, hope, and the future

This is not just a medical episode; it’s a conversation about courage, connection, and caregiving.

Listen now and join the dialogue.

In this moving preview of Alzheimer’s in Our DNA, Michael Pollack, living with Alzheimer’s, shares the emotional and familial complexities of genetic testing around the ApoE4 gene.

🎙 Hear his voice. Then subscribe now to hear the whole story.

Join our host Dr. Anne Kenny, in this episode of the Caregiver Storyteller Podcast, internationally renowned classical music publicist and strategist, Mary Lou Falcone, opens her heart to share intimate stories from her memoir, I Didn’t See It Coming. With profound love and vulnerability, Mary Lou reflects on her journey alongside her husband, artist Nicky Zann, as they faced the challenges of Lewy Body Dementia together. Through her raw and honest storytelling, she offers listeners not only powerful strategies for caregiving but also a message of hope, resilience, and the deep, enduring love that carried them through. Whether you’re a caregiver, family member, or simply touched by dementia, Mary Lou’s story will resonate deeply with anyone navigating the emotional landscape of Alzheimer’s and related dementias.