Edwards welcomes listeners to Part 1 of an important conversation with Dr. John Huffaker of the Neuropsychiatric Research Center (NPRC). Together, they dive into why doing something matters, because when it comes to Alzheimer’s and dementia, doing nothing is not an option.

This episode also features another listener question in the ongoing segment “What’s New in Alzheimer’s with Dr. John Huffaker,” offering practical insight for caregivers navigating memory loss, dementia, and brain change. Jeff also highlights valuable community resources in Southwest Florida, including the McGregor Baptist Church Alzheimer’s, Dementia & The Gospel Seminar and the Alzheimer’s Support Network, a warm and trusted hub for caregivers and families.

As always, GutPunched reinforces its Five Tenets of Caregiving, reminding listeners to care for themselves, seek help, build a support system, and give caregiving everything they have, because this journey is hard, real, and deeply human.

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards explores the extraordinary role music plays in the lives of people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia and the caregivers who support them.

Despite cold snaps across the country (and Florida’s version of “cold”), Jeff sets the stage for an engaging and hopeful conversation centered on the healing power of music. Joined by Justin Russo, Director of Programming at Music & Memory and The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF), the episode makes a compelling case for why music is far more than entertainment; it’s therapy.

Justin explains how personalized music can spark memories, reduce agitation, improve mood, and reconnect individuals with dementia to their sense of identity. Jeff also shares fascinating facts about music’s impact on the brain and why caregivers should seriously consider incorporating music into daily care routines.

The episode also features another installment of “What’s New in Alzheimer’s” with Dr. John Huffaker, who answers listener-submitted questions and breaks down key developments in Alzheimer’s and dementia care.

As always, Jeff reinforces the podcast’s Five Caregiver Tenets, emphasizing self-care, community support, practical planning, and the emotional realities of caregiving.

The episode closes with heartfelt thanks to sponsors NPRC (Neuropsychiatric Research Center) and Heart, Body, & Mind Home Care for their continued support of caregivers everywhere.

🎧 Whether you’re a caregiver, healthcare professional, or simply someone who loves music, this episode will move you, inform you, and remind you why music truly matters.

GUTPUNCHED.COM

Available on The Podcast Playground, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, PodBean, and all the major platforms.

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In Episode 88 of GutPunched, host Jeff Edwards takes on one of the most difficult and least discussed aspects of Alzheimer’s and dementia: the silence that surrounds it.

Jeff opens with a deeply personal reflection on how families often hide diagnoses out of fear, embarrassment, or misunderstanding. From memories of his grandmother being labeled “senile” to the unspoken rule of don’t tell anyone, Jeff explores how secrecy has shaped generations of caregivers and the heavy emotional cost that comes with it.

As medical language has evolved, Alzheimer’s, dementia, MCI, Lewy Body, and Frontotemporal Disease, Jeff asks an important question: Have our conversations evolved too? And if not, what are we missing?

Drawing from his own experience following his wife’s diagnosis, Jeff explains why openness made caregiving easier, not harder. By sharing their reality, they found more understanding, compassion, and support, and removed the burden of shame that so often follows cognitive decline.

This episode also covers:

Congress renewing its commitment to Alzheimer’s and dementia research

New findings on medications that may be harmful to people living with dementia

A new installment of “What’s New in Alzheimer’s” with Dr. John Huffaker

Listeners are reminded that caregiving is not meant to be done alone and are guided by GutPunched’s Five Tenets of Caregiving, which focus on self-care, building support systems, and embracing the reality of the caregiving journey.

Jeff teases an upcoming, highly anticipated episode:
“Making the Case for Music in Dementia Care,” featuring Justin Russo.

This episode is a reminder that silence helps no one and that honesty, connection, and shared experience can bring real hope.

#DementiaCaregiving
#CaregiverSupport
#HealthcareAdvocacy
#AgingAndHealth
#CaregivingCommunity
#PublicHealth
#GutPunched

In episode 87, Jeff Edwards wraps up his discussion with Dr. John Huffaker from the Neuropsychiatric Research Center (NPRC).  Fresh from his first men’s caregiver group meeting of the year, standing-room-only and filled with new faces, Jeff reflects on the power of shared experience and why no caregiver should ever try to do this alone. Together with Dr. Huffaker, the episode dives into current Alzheimer’s research, the clinical studies underway at NPRC, and the amount of credible information now available to patients and caregivers alike.

