Repost: When we talk about dementia, memory loss is often the first thing that comes to mind. But dementia can also change the way a person sees, hears, tastes, smells, touches and makes sense of the world around them.

These sensory and perceptual changes can have a profound impact on everyday life, yet they remain one of the less understood and less discussed aspects of dementia...

After listening to Agnes, think about a behaviour you have seen in someone living with dementia that you previously found difficult to understand.

Could sound, sight, touch, taste, smell or the way they perceive their surroundings have played a part?

Sometimes understanding what the person may be experiencing is the beginning of understanding the behaviour.

🎙️ Dementia Caregivers’ Corner Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation or know someone who could benefit from understanding the sensory side of dementia, please share this episode.

And if you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a review. Every review and share helps us reach more families, caregivers, professionals and communities with dementia education and awareness.

Until next time, take care, and bye for now!

#DementiaCaregiversCorner #AgnesHoustonMBE #DementiaAwareness #SensoryChanges #DementiaCare

Can technology make everyday life easier for people living with dementia and those who care for them?

In this episode of the Dementia Caregivers' Corner Podcast, I speak with Allyson Schrier, caregiver, dementia advocate, and co-founder of Zinnia TV—a pioneering AgeTech platform designed to enrich the lives of people living with dementia through engaging, dementia-friendly video content.

After caring for her husband, Allyson transformed her personal experience into an innovative solution that is helping families, caregivers, and care providers around the world create more meaningful moments while reducing stress.

How Allyson's caregiving journey inspired the creation of Zinnia TV.

The role of technology in supporting people living with dementia.

Simple ways to make digital tools accessible for older adults.

Why compassionate, person-centred care should always come before technology.

The importance of culturally inclusive dementia care for diverse communities, including immigrant and African families.

The exciting future of AgeTech and how innovation is shaping dementia care.

✅ Great innovations often begin with lived experience.

✅ Technology should enhance human connection—not replace it.

✅ Compassion remains the most powerful tool in dementia care.

✅ Inclusive technology ensures every family can benefit, regardless of culture or language.

Whether you're a family caregiver, healthcare professional, dementia advocate, or simply interested in how innovation is transforming dementia care, this conversation is packed with practical insights and inspiration.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the Dementia Caregivers' Corner Podcast on your favourite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more families and raise dementia awareness around the world.

Please share this episode with someone who could benefit from learning how technology and compassion can work together to improve the lives of people living with dementia and those who care for them.

Episode Title: The Dementia and Death Conversation: Why Waiting Can Cost Families

Death is one of the few certainties in life, yet it remains one of the conversations many of us avoid.

In this thought-provoking episode of the Dementia Caregivers Corner Podcast, Juliah Ratladi is joined by hospice social worker Lisa Pahl, who has spent nearly two decades supporting individuals and families through some of life's most challenging moments. Drawing on her experience in hospice care and emergency medicine, Lisa shares why talking about death isn't about giving up hope—it's about giving people a voice while they still have one.

The conversation explores the importance of advance care planning, particularly for people living with dementia, where the opportunity to express wishes can gradually be lost. Lisa also discusses the inspiration behind the Death Deck, the End-of-Life (EOL) Deck, and the Dementia Deck—innovative conversation tools designed to help families navigate topics that are often difficult to begin.

Together, Juliah and Lisa discuss cultural attitudes toward death, why many families avoid these conversations, how to introduce advance care planning compassionately, and why meaningful conversations today can prevent uncertainty and distress tomorrow.

Whether you're a family caregiver, healthcare professional, or simply someone who wants to prepare for the future with confidence, this episode offers practical guidance and gentle encouragement to start the conversations that matter most.

Because peace at the end often begins with conversations held long before the end.

To learn more about Lisa's End-of-Life Deck and Dementia Deck, or to purchase a copy, visit thedeathdeck.com.

