Caregiving rarely gives you one “new normal.”

Just when you think you’ve figured out the routine, something changes again. A new behavior. A new limitation. A new workaround. A new reality.

In this episode of Lighthouse by Dragonfly, we talk about what it feels like when the ground keeps moving in caregiving—and the grief that can come with each new change.

Sometimes that grief is hard to explain because the person you love is still right there. You can still laugh together, share beautiful moments, and feel incredibly grateful for the life you still have while also grieving the parts that have changed.

Those things can exist at the same time.

In this episode:

• why the “new normal” keeps changing
• what it means when the ground moves
• ambiguous grief in caregiving
• giving yourself room to grieve
• finding your footing again
• learning to live in the version of today that is right in front of you

If your ground has moved recently, give yourself a little grace.

You are allowed to miss what was.
You are allowed to love what still is.
You are allowed to grieve and laugh on the very same day.

Lighthouse by Dragonfly
Your steady light in caregiving.

#Caregiving #FamilyCaregiver #DementiaCaregiver #AlzheimersCaregiver #CaregiverSupport #AmbiguousGrief #LighthouseByDragonfly

Alzheimer’s can scramble the details of a memory, but sometimes the person you love still shines through anyway.

In this moment, my husband was completely convinced I had once been a midget wrestler. 😄

And when I told him I might start wrestling again, he didn’t laugh at me.

He simply said:

“I’ll come cheer for you if you decide to wrestle again.”

That stopped me.

Because underneath the confused memory, he was still my husband.

Still loving me.
Still supporting me.
Still ready to stand beside me and cheer me on.

Caregiving comes with grief, fear, exhaustion, and uncertainty. But every now and then, we get one of these beautiful little reminders that our person is still in there.

Those are the moments I hold onto. ❤️

Lighthouse by Dragonfly
Your steady light in caregiving.

Until next time, protect the beam.

#Caregiving #AlzheimersCaregiver #DementiaCaregiver #FamilyCaregiver #CaregiverSupport #Alzheimers #DementiaCare #LighthouseByDragonfly

Caregiving can take up every inch of your day—if you let it.

In this episode, Susan shares the small practice that helps her make room for joy alongside the appointments, medications, uncertainty, grief, and everyday responsibilities of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s.

A joy moment is not denial. It does not erase the hard parts. It may be a ridiculous dog, a good cup of coffee, a quiet sunset, a funny memory, or simply five minutes when nobody needs anything from you.

If caregiving feels especially heavy today, this is your reminder: you are not failing because it is hard. You are carrying a lot.

Today’s question: What is one small joy moment you found today? It can be funny, quiet, beautiful, or simply five minutes when nobody needed anything from you.

Treatment decisions can feel like one more enormous thing a caregiver has to carry.

In Episode 3, I share our experience with anti-amyloid treatment for Alzheimer’s—the hope, the unexpected reaction, the infusion days, the MRI monitoring, and the moments when treatment simply becomes part of everyday life.

This is not medical advice. It’s one caregiver’s honest story about asking questions, weighing choices, and continuing forward one day at a time.

If treatment is becoming part of your family’s story too, I hope this helps you feel a little less alone.

Lighthouse by Dragonfly — Your steady light in caregiving.

You can spend months—or even years—searching for answers. But what happens when someone finally gives you one?

In this episode of Lighthouse by Dragonfly, Susan shares what it felt like to hear the word Alzheimer’s after nearly two years of appointments, testing, waiting, and uncertainty.

The diagnosis was real, but so was something else: they walked into that appointment as husband and wife, and they walked out the same way. Alzheimer’s had become part of their story, but it had not become their entire story.

This episode is about resisting the urge to solve the next five years in a single afternoon, finding out what happens next, writing it down, and allowing that to be enough for today.

Because you don't have to become an expert by bedtime. You don't have to live the whole journey on diagnosis day. And there are still ordinary moments—and moments of joy—waiting outside that doctor's office.

Lighthouse by Dragonfly — Your steady light in caregiving. 🔦❤️

In the first episode of the Lighthouse by Dragonfly Podcast, I share the moment I knew something was wrong with my husband—and the nearly three-year journey to find a doctor who would truly listen.

I talk about the early changes, long waits for appointments, frightening test results without clear explanations, and the relief of finally meeting a neurologist who treated my husband with dignity and gave us a plan.

Along the way, I learned one of my most important caregiving lessons: write it down. Your instincts are not a diagnosis, but your observations matter.

If you have ever wondered whether you were overreacting, struggled to make yourself heard, or left a medical appointment carrying more questions than answers, this episode is for you.

This podcast shares lived experience and general information. It does not provide medical advice. Please bring questions about your loved one’s care to the appropriate healthcare professional.