Jeff also breaks down a timely news topic: The finger-prick blood test making headlines and what it could mean for earlier detection and understanding of Alzheimer’s disease.

Listeners will hear another installment of “What’s New in Alzheimer’s with Dr. John Huffaker,” and are encouraged to submit their own questions for future episodes.

As always, Jeff reinforces the Five Tenets of Caregiving, the backbone of GutPunched, reminding caregivers to take care of themselves, ask for help, create systems of support, and give caregiving everything they’ve got.

With gratitude to sponsors NPRC and Heart, Body, & Mind Home Care, this episode delivers education, encouragement, and hope because no one should walk this journey alone.

#AlzheimersCaregiving

#CaregiverSupport

#DementiaCare

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#CaregiversMatter

#YouAreNotAlone

#HopeForCaregivers

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This episode begins Part One of a heartfelt and eye-opening discussion with Dr. John Huffaker of the Neuropsychiatric Research Center (NPRC), a clinical research center dedicated to improving how Alzheimer’s disease is detected and treated.

Dr. Huffaker introduces the p-tau 217 blood test, a breakthrough that may allow Alzheimer’s to be identified earlier than ever before. But what truly sets this episode apart is how the information is delivered. Dr. Huffaker takes complex science and explains it in a way that caregivers often exhausted, overwhelmed, and searching for answers can truly understand.

This episode also launches a new recurring segment, “What’s New in Alzheimer’s with Dr. John Huffaker,” where real listener questions are answered directly by a trusted expert. It’s one more way GutPunched continues to remind caregivers that their questions matter and that they are not facing this journey alone.

As always, Jeff reinforces the podcast’s Five Core Tenets of Caregiving, offering practical reminders about self-care, asking for help, creating support systems, and giving caregiving everything you’ve got because, for better or worse, it becomes your life.

Episode 86 is filled with trusted resources, supportive partners, and a consistent message of hope, hope for caregivers, hope for families, and hope for a future where Alzheimer’s is detected earlier and treated more effectively. Due to the depth and importance of this conversation, Part Two will air next week.

AVAILABLE ON:

THE PODCAST PLAYGROUND, PODBEAN, SPOTIFY, PANDORA, APPLE, AND MANY MORE PLATFORMS

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#YouAreNotAlone

Welcome to 2026, and welcome back to Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers. Host Jeff Edwards opens the year by tackling one word that caregivers often feel has disappeared after a devastating diagnosis: HOPE.

When Alzheimer’s or dementia enters your life, the first feeling is often no hope — medically, emotionally, spiritually. In this episode, Jeff unpacks what hope really means, why losing it impacts both health and well-being, and why reclaiming it matters now more than ever. From psychology and medical science to faith-based reflection, this conversation explores how hope isn’t denial, it’s survival.

Jeff also breaks down current dementia therapies (as of December 2025), highlighting where real progress is being made and what caregivers should know going forward.

In the second half of the episode, Jeff reconnects with an old friend: BJ Odom, a man who jokingly describes himself as having “More Parts Than a Chicken Nugget,” the title of his newly released book. Through hardship, humor, and relentless perseverance, this guest embodies what living with hope truly looks like. His story is honest, emotional, hilarious, and deeply human, filled with laughter, tears, and optimism from start to finish.

As always, Jeff revisits the GutPunched Caregiver Tenets, essential reminders that caregiving is not a solo mission, self-care is non-negotiable, and asking for help is not a weakness.

This episode is a reminder to every caregiver who feels exhausted, isolated, or overwhelmed:
You are not alone. There is help. And yes, there is hope.

#AlzheimersCaregiver #DementiaCaregiving #CaregiverSupport #HopeForCaregivers #GutPunchedPodcast #DementiaAwareness #CaregiverLife #AlzheimersPodcast #NotSoSexyCaregiving #CaregiverHope

The holidays are rolling in, caregivers… and we’re serving up hot cocoa, honest conversations, and a cozy episode packed with Holiday Tips for Caregivers navigating Alzheimer's or dementia. 🎅💙✨

With Hanukkah beginning December 15th and Christmas jingling in on the 25th, emotions run high, and schedules get wild. This episode is your comforting guide, your reminder that yes, you CAN make it through the season with a little more peace, support, and joy.

We revisit the five guiding GutPunched Tenets (your caregiver survival rules), talk boundaries, ask for help (for real this time), and soothe some of that seasonal stress.

