Dementia Decoded

When we think of someone caring for a loved one, our first impression isn't of a person in their mid-twenties. Generally, we think of an older adult spouse or middle-aged child caring for a parent. However, a rapidly growing population of caregivers are millennials. 

While millennial caregivers face all the same ups and downs as their older peers, they're also at a point in their lives that can compound the challenges of caregiving. They're often in less financially stable situations, trying to launch their careers or even start college.

"This is a destabilizing disease for all communities, but has acute challenges for millennials and particularly millennials of color," said Jason Resendez, the executive director of the Latino coalition of the nonprofit UsAgainstAlzheimer's.

I talk to Jessica Guthrie, a full-time millennial caregiver, advocate, educator, and nonprofit senior executive, in today's episode. 

Jessica is her mother's full-time caregiver, who was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease eight years ago. For the first half of her journey, Jessica was caregiving from a distance while she worked in Texas and her mother lived in Virginia. After years of consistent travel, she recently moved back home to live with her mother to ensure she received the most attentive care. Jessica deeply cares about amplifying the voices and experiences of millennial caregivers as they navigate the complexities and rigors of the healthcare system, continue to thrive in their career growth, and intentionally balance their self-care and well-being. You can find her teaching dance fitness classes at her local YMCA when she's not working or caregiving. 

Jessica is also the Vice President and Chief Program Officer at Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth. She works alongside a talented team to recruit, train and support our nation's most promising leaders to influence systems-level change in their classrooms and beyond. She has been instrumental in developing the leadership and teaching capacities of over 1,200 education leaders, reaching 60,000 students daily. Jessica profoundly believes that all children deserve unparalleled access to quality education to self-determine their futures in the face of our country's history and ongoing systemic inequity.  

Jessica is now working on blending her passion for equity, education, caregiving, and dementia care to support families and companies better helping our aging loved ones. 

Jessica started an Instagram account called, CareerCargivingCollide, where she shares her journey and advice daily.

There are three things necessary for a podcast to be successful. One, great listeners like yourself. Two are sponsors who help cover the expenses of producing the podcast. Three great listeners who help support the podcast by taking advantage of the sponsors' special offers. With that said, here are our sponsors;

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Michael Rost, the author of The Journey Home, Portraits of Healing, has been active in language teaching, learning technology, and language acquisition research for over 25 years. He cared for his parents and gave us a simple message. Have the meaningful conversations while you can.

Starting with the onset of his mother's Alzheimer's and proceeding through the eventual admission of both his parents to a nursing home, Michael explores the complex and intimate process of evolving relationships in the final passage of life.

We also discuss how communicating with someone with dementia is like learning a new language. When you think about the specifics of speaking with someone with cognitive impairment, this thought that you're using a new language makes sense.

Get the book here

There are three things necessary for a podcast to be successful. One, great listeners like yourself. Two are sponsors who help cover the expenses of producing the podcast. Three great listeners who help support the podcast by taking advantage of the sponsors' special offers. With that said, here are our sponsors;

Pharma-C Company (previously Pharma-C Wipes)

Pharma-C-Wipes, helping you care for yourself and those you love.

​Life is a journey, and at Pharma-C-Wipes, we provide products that support you at each twist and turn. 

PicnicHealthhttp://picnichealth.com/memories: 

Your medical records are now in your hands. PicnicHealth collects, digitizes, and encrypts all your medical records—then arranges everything in one intuitive timeline. No need to worry about a doctor's note or the lab results. It's all there for easy reference, right when you need it.

Relevate from NeuroReserve

Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan

With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan.

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If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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Animal-assisted therapy is beneficial for various ailments, including Dementia, Alzheimer's, PTSD, anxiety, depression, healing after surgical procedures, loneliness, behavioral issues, and the chronically ill. While I'm familiar with therapy dogs & equine therapy, using a cow therapeutically was new to me.

An interesting fact not shared during our conversation is that compared to humans, cows have a higher body temperature and slower heart rate, making the cuddling experience more relaxing than with other animals.

I'm sharing Dolly Star with you today, Valentine's Day 2023, because it's a fascinating story that is all heart.

