Donna Thomson is a caregiver, author and teacher.  She is the mother of two grown children, one who has severe cerebral palsy and medical complexity. Donna also helped care for her mother who lived with dementia until she passed away in the summer of 2018 at the age of 96. Donna is the co-author (with Dr. Zachary White) of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation of Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I’ve Learned From a Life of Caregiving (McArthur and Co., 2010 and The House of Anansi Press, 2014). She blogs regularly at The Caregivers’ Living Room.  Donna is the past Vice-Chair of Kids Brain Health Network and is a leader and instructor in family engagement in health research. She is a co-designer and co-instructor of The Family Engagement in Research Course and the facilitator of the Caregiving Essentials Course, both at McMaster University. 

Blog: The Caregivers' Living Room (www.donnathomson.com)

Facebook: The Caregivers' Living Room (https://www.facebook.com/donnathomsonauthor)

Twitter: @thomsod

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna4walls/

https://www.donnathomson.com/

Caregiving essentials

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgW-AY2zjrEUYr28ebAHOY1Edc5WA3DMM

Caregivers when first learning of diagnosis- don’t even know to define themselves as caregivers yet! Each stage of dementia is different. How do you prepare yourself as a caregiver - start to finish to transition within each stage gracefully? Join us to find out. 

Regina Koepp, PsyD, ABPP

Clinical Geropsychologist

Founder & Director, Center for Mental Health & Aging

Dr. Regina Koepp is a  clinical geropsychologist, and founder and director of the Center for  Mental Health & Aging: the “go to” place online for mental health  and aging. Dr. Koepp is creator and host of the Psychology of Aging  Podcast where she discusses the aging process and its complexities. Dr.  Koepp has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, and is a  contributing writer at Psychology Today, where she discusses mental  health and aging.  She is a former assistant professor at Emory University School of  Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and a former staff psychologist at the Atlanta VA Health Care System, where she  provided direct patient care and consultation on the Geropsychiatry Outpatient Mental Health team for more than a decade. Dr. Koepp earned  her doctorate at the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium and completed her  post-doctoral fellowship at Emory University Department of Psychiatry  & Behavioral Sciences Richard W. Morrell Community Commitment Award   Learn more at mentalhealthandaging.com 

What are 3 questions which you want me to be sure to ask you during our session together? : 

- I'd like to talk about the transitions when becoming a caregiver. 

- What are some of the role transitions that arise when people become a caregiver? 

 the go-to  PGP - What can new caregivers do to help make this transition smoother? 

Rebecca Handler is a writer who lives and works in San Francisco.  Rebecca’s stories have been published and awarded in several  anthologies, and she blogs regularly at www.onewomanparty.com. Edie Richter is Not Alone is her debut novel, and in a Starred Review, Booklist writes,  "Handler's Edie has joined the ranks of unforgettably eccentric,  intelligent women protagonists.” Kirkus Starred Review says, "A  tragicomic exploration of the collateral damage of Alzheimer's  disease... Handler gets it right from the title on out. Edie is  definitely not alone.” 

Sara Traub, Attorney at Law

Sara’s practice focuses on estate planning, and also includes probate administration, guardianships & conservatorships, disability planning, elder law, and taxation. Sara is actively involved in professional and community organizations. Sara represents the third generation of her family to become a New Mexico attorney. 

Find her here: https: https://pbwslaw.com/our-team/sara-r-traub-cpa/ or https://pbwslaw.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/PBWSLaw/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pregenzer-baysinger-wideman-&-sale-pc/ 

Twitter: @pbwslaw

We discuss everything from her hallucinations, to her views and myths surrounding the stages of dementia, practical end of life care advice, and how carers can tap into the secret behind caregiving for someone living with dementia.

Jennifer Bute was a highly qualified senior doctor in a large clinical practice, whose patients included those with dementia. Then she began to notice symptoms in herself. She was finally given a diagnosis of young-onset dementia in 2009. After resigning as a GP, she resolved to explore what could be done to slow the progress of dementia. Dementia From the Inside is a practical book designed to help people who are living with dementia and give hope to those who are with them on the dementia journey. Jennifer believes that her dementia is an opportunity as well as a challenge. Her posts on Facebook take a raw and intimate look inside of her daily life. 

Links referenced:

Website: https://www.gloriousopportunity.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gloriousopportunity/

Dementia Issues, carers: https://vimeo.com/116634591

Dementia Issues - End Of Life:

https://tinyurl.com/4m7fz5vh

How does caregiving change your life? Dr. Aaron Blight shares with us his book, When Caregiving Calls, about lessons from his own journey and valuable tools to combat loneliness and the normalization of our emotions as caregivers. It's a powerful life-giving conversation with someone who's lived it and shared his expertise for more than 20 years.

Aaron Blight, Ed.D., is an international speaker and consultant on caregiving, aging, and healthcare. His book, When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative, received a 2020 Best Indie Book Award. Dr. Blight is the founder of Caregiving Kinetics and serves as an Adjunct Professor of Healthcare Management and Public Health at Shenandoah University. He has served as a family caregiver, home care company owner, caregiving scholar, and leader at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Aaron was recently recognized as a “Top 100 Healthcare Leader” by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare. He currently serves as a board member for several care-related organizations.

caregivingkinetics.com

"Just like gems, each person is precious, valuable, and unique, and given the right setting and care, can shine." - Teepa Snow

Topics

-What is an Occupational Therapist 

-5 ways we can really care for ourselves as a caregiver

-How is dementia caregiving different than other types of caregiving? 