We also celebrate YOU—our growing GutPunched community—and share exciting news:
🎉 We thank our sponsor: Heart, Body & Mind Home Care; AND We're welcoming our NEW Miracle Sponsor, the Neuropsychiatric Research Center!
They’ll be answering YOUR questions about caregiving, Alzheimer’s, brain health, research, and more.

🎁 Send your questions to: [email protected]
Know a caregiver who needs support? Share this episode or send them to GUTPUNCHED.COM. No one walks this journey alone. 💛

Grab your cocoa, check on the reindeer, warm up your Ho-Ho-Ho’s, and let’s make the holidays a little lighter together.

👇 LIKE • SUBSCRIBE • SHARE
Help another caregiver today.

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In Episode 83 of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards welcomes listeners into another candid, compassionate, and unfiltered conversation about the realities of caregiving. As the holiday hustle sets in, Jeff explores why caregivers often feel like their memory is slipping. Spoiler alert: Alzheimer’s isn’t contagious, but stress absolutely is.

This episode breaks down:

Jay Leno + Howie Mandel in the news and how their stories connect to caregiving.

Brain supplements that actually work—and those that don’t, based on current research.

How regular music listening can lower the risk of dementia and why caregivers should use it as a tool for themselves and their loved ones.

Jeff also revisits the show’s core Five Tenets of Caregiving, empowering listeners to care for themselves, ask for help, create support systems, and embrace caregiving with resilience. Sponsored by Heart, Body, & Mind Home Care, this episode is a reminder that caregivers are never alone.

Listeners are encouraged to subscribe, share with families affected by dementia, and send questions to [email protected] to be answered by real experts—neurologists, researchers, and professional caregivers.

This episode is packed with insight, validation, and practical tools to help caregivers breathe, reset, and continue their journey with confidence.

Available on GUTPUNCHED.COM  

Also on : Podcast Playground, Pandora, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, PodBean, iHeart, X, Y, YouTube, and many more.

#AlzheimersPodcast #CaregiverTips #DementiaCare #MusicTherapy #CaregiverBurnout #BrainHealth #GutPunchedPodcast

In this episode, host Jeff Edwards explores alternative Alzheimer’s treatments, lifestyle-based approaches, and supportive care options that may improve the quality of life for individuals living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Guest Paul Wayne Bowman, author of You Can Reverse Dementia, joins the conversation to discuss brain health, cognitive support strategies, and emerging ideas in dementia care. Listeners will also revisit the essential GutPunched Caregiver Tenets, which focus on caregiver self-care, building a support network, managing overwhelming tasks, and creating communication signals for outside caregivers.

The GutPunched community continues to grow, and we invite caregivers to submit questions for future expert interviews — including neurologists, researchers, and medical professionals. Learn more or listen now at GUTPUNCHED.COM.

Hashtags: #Alzheimers #DementiaCare #CaregiverSupport #AlzheimersPodcast #BrainHealth #DementiaAwareness #CaregivingJourney #GutPunchedPodcast #FamilyCaregivers #SeniorCare #CognitiveHealth #CaregiverLife #DementiaHelp #AgingParents #AlzheimersAwareness

In Episode 81, Jeff welcomes you to the unofficial kickoff of the holiday season—because if Thanksgiving 2025 is already here, that means the Big Guy in Red isn’t far behind… and thankfully, no, he’s not from the government. (We think.)

This episode blends humor, heart, and holiday reality checks as Jeff reflects on gratitude—from family and a sometimes-affectionate Chi-weenie, to the daily blessings found in a stranger's smile. Whether you’re feasting on turkey or grabbing cold convenience-store pizza, Jeff reminds listeners that if there’s breath in your lungs, there’s still something to be thankful for.

He also tackles a universal topic: holiday stress. This week’s conversation offers a general roadmap for surviving the season with sanity intact, with a more in-depth stress-management breakdown coming in a future episode.

Jeff also unveils a new 2026 initiative: listener Q&A. Caregivers can send in their burning questions—big, small, baffling, or heartbreaking—and Jeff will bring in pros (doctors, neurologists, researchers, caregivers) to deliver real answers next year. Questions can already be sent to [email protected].

All this, plus a shout-out to the show’s sponsor, Heart Body & Mind Home Care, in an episode that reminds caregivers everywhere that gratitude, humor, and community matter—especially when life hits hardest.