There are three things necessary for a podcast to be successful. One, great listeners like yourself. Two are sponsors who help cover the expenses of producing the podcast. Three great listeners who help support the podcast by taking advantage of the sponsors' special offers. With that said, here are our sponsors;

Pharma-C Company (previously Pharma-C Wipes)

Have you ever had a loved one fall for a spam caller? How about a well-meaning donation request? You can put a stop to those now.

Relevate from NeuroReserve

Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan

With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan.

Join Fading Memories On Social Media!

If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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Do?

An end-of-life doula is a trained professional who provides emotional, physical, and spiritual support to individuals and their families during the end-of-life process. They are not medical professionals but offer a holistic and compassionate approach to end-of-life care.

End-of-life doulas work with individuals and their families to understand their values, beliefs, and goals for the end of life care and help them navigate the often complex and overwhelming process of preparing for and experiencing the end of life. They may assist with tasks such as coordinating medical care, communicating with healthcare providers, and coordinating with other care team members.

End-of-life doulas also provide emotional support and companionship to individuals and their loved ones during this difficult time, helping to create a sense of peace and comfort. They may offer relaxation techniques, such as guided meditation or gentle touch, to help individuals cope with physical and emotional pain. They may also support families as they navigate the grieving process, helping to facilitate conversations about end-of-life wishes and offering resources and support as needed.

Overall, the role of an end-of-life doula is to provide compassionate, holistic care to individuals and their families during the end-of-life process, helping to ensure that they can experience a peaceful and dignified end-of-life.

There are three things necessary for a podcast to be successful. One, great listeners like yourself. Two are sponsors who help cover the expenses of producing the podcast. Three great listeners who help support the podcast by taking advantage of the sponsors' special offers. With that said, here are our sponsors;

Pharma-C Company (previously Pharma-C Wipes)

Pharma-C-Wipes, helping you care for yourself and those you love.

​Life is a journey, and at Pharma-C-Wipes, we provide products that support you at each twist and turn. 

PicnicHealthhttp://picnichealth.com/memories: 

Your medical records are now in your hands. PicnicHealth collects, digitizes, and encrypts all your medical records—then arranges everything in one intuitive timeline. No need to worry about a doctor's note or the lab results. It's all there for easy reference, right when you need it.

Relevate from NeuroReserve

Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan

With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan.

Join Fading Memories On Social Media!

If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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My guest, Anna Cantor, suggested the topic of End-of-life taboo topics. As you listen, you'll hear more. Anna had recently lost her mother, and our conversation veered from taboo topics to end-of-life experiences. While this may sound like a challenging episode to hear, it's pretty uplifting. Having end-of-life conversations is essential. It makes the experience less scary and confusing.

End-of-life conversations are essential for ensuring that a person's wishes and preferences are respected and that they receive the care and support they need during this time.

Having end-of-life conversations can be emotionally challenging. However, they can also be an opportunity for loved ones to come together, express their love and appreciation for each other, and create a plan for the person's care and support in the final stages of their life. By having these conversations, individuals can ensure that their wishes are respected and receive the care and support they need during this difficult time.

End-of-life conversations can involve a variety of topics, including the person's preferences for medical treatment and care, their wishes for their funeral and memorial service, and their wishes for their possessions and finances. It can also involve discussing advanced care planning, such as using a living will or a durable power of attorney for healthcare.

Learn more about Anna Here

There are three things necessary for a podcast to be successful. One, great listeners like yourself. Two are sponsors who help cover the expenses of producing the podcast. Three great listeners who help support the podcast by taking advantage of the sponsors' special offers. With that said, here are our sponsors;

Pharma-C Company (previously Pharma-C Wipes)

Pharma-C-Wipes, helping you care for yourself and those you love.

​Life is a journey, and at Pharma-C-Wipes, we provide products that support you at each twist and turn. 

PicnicHealthhttp://picnichealth.com/memories: 

Your medical records are now in your hands. PicnicHealth collects, digitizes, and encrypts all your medical records—then arranges everything in one intuitive timeline. No need to worry about a doctor's note or the lab results. It's all there for easy reference, right when you need it.

Relevate from NeuroReserve

Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan

With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan.

Join Fading Memories On Social Media!

If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links.

