Caring for a mother with Alzheimer’s can be difficult. Compound that with your own cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as 90 miles between you, and the experience borders on impossible. But Dr. Barbara Ella Milton Jr. heeded her mother’s call to step in and offer her support throughout her journey. She asked herself three important questions when she got the call: Could I? Should I? Would I? The answers were yes, yes, and yes.

So began their dementia journey, after lifelong relationship struggles and difficulties encountered due to poverty, racism, and homophobia. She tells her story in her memoir, Heeding the Caregiver Call: The Story of Barbara Ella Milton, Sr. and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Barbara is a disabled, retired clinical social worker who, for forty years, worked on behalf of children and communities and for progressive causes. She writes about her life, her social work career, and her research on African American resilience. Her goal is to use her energy for personal healing, advocacy, and to put love and hope into the world. She was born in Camden, New Jersey as the only child of Barbara Ella Milton Sr., who died from Alzheimer’s in January 2019. Barbara lives in North Jersey with her wife, Kay. They enjoy a life rich with family and friends.

In this episode, we discuss how she managed her mother’s care while managing her own, dealing with deep-rooted trust issues, becoming the conductor of an orchestra of help, and the 40 first dates of iterative grief.

Editor’s Note: With our deepest sympathies and great sadness, we must add that Barbara passed away on October 9, 2023.

After the Podcast

Read Barbara’s AlzAuthors Post

Start reading Heeding the Caregiver Call: The Story of Barbara Ella Milton, Sr. and Alzheimer’s Disease now!

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