Episode Summary

Designing for Dementia: How Smart Technology and Environments Support Sensory Changes | Professor Andrea Tales

Repost: In this episode, I am honoured to be joined by Professor Andrea Tales, Professor of Neuropsychology and Dementia Research at Swansea University, Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.

Together, we explore why dementia should be understood as more than a memory disorder. Drawing on research from her co-authored book, A New Approach to Dementia: Examining Sensory and Perceptual Impairment, Professor Tales explains how changes in vision, perception, and sensory processing can profoundly affect the daily lives of people living with dementia.

Using real-life caregiving experiences, we discuss how visual perception changes may explain behaviours that are often misunderstood, why thoughtful environmental design matters, and how SMART technologies such as Alexa and digital clocks can support independence, reduce distress, and improve quality of life when tailored to the individual.

Whether you are a family caregiver, healthcare professional, or simply interested in understanding dementia more deeply, this episode offers practical, evidence-based insights that could transform the way you think about dementia care.

Throughout the conversation, I also share real-life experiences from my own dementia care journey, highlighting how understanding sensory changes transformed the way I supported people living with dementia.

Episode Title: When Reality Changes: Understanding Lewy Body Dementia Through a Caregiver's Eyes | Kathy Teyler Jarrett

In this episode of the Dementia Caregivers Corner Podcast, I am joined by Kathy Teyler Jarrett, author of You Are Not Alone: Dealing with Lewy Body Dementia and a passionate advocate for Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) awareness.

Kathy shares her deeply personal journey as the primary caregiver for her husband, offering invaluable insight into a form of dementia that is often misunderstood and overlooked. We discuss the early warning signs, the challenges of obtaining a diagnosis, and the complex symptoms that make Lewy Body Dementia unique, including hallucinations, sleep disturbances, and changes in movement.

Kathy recounts the frightening incident that became a turning point in recognising that something was seriously wrong, and she reflects on the realities of navigating daily life as a caregiver. We also explore the overwhelming amount of information available to caregivers and how to identify practical support that truly makes a difference.

Finally, Kathy speaks candidly about life after caregiving, sharing how she rebuilt a sense of purpose following her husband's death and why she felt compelled to write her book to support others walking a similar path.

This is a powerful conversation about resilience, education, and the importance of ensuring that no caregiver feels alone.

1. Lewy Body Dementia is often misunderstood and difficult to recognise.

2. Caregivers need practical guidance, not just information.

3. Life after caregiving requires healing and rediscovery.

Episode Title: Dementia in Africa: The Conversations We Need to Have

In this episode, we explore the realities of living with dementia and caregiving in African communities through a heartfelt conversation with Julia Mogotsi from Gaborone, Botswana. The discussion highlights the different types of dementia, the lack of adequate support following diagnosis, and how families are often left to navigate the journey alone.

We reflect on the progression of dementia over time, especially during and after the COVID era, and the emotional impact it has on both the person living with dementia and their caregivers. The episode also examines the unique challenges dementia caregivers face — from wandering and aggression to hallucinations, emotional burnout, and balancing work responsibilities.

The conversation further focuses on the urgent need for dementia awareness across Africa, where stigma, misinformation, and cultural beliefs continue to place vulnerable older people at risk of neglect, abuse, and even death. Through real-life stories from Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, the episode calls for communities, leaders, neighbours, employers, and health professionals to work together in creating understanding, compassion, and protection for people living with dementia.

This is an emotional but important conversation aimed at encouraging awareness, support, and honest dialogue about dementia in African communities.

Episode Title: Can Documentation Help Us Practice Anticipatory Grief in Dementia Caregiving?

In this heartfelt episode of the Dementia Caregivers’ Corner Podcast, Juliah sits down with oral historian Dr. Rachel F. Seidman to explore anticipatory grief in dementia caregiving and the healing power of documentation.

Together, they discuss how preserving voices, memories, stories, playlists, videos, and everyday moments can help families navigate loss with intention, connection, and love.

