In this episode of Cultivate Talk, Emily sits down with Dr. Amanda Cooper, an Assistant Professor of Interpersonal Communication at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Cooper’s research explores how families communicate and connect through some of life’s most difficult transitions — particularly when caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Together, they discuss what it means to maintain connection when words and roles change, how families can communicate with empathy and intention, and why presence itself can be a form of care.

This episode offers both comfort and insight for anyone navigating caregiving, grief, or communication in the face of change.