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Contact Jen at h[email protected]

Having been part of the Alzheimer's and dementia community for most of my adult life, it's easy to have opinions on specific "treatments." I've seen SLP, OT, and PT therapies work great while the therapist is present with our loved one, then fail once they are gone. My view on these treatments for someone with a dementia-causing disease was, more or less, not to bother.

I've seen lots of today's guests' educational social media posts (they're great), so I was pleased when she asked if I would like to chat with her for my show. I challenged her to change my mind, and she was more than ready to make that happen.

Adria Thompson is a speech & language pathologist dedicated to helping people living with dementia. Adria has a fantastic Instagram page with lots of educational content. https://www.instagram.com/belightcare/

I know you'll love Adria and learn a lot from our conversation.

Learn More About Adria Here

There are three things necessary for a podcast to be successful. One, great listeners like yourself. Two are sponsors who help cover the expenses of producing the podcast. Three great listeners who help support the podcast by taking advantage of the sponsors' special offers. With that said, here are our sponsors;

Pharma-C Company (previously Pharma-C Wipes)

Pharma-C-Wipes, helping you care for yourself and those you love.

​Life is a journey, and at Pharma-C-Wipes, we provide products that support you at each twist and turn. 

PicnicHealthhttp://picnichealth.com/memories: 

Your medical records are now in your hands. PicnicHealth collects, digitizes, and encrypts all your medical records—then arranges everything in one intuitive timeline. No need to worry about a doctor's note or the lab results. It's all there for easy reference, right when you need it.

Relevate from NeuroReserve

Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan

With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan.

Join Fading Memories On Social Media!

If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links.

Instagram

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Facebook

Contact Jen at h[email protected]

Have you ever needed access to a loved one's account and been unable to retrieve the information because you don't have their password? That happened to me when I went to cancel my Dad's cell phone after he died. I had his death certificate handy so I could send it to the phone company, but we never got that far.

When I explained the reason for my call, I got sympathies, as you'd expect. However, I had to tell the person on the phone five times that I didn't have his PIN because he was dead. It wasn't the best experience.

Thankfully, there are more and more ways to store important information, so those who need it can access our important documents. Having the correct information in the right place and at the right time will save you time, money, and frustration. It could even save your life!

That's the topic of this bonus episode. I chatted with Dara Wray of My Data Diary about their product which would have solved my cell phone PIN situation before it happened.

Get yours here! Use code FADINDMEMORIES to save 15%

There are three things necessary for a podcast to be successful. One, great listeners like yourself. Two are sponsors who help cover the expenses of producing the podcast. Three great listeners who help support the podcast by taking advantage of the sponsors' special offers. With that said, here are our sponsors;

Pharma-C Company (previously Pharma-C Wipes)

Pharma-C-Wipes, helping you care for yourself and those you love.

​Life is a journey, and at Pharma-C-Wipes, we provide products that support you at each twist and turn. 

PicnicHealthhttp://picnichealth.com/memories: 

Your medical records are now in your hands. PicnicHealth collects, digitizes, and encrypts all your medical records—then arranges everything in one intuitive timeline. No need to worry about a doctor's note or the lab results. It's all there for easy reference, right when you need it.

Relevate from NeuroReserve

Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan

With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan.

Join Fading Memories On Social Media!

If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links.

Instagram

Twitter

LinkedIn 

Facebook

Contact Jen at h[email protected]

As fast as we can, as slow as we must, was the mantra that Travis & Mark Macey used while competing in the World's Toughest Race - Fiji. The World's Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji is a multi-day expedition race in which teams race non-stop with little to no sleep over mountains, jungles, and oceans. The twist is the additional teammate they had to contend with; early-onset Alzheimer's.

Find Travis Here

In this episode, I talk to both men about how they are handling Mark's (also known as Mace) diagnosis, but more importantly, why they decided to do an endurance race far from home despite Mark's Alzheimer's.

This episode is full of heart-warming antidotes, advice, and plenty of laughs.

Why are we discussing how to create better habits? Sometimes it takes a nudge to move us in a better direction. We all want to live happier, more fulfilling lives, but it is challenging to change course even when we want to.

This reason is why I was excited to talk to Ian Tolson, a fellow podcaster, about how he helps people create better habits. His story is compelling, and the actionable tips in this episode will be worth the hour of your time.