Dr. Seidman shares her personal experience of recording a loved one’s oral history during terminal illness and explains why documenting family stories before loss can become a source of comfort for generations.

The conversation also explores dementia, fading memory, family dynamics, storytelling, and the emotional difference between documenting for preservation versus public consumption.

This episode is a gentle reminder that ordinary moments matter — and that it’s never too late to begin preserving the people we love.

Episode Title: Calming Dementia Behaviours Without Medication: Guided Meditation with Katie Fournier

Repost: In this episode of Dementia Caregivers’ Corner Podcast, we explore how to manage dementia-related behaviours without medication using guided meditation, mindfulness, and holistic dementia care approaches.

I’m joined by Katie Fournier (LPN, CDP) from Ember Holistic Care (USA) as we continue our discussion on non-pharmacological interventions for dementia care. Building on our previous conversation with co-founder Shari Flight, this episode focuses on practical, person-centred strategies that support both caregivers and individuals living with dementia.

If you’re a caregiver, healthcare professional, or supporting a loved one with dementia, this episode offers practical tools to reduce agitation, anxiety, and stress—while improving emotional connection and overall wellbeing.

We also explore how guided meditation for dementia can be used as a simple, accessible tool to create calm in everyday caregiving situations.

The episode includes a guided meditation practice for caregivers and individuals with dementia, designed to help you pause, reset, and reconnect.

Dementia Care. How deep is your love?

Episode Title:  Dementia Care in Ethnically Diverse Communities: What Are We Missing? | Dr. Hannah Hussain

Repost: In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Hannah Hussain, an economist at the Office of Health Economics, with a background in pharmacy and a PhD from the University of Sheffield.

We explore the barriers to dementia care in ethnically diverse communities, including delayed diagnosis, cultural expectations around family caregiving, and stigma—particularly within British Asian communities. Dr. Hussain also shares insights on the economic impact of unpaid caregiving and whether more support is needed for families.

We discuss the importance of culturally competent care, improved communication for non-English speakers, and the role of research in shaping better outcomes.

This episode highlights the need for more inclusive, accessible dementia care for all communities.

Episode Title: Seeing the Person Beyond Dementia: Empathy, Dignity, and Connection with Angel Hayes

In this deeply insightful episode of the Dementia Caregivers’ Corner Podcast, Juliah is joined by Angel Hayes, a Namibian-born, Austria-based dementia trainer, Validation Therapy practitioner, and certified social care worker with over 13 years of experience.

Together, they explore how culture, empathy, and human connection shape the way we care for people living with dementia across different parts of the world.

Angel shares her journey from Namibia to Austria and reflects on the contrast between African cultural values—where respect for elders is deeply rooted—and Western care systems. The conversation highlights the importance of seeing the person beyond the diagnosis, understanding life stories, and responding to behaviours with compassion rather than judgment.

They also unpack the principles of Validation Therapy, the emotional realities caregivers face, and the transformative impact of truly understanding a person’s past in order to care for them in the present.

The episode does not shy away from difficult truths, addressing the stigma, abuse, and misunderstanding of dementia in some African communities, and calling for more honest, informed conversations.

This is a powerful discussion about dignity, identity, and what it truly means to care.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

The role of culture in shaping dementia care practices

How Validation Therapy helps build emotional connection

Why understanding a person’s life story improves care

How to reframe so-called “challenging behaviours”

The emotional struggles caregivers face—and how to support them

5 Main Takeaways

Understanding emotions and validating experiences can transform how we connect with people living with dementia.

African values of respect for elders offer a strong foundation—but stigma and misunderstanding still need to be addressed openly.

What we label as difficult behaviour is often a form of communication that requires patience and understanding.

Biographical knowledge allows caregivers to respond in ways that honour identity, history, and dignity.

Misconceptions about dementia can lead to stigma, neglect, and even abuse—highlighting the need for advocacy and education.

Thank you for listening.