January 05, 2026

How Caregivers Can Restore Hope and Connection While Supporting a Loved One With Dementia

21 minutes

Guest: Ludie Hansen

Caring for a loved one with dementia can upend every part of life—emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. In this heartfelt and deeply practical conversation, Ludi Hansen shares how her personal journey through loss, caregiving, mental health struggles, and professional burnout led her back to purpose through what she now calls revival.

With more than three decades of experience as a speech-language pathologist specializing in adult neurological disorders, Ludi explains why dementia caregiving is so challenging—and why most families feel completely unprepared after a diagnosis. She breaks down how a changing brain affects communication, behavior, and emotional regulation, and why traditional logic, correction, and confrontation often make situations worse rather than better.

Throughout the episode, Ludi blends real-life caregiving stories with compassionate guidance, showing caregivers how to shift from reacting in frustration to responding with understanding. She emphasizes that behavior is always communication, even when words are no longer accessible, and that learning to interpret those signals can dramatically reduce stress for both caregivers and their loved ones.

Beyond practical strategies, this episode dives into the emotional and spiritual toll caregiving can take. Ludi speaks openly about losing her sense of identity, neglecting her own wellbeing, and how rebuilding daily practices of self-care, faith, reflection, and intentional pauses helped restore her resilience. She reminds caregivers that revival isn’t a one-time breakthrough—it’s an ongoing process that may be needed many times a day.

This episode offers hope for caregivers who feel exhausted, unseen, or stuck. It reframes dementia care as a journey where connection is still possible, joy can still exist, and caregivers can rediscover themselves while continuing to provide loving, meaningful support.

What You’ll Learn From This Episode