There are three things necessary for a podcast to be successful. One, great listeners like yourself. Two are sponsors who help cover the expenses of producing the podcast. Three great listeners who help support the podcast by taking advantage of the sponsors' special offers. With that said, here are our sponsors;

Pharma-C Company (previously Pharma-C Wipes)

Pharma-C-Wipes, helping you care for yourself and those you love.

​Life is a journey, and at Pharma-C-Wipes, we provide products that support you at each twist and turn. 

PicnicHealthhttp://picnichealth.com/memories: 

Your medical records are now in your hands. PicnicHealth collects, digitizes, and encrypts all your medical records—then arranges everything in one intuitive timeline. No need to worry about a doctor's note or the lab results. It's all there for easy reference, right when you need it.

Relevate from NeuroReserve

Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan

With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan.

Join Fading Memories On Social Media!

If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links.

Instagram

Twitter

LinkedIn 

Facebook

Contact Jen at h[email protected]

As caregivers, it's not unusual to have days we want to run away. However, these feelings give us feelings of shame and guilt. Society has an unstated opinion that caregivers should be happy with their current situation and cope better!

As a meditation and yoga teacher, this week's guest, Charlotte Bayla, assumed continuing her self-care practices after her husband's cancer diagnosis would be easy. When she struggled, she realized that other caregivers likely had a more challenging time, so she started the Loving Your Caregiving Life podcast.

Charlotte is joining me to discuss why caregivers don't get the recognition they need as a vital part of the caregiving team. We also discuss ways to give ourselves the acknowledgment and respect we deserve.

There are three things necessary for a podcast to be successful. One, great listeners like yourself. Two are sponsors who help cover the expenses of producing the podcast. Three great listeners who help support the podcast by taking advantage of the sponsors' special offers. With that said, here are our sponsors;

Pharma-C Company (previously Pharma-C Wipes)

Pharma-C-Wipes, helping you care for yourself and those you love.

​Life is a journey, and at Pharma-C-Wipes, we provide products that support you at each twist and turn. 

PicnicHealthhttp://picnichealth.com/memories: 

Your medical records are now in your hands. PicnicHealth collects, digitizes, and encrypts all your medical records—then arranges everything in one intuitive timeline. No need to worry about a doctor's note or the lab results. It's all there for easy reference, right when you need it.

Relevate from NeuroReserve

Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan

With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan.

Join Fading Memories On Social Media!

If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links.

Instagram

Twitter

LinkedIn 

Facebook

Contact Jen at h[email protected]

Kim Best is the author of How To Live Forever - A Guide to Writing the Last Chapter of Your Story. In writing our last chapter, we're leaving the memory of us. Her book is more about living your best life versus writing. Kim was a nurse who moved into medical mediation.

Our failure to prepare for our last chapter causes people to carry the burden of others' choices. Most of the time, we have one of two choices; a mediator can help us explore the spectrum of the decision-making process.

This episode will give tips on making significant life decisions, how to talk to your family about their desires, and more. This episode and book are a must-read if you want to age well with the least amount of struggles.

Find Kim Best Here

There are three things necessary for a podcast to be successful. One, great listeners like yourself. Two are sponsors who help cover the expenses of producing the podcast. Three great listeners who help support the podcast by taking advantage of the sponsors' special offers. With that said, here are our sponsors;

Pharma-C Company (previously Pharma-C Wipes)

Pharma-C-Wipes, helping you care for yourself and those you love.

​Life is a journey, and at Pharma-C-Wipes, we provide products that support you at each twist and turn. 

PicnicHealthhttp://picnichealth.com/memories: 

Your medical records are now in your hands. PicnicHealth collects, digitizes, and encrypts all your medical records—then arranges everything in one intuitive timeline. No need to worry about a doctor's note or the lab results. It's all there for easy reference, right when you need it.

Relevate from NeuroReserve

Make Your Brain Span Match Your LifeSpan

With Relevate nutritional supplement, you get science-backed nutrition to help protect your brain power today and for years to come. You deserve a brain span that lasts as long as your lifespan.

Join Fading Memories On Social Media!

If you've enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with other caregivers! You'll find us on social media at the following links.

Instagram

Twitter

LinkedIn 

Facebook

Contact Jen at [email protected]