In this episode, we welcome Jean Lee, author of the memoir Alzheimer's Daughter. Jean opens up about her emotional journey of caring for both her parents as they battled Alzheimer's in their 80s. As a third-grade teacher, she noticed their health and abilities declining and, along with her sister, faced the tough task of convincing them to transition from their home to assisted living facilities - a decision that brought much guilt.

Diagnosed on the same day, Jean's parents' journey through Alzheimer's was not only filled with challenges but also highlighted the beauty of their enduring love story. Despite the sorrow of losing her parents in a memory care unit, Jean found solace in writing her memoir and co-founding AlzAuthors. This organization supports authors who are caregivers. Her experiences also led her to establish alzauthors.com, a platform for authors sharing personal narratives about Alzheimer's and dementia. Through these endeavors, Jean transforms her personal struggles into support and inspiration for others on similar journeys.

In this episode you will learn: 

1. Understanding and respecting a loved one's feelings and autonomy is essential while transitioning them to a memory care facility.

2. Forming a relationship with your loved one's health providers and becoming part of their care team is invaluable.

3. Sharing the caregiving role amongst family members eases the burden and facilitates decision-making.

4. Prioritize self-care while you are in a caregiving role.

5. Sharing your caregiving journey through writing or speaking can be cathartic and beneficial for others in similar situations.

About Jean:

After the publication of Alzheimer’s Daughter, Jean connected with other authors of Alzheimer’s books, to co-found AlzAuthors.com with the goal of eliminating the stigma and silence often accompanying a diagnosis. AlzAuthors enables caregivers and those living with memory impairment to find written resources – memoirs, novels, nonfiction, children’s books and caregiver guides – which educate and enlighten. AlzAuthors, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is managed by six daughters of dementia and has posted weekly essays from over 350 authors with direct links to their books, all written from personal experience with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Three years ago, they launched an award-winning podcast entitled Untangling Alzheimer’s and Dementia: An AlzAuthors Podcast. Their newest initiative brings real books to real people in real places through Custom Caregiver Collections, placing handcrafted, table-top lending libraries in locations where people whose lives have been impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia gather.

Connect with Jean:

Website: Alzheimersdaughter.com ;

Support the show

Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver

Sisterhood of Care, LLC

Website: www.confessionsofareluctantcaregiver.com

Like us on Facebook!

Tweet with us on Twitter!

Follow us on Instagram!

Watch us on Youtube!

Pin us on Pinterest!

Link us on LinkedIn!

Tune in on Whole Care Network