Patti Davis is an author, activist, advocate, and daughter of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. She is a frequent contributor to media outlets including the New York Times and The Washington Post and has written several works of both fiction and nonfiction. She is the founder of Beyond Alzheimer’s, a support group program for caregivers of people living with dementia. Her latest book Floating in the Deep End: How Caregivers Can See Beyond Alzheimer’s, recently released in paperback, is an extension of that support group. Part handbook, part memoir, Patti offers practical and important strategies for every stage of the disease. I believe this book is a must read for dementia caregivers. Patti and I discuss the book and the many ways your life changes as a caregiver, the power of showing up and the importance of support.

SHOW NOTES

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/floating-in-the-deep-end-patti-davis/1138668991

Daughterhood.org

Naila Francis is a writer, grief coach, death midwife, ordained interfaith minister and creator of This Hallowed Wilderness which provides compassionate presence and holistic support for the journey of grief, loss and dying. She holds space and offers ritual for people at many of life's sacred thresholds, including birth, marriage, death and other transitional passages. Her work is often informed by her love of poetry, the gifts of healing rooted in nature and community and her commitment to expanding our grief literacy and death awareness. She is a founding member of Salt Trails Philadelphia, A Community Grief Experience Honoring Grief Through Gatherings, Rituals and Art. Naila and I talk about expectations, permission and listening to what YOU need as a griever to move through the holiday season.

SHOW NOTES

This Hallowed Wilderness

Salt Trails Philly

Daughterhood.org

Andi Fetzner, PsyD is a co-founder of Origins Training & Consulting. Her training mantra is, “you don’t have to be a therapist to be therapeutic.” Her decades of experience professionally and her personal caregiving story give her the unique perspective of living both sides. Andi and I discuss the challenges of dealing not only with your care partner’s past trauma but also our own. She shares techniques we can use to improve our interactions and care for ourselves throughout our caregiving journey. 

SHOW NOTES

Originstraining.org

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Compassion fatigue - as caregivers we’ve heard the term, but what does it mean and how can we prevent it from happening? Today my guest is Patricia Smith a certified compassion fatigue specialist with 20 years of training experience. As founder of the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project© she writes, speaks, and facilitates trainings nationwide in service of those who care for others. She has presented to caregivers in numerous helping professions and has authored several books and training materials for caregivers, including the award-winning To Weep for a Stranger: Compassion Fatigue in Caregiving. In September 2016, she presented a TEDx talk on the subject. Today Patricia shares not only how compassion fatigues happens, but the strategies we can use to support ourselves through our caregiving journey. 

Show Notes CLICK HERE

CompassionFatigue.org

Daughterhood.org

Miya Adout is a graduate of Concordia University where she received a Master of Arts in creative arts therapies after having completed a BA in cultural studies. Maya works with individuals of all ages and abilities and specializes in dementia care. Miya opened her private practice Miya Music therapy in 2015. With the purpose of empowering and enriching lives through music, Miya and I discussed the basis of music therapy, how to access it, its benefits, and how caregivers can incorporate music therapy with their care partners.

For Show Notes Click HERE

www.miyacreativecare.com 

American Music Therapy Association

Canadian Association of Music Therapists

World Federation of Music Therapy

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Today my guest is Dr Buffy Lloyd-Krejci one of the foremost authorities on infection prevention and control in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.Her Phoenix-based practice, IPCWell, is devoted to reducing infections, antibiotic resistance, re-admissions, and death in healthcare settings across the country and around the world. She is a frequent contributor and interview source for national and trade press concerning infection prevention and control and mitigation. Dr Buffy is also the Author of Broken How the Global Pandemic Uncovered a Nursing Home System in Need of Repair and The Heroic Staff Fighting for Change. As she states in her book “The stories have all been the same: lack of support, lack of understanding, and a governmental approach that includes a system of bullying, fines, and punishment that dictate every change in this healthcare setting.” These issues were exacerbated during the pandemic. Dr Buffy and I speak about the challenges staff face when dealing with infections, the Quality Improvement Organization referred to as QIO’s which is a group of health quality experts, clinicians and consumers organized to improve the quality of care delivered to people with Medicare, her observations about infection control that began during the H1N1 outbreak, the necessity and frustration of regulations and how you can help your care partner while they are living in these communities. 

Click HERE for Show Notes

doctorbuffy.com

IPCWell.com/consumer

Locate your QIO Program https://qioprogram.org/locate-your-qio

National Healthcare Safety Network https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/index.html

Ombudsman https://www.ombudsassociation.org/what-is-an-ombuds-

60 Minutes report on Kirkland Nursing Home https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-outbreak-nursing-facility-kirkland-washington-60-minutes-2020-11-01/

Nursing Home Resident Advocacy Group - The Consumer Voice

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As caregivers, we are often reminded of the importance of being an advocate for our care partners, asking questions, understanding the situation and being their voice. Today, my guest is Phyllis Ivey, a social worker, consultant and life coach with over 30 years of experience in the mental health field, and a lifelong advocate for her parents. In this wide ranging conversation, we discuss how to advocate throughout the healthcare system, the value you provide, the challenges that arise and the strategies to help you navigate advocacy, no matter the situation. Phyllis also shares the importance of caring for yourself as an advocate. And as a caregiver.

Click HERE for show notes.

Daughterhood.org

Ironically, this podcast release date coincides with the one year anniversary of my Mother’s death. While we can all acknowledge the emotional aspect of grief, our brains are very much a part of the process. Today my guest is Dr Mary-Frances O’Connor, author of The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss. Dr O’Connor is also an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Arizona, and the Director of the grief loss and social stress (GLASS) Lab, where she investigates the effects of grief on the brain and the body. Her research focuses on the physiological correlates of emotion, in particular the wide range of physical and emotional responses during bereavement, including yearning and isolation. 

Click HERE for show notes.

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I speak with Dr. Leslie Kernisan about her book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician's Step-By-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety and More. This book is the ultimate guide in respectfully engaging your parent with a practical plan to get help for the most common worries, including safety concerns and memory loss while respecting your parent’s dignity and autonomy.

Click HERE for Show Notes.

Daughterhood.org

Caregiving is inherently difficult, but navigating care for an estranged parent, or even one who challenges your boundaries, adds more layers of stress and emotional turmoil. Today my conversation is with two people who understand this. Laura Davis is an author of 6 books, including I thought we’d never speak again, the road from estrangement to reconciliation and her first memoir The Burning Light of Two Stars: A Mother-Daughter Story which tells the story of her traumatic and tumultuous relationship with her mother which includes her caring for her at the end of her life. Karen Anderson is a life coach and the author of Difficult Mothers, Adult Daughters: A Guide for Separation, Liberation and Inspiration. We discuss not only the challenges that accompany these relationships but how you can find peace in the midst of it. 

Click HERE for Show Notes

Laura Davis

Karen C.L. Anderson

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