-Why should dementia caregivers take time for themselves? 

-What are some practical ways that dementia caregivers can take care of themselves and let go of the guilt?

www.teepasnow.com 

https://www.facebook.com/teepasnow.dementiaexpert 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/positive-approach-llc/

Gems she talks about

https://teepasnow.com/about/about-teepa-snow/the-gems-brain-change-model/

free 45 min consult:

https://teepasnow.com/services/consulting/phone-consultations/

Teepa Snow is an Occupational Therapist with over forty years of rich and varied clinical and academic experience. Her experiences led her to the development of the GEMS® State Model, for understanding the progression of dementia, and the Positive Approach® training strategies. Her company, Positive Approach to Care® (PAC) provides online and in-person education and products. Teepa presents with extraordinary expertise and humor to audiences throughout the world.

Listen as Dr. Jennifer Bute shares why dementia has been an unexpected gift.

Dr. Jennifer Bute lives in a Dementia inclusive retirement village. Previously she worked in Africa as a doctor before working as a GP for 25 years involved in medical education. She was diagnosed with dementia ten years ago. She speaks at conferences and on the radio and has been involved in television programs raising awareness and understanding dementia. She passionately believes more can be done to improve both the present and the future for those living with dementia. Her book ‘Dementia from the Inside A Doctors Personal Journey of Hope’ is her story and explains these principles.

"I used to be a GP, but I retired early with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. Since then, it has become my passion to try and help people understand about it because I do believe it is a great opportunity, a God-given unexpected gift in order to understand this hurt section of society." - Dr. Jennifer Bute

Key takeaways:

How does poetry and music impact us and our memory?

What is the Japanese Memory group, and how does it work?

What are the 3 Rs?

References:

Watch on FB: 

https://www.facebook.com/Caregiversofalzheimersretreat/videos/295473745400888

Jennifer's website: www.gloriousopportunity.org 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gloriousopportunity/

Music is essential video: http://www.gloriousopportunity.org/dementia-issues.php

Video - what dementia is to me: https://vimeo.com/40513833

Her book: 

https://smile.amazon.com/Dementia-Inside-Doctors-Personal-Journey/dp/0281080690/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Jennifer+Bute+Dementia+Inside&qid=1619532680&sr=8-1 

Example of Japanese Memory Book: http://www.gloriousopportunity.org/resources/JMG_01_11_K.pdf

Dayna Steele worked with the world's greatest rock stars for years, observing what makes a rock star and what makes a fleeting one-hit-wonder. This rock radio Hall of Famer brings her Rock Star Principles of Success to The Rock Business: entertaining podcasts, popular speeches, best-selling books.

Check out her wonderful book:

Surviving Alzheimer's with Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine

https://amzn.to/2X6byTR 

Her podcast and other books: www.therockbusiness.com 

Facebook Live recording here.

Here are some of the links we discussed:

Check out her wonderful book: Surviving Alzheimer's with Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine https://amzn.to/2X6byTR

Her podcast and other books: www.therockbusiness.com

Dayna's play: https://www.youtube.com/playlist. The Woman in the Mirror A caregiver's story of love, laughter, and wine - currently being performed as a 10-episode Zoom video table read.

References mentioned:https://wearehfc.org/ HFC is a nonprofit movement, led by Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen, whose mission is to care for families facing this disease, educate young people about living a brain-healthy life, and activate the next generation of Alzheimer’s advocates.

Dementia Careblazers with Dr. Natali Edmonds...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dOP31ev294&t=160s

Aging with Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful Lives https://bookshop.org/.../aging-with-grace.../9780553380927

https://constitutionbroadway.com/

Link to our Virtual Houston retreat: https://www.caregiverwellnessretreat.com/virtual-retreats.

Please show your support for our Podcast and host more conversations about Caregiving by donating or signing up to join the conversation today at this link: https://www.caregiverwellnessretreat.com/donate-caregivers-retreats

Dr. Natali joins us to talk about some of the biggest challenges that caregivers face and simple ways to overcome and persevere. She is a board-certified geropsychologist whose mission is to help family members cope with the challenges of caring for a loved one with dementia. She posts weekly videos on her YouTube channel addressing common struggles and questions. The channel has been viewed over 4 million times worldwide. 

www.careblazers.com

www.youtube.com/dementiacareblazers 

www.instagram.com/dementia_Careblazers

 Facebook Live recording here.

Below is a list of resource links that we covered during our conversation based on your input and questions.

* www.careblazers.com


* www.youtube.com/dementiacareblazers So many great videos here on a variety of real-life topics. 


* www.instagram.com/dementia_Careblazers


* Teepa Snow: https://teepasnow.com/about/about-teepa-snow/


* These 3 doctors diagnose dementia


* 4 tips to avoid difficult dementia behavior


* How to change difficult dementia behaviors


* When someone with dementia acts fine around others


* What to say to someone with dementia when they want to see someone who's dead 


* 3 steps to help you manage guilt and sadness as a caregiver


* Careblazer Survival guide includes strategies for managing difficult dementia behaviors and caregiver stress.


Please show your support for our Podcast and host more conversations about Caregiving by donating or signing up to join the conversation today at this link: https://www.caregiverwellnessretreat.com/donate-caregivers-retreats