Island Treasures

This mini episode highlights a few key points that Amy Friesen made in the full podcast episode "The Must Have Talk for Caregivers".  What is 'the talk'?  Amy describes how important it is for caregivers not to bury their head in the sand - but to address difficult issues before they reach crisis stage.  While caregivers in the sandwich generation of caregiving may be faced with two 'the talks': one of the birds and the bees and the other related to eldercare situations.

With twenty years working with seniors, Amy has great insight.

We hear more about the naming of her business "Tea and Toast" as well as the network she created for like-minded small businesses - called "Eldercare Planners Canada".

So take a brief moment and listen to this mini podcast so you too can remove the guess work from situations you may be facing as a caregiver.

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Today's guest, Amy Friesen, is a best-selling author and expert in the senior living industry and she has worked with seniors and their families throughout the world.  She shares how she and her family used 'the talk' to open the door for her father-in-law to come and live with them.  

Amy founded Tea & Toast in 2014 to help seniors and their families gain access to better choices and reduce the stress and feeling of being overwhelmed; and she has learned the importance for folks with aging parents to have 'The Talk'. In this episode we hear about the benefits of having the talk to remove the guess work in what your loved one's wishes are.  We hear how it's also important to know which questions to have and what your options are when navigating eldercare. 

Through Tea & Toast Amy and her team have a unique method of assisting those who are navigating the retirement living industry - saving families countless hours. This personalized service advocates for clients' personal needs and wants, while simultaneously ensuring that their short-term and long-term goals, as well as care needs, are planned for. 

Amy has been recognized by the House of Commons for her 2018 Businesswoman of the Year Award as well as being a 2019 Forty Under 40 recipient.

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When Dennis Dulniak joined me as a guest on the Island Treasures podcast in the episode called "Life Does Not End With a Diagnosis of Alzheimer's" I knew we had valuable information to share with the listeners relating to Alzheimer's Disease.  

In this 'Treasure Chest' episode we visit some of the key points that Dennis shared from his journey as the primary caregiver for his wife who sadly passed away from Early Onset Alzheimer's in 2021.  

For example, when your loved one starts exhibiting signs that their cognitive abilities are changing, it is important for your loved one to receive a thorough examination.  Dennis shares how a diagnosis and genetic testing relates to and possibly impacts obtaining insurance - he describes it clearly in this episode. 

Dennis is a huge advocate for Support Groups - as he says, "with this disease Caregivers can't be feeling that they're alone".  

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In this mini episode we feature clips from the full episode called 'Music is a Bridge for Caregivers and Their Loved Ones' with Alexis Baker. Alexis is a board-certified music therapist who works with caregivers and their loved ones living with dementia.  We start with Alexis describing music therapy.  We then visit the chapter Alexis wrote in the newly released resource for caregivers called “A Caregiver’s Advocate: A Complete Guide to Support and Resources” where she speaks about music therapy as it pertains to caregiving.

Music Therapy can be a useful activity even for those who do not consider themselves to be musicians, and it can help improve connections between caregivers and their loved ones by building a bridge.  Alexis explains how beneficial this model of music therapy can be especially for folks living with dementia.

For more information from Alexis Baker or to register for a Live session please check out Bridgetown Music Therapy.

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Alexis Baker is a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC), certified dementia practitioner (CDP), and founder of Bridgetown Music Therapy. Her mission as a music therapist is to spark joy and improve quality of life through meaningful music engagement. 

In this episode you'll hear how connections can be made through music - as Alexis uses music to make a difference in the lives of older adults living with dementia and their caregivers. Music Therapy provides a useful tool for caregivers to add to their toolkits - as music is a bridge that provides opportunities for connections for their loved ones. 

This type of therapy sounds refreshing and uplifting, as we learn that music activates each part of our brain when we sing, dance, play or simply listen to music.

Alexis provides opportunities through her website bridgetownmt.com for folks to attend a LIVE session through Zoom or to watch a sample session to experience the benefits of music therapy. 

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Island Treasures is introducing its Treasure Chest where treasures from a previous episode will be shared. 

Today's treasures come from Season 2 Episode 6 which featured Lisa Kendall in the episode titled "Growth in Caregiving: Healing through Trauma." 

We look at the meaning of care, caregiver, and care partnership, and Lisa talks about the inequity in some caregiving partnerships.  We learn it's ok to say no and it's ok to set a boundary when in a difficult caregiving situation.  

Lisa Kendall is a medical social worker specializing in gerontology and is an educator and mentor for the Eden Alternative(R).

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Debbie Compton returns to the podcast in this episode.  Debbie is a three-time caregiver for loved ones who were living with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and vascular dementia. She’s a Certified Caregiving Consultant, Certified Caregiver Advocate, keynote speaker, and author of several books geared toward caregivers and seniors, including her newly released book “The Caregiver’s Advocate: A Complete Guide to Support and Resources”.  A book where Debbie is the lead-author with 21 other contributing authors, all of whom are (or were) caregivers themselves.

Debbie has been a Community Educator for the Alzheimer’s Association since 2017 and is the founder of The Purple Vine, an organization created to spread awareness about all forms of dementia.

Her mission is to empower caregivers with the tools needed to reduce stress, find more joy, and live their best life.

Debbie is a wife, mother of 4 children and 8 amazing grandchildren. She lives in Oklahoma City.

Debbie was a guest on the Island Treasures podcast in 2022 in the highly popular episode "Voila! Caregiver".  An episode filled with creative solutions to situations and challenges she experienced during her caregiving experiences.  

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This mini episode visits some of the content of the full episode "A Caregiver's Vision" relating both to caregiving and assistive technology. 

Victoria Essner brings her knowledge and experience to the podcast being legally blind and having a hearing impairment and caregiving for her husband 24/7.  Victoria has overcome challenges and is passionate about sharing her tips, techniques and resources with other caregivers and those who may benefit from her first-hand knowledge of assistive technology. 

Victoria describes how things have changed over the decades in the world of assistive technology and how now we hold technology in our hands if we have an iPhone.

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Today's guest, Victoria Essner, is all about breaking down barriers and turning challenges into opportunities.  When a childhood accident left her legally blind, she didn’t stop forging ahead and embracing what life had in store, including caregiving for her husband. 

She shares her caregiving story with such gratitude and grace, having adopted the "can do" philosophy; and self-described as a pampered princess.

Vickie sees her blindness as a blessing, and despite her vision impairment she remains driven and adventurous, finding joy in her journey, sharing the message that life is precious.

In order to provide around-the-clock care for her husband, she received national certification through the Veteran’s Association.  While she does all this she finds time to learn, mentor, support and empower others.  Vickie is a true inspiration and a great resource for both caregivers and those with vision impairments, as she overcomes challenges by example and is an assistive technologist.  Reach out to her today through the links provided below: 

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Island Treasures is delighted to welcome back Debbie Compton to the podcast.

Debbie is a 3-time caregiver; a certified caregiving consultant and educator.  She joins us today to introduce her upcoming book, due for release in early July 2024. This book is for caregivers and it is filled with caregiving resources.  Debbie is the lead author on this collaborative resource with 21 other authors.

Caregiving comes in many shapes, sizes, durations, intensities, cultures, socioeconomies, etc. - and it is the hope that with this number of contributors there will be something for everyone. 

The book is called "The Caregiver's Advocate: A Complete Guide to Support and Resources".  As Debbie says, she didn't want fluff!  Debbie is all about providing actionable, helpful inormation to caregivers.  She walks the talk.

Debbie's full episode will air August 3rd. In it there are even more details about the book and you can hear all about what's been happening since Debbie first joined the podcast in the episode called "Voila! Caregiver".   

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