Rodger That

Today's guest, Pat Wagner, was the facilitator of an Alzheimer Caregiver Support Group for over 15 years in Defiance, Ohio.

Listen as Mike and Bobbie discuss with Pat how she helped care for both her father and mother at home and then became the group facilitator for the Alzheimer Caregiver Group. “People need to realize that they don’t have to walk this walk alone, there is so much out there to help in so many ways.”

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To find out more about Bobbi and Mike or the inspiration behind this podcast, Rodger That, head over to rodgerthat.show

There are an estimated 1.4 million caregiving children ages 8-18 years old in the U.S. Of these, 38% provide care for a grandparent and 34% provide care for a parent.

Bobbi and Mike discuss with Connie Siskowski - Founder and President of the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) – the need to support and connect with our younger caregivers.

"We, as adults, are supposed to be taking care of children, they're not supposed to be taking care of us. What goes on behind closed doors nobody really knows."

ACCY provides specific expertise and knowledge in the areas of education, awareness, research and direct services for younger caregivers, as well as serving as a resource to increase awareness of the needs of this under-served population.

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To find out more about Bobbi and Mike or the inspiration behind this podcast, Rodger That, head over to rodgerthat.show.

1 in 4 people are directly affected by Alzheimer’s and Dementia thus you have businesses whose workforce is directly impacted by the disease. In this episode Bobbi and Mike talk with Michele Darwin, executive director of the Windward foundation, on the negative financial impact that dementia has on business and how businesses should be educating their employees on what resources might be available to assist them. 

It’s important that a caregiver reach out to their HR departments about the resources available to employees regarding dementia.

Michele is the co-founder and executive director of the Windward Foundation whose mission is to ease the burden of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. Michele played a significant role in caring for her father when he was diagnosed in 2010 and saw first-hand the devastating effect that the disease can have on the unpaid family caregiver and their family.

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To find out more about Bobbi and Mike or the inspiration behind this podcast, Rodger That, head over to rodgerthat.show.

Bobbi & Mike discuss with Rory Clark - managing partner and founder of The Legacy Elder Law Center – what Elder law is, and how unlike virtually every other field of law, it is not focused on any one particular subject matter, but on the needs of a particular type of client - seniors and their families.

Rory has been practicing elder law, estate planning, and related areas for more than 27 years. He understands not only the complex legal issues involved in these specialized areas of the law, but also the emotional issues. His father, a World War II veteran, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. His mother was afflicted with Parkinson’s disease and requires hospice care. He also has a son with Asperger’s syndrome and severe anxiety disorder. Helping his family cope with these issues gives Rory the empathy and motivation necessary to provide all of his clients with the compassionate and personal attention they deserve.

To find out more about Bobbi and Mike or the inspiration behind this podcast, Rodger That, head over to rodgerthat.show.

Don't forget to subscribe, download and review to share your thoughts about the show!

Navigating our loved one’s behaviors and our own emotions is crucial to caregiving success. However, no one has a clear path to making that happen. Listen as Bobbie and Mike continue their discussion on managing your loved one’s behaviors and emotions.

This episode includes tips and ideas about how to keep your loved one from wandering, helping them sleep at night, and how to ‘dementia’ proof your house.

Remember that having dementia doesn’t mean that your loved one isn't thinking.

Don't forget to subscribe, download, and review to share your thoughts about the show! To find out more about Bobbi and Mike or the inspiration behind this podcast, Rodger That, head over to rodgerthat.show.

Navigating our loved one’s behaviors and our own emotions is crucial to caregiving success. However, no one has a clear path to making that happen. Listen as Bobbie and Mike discuss specific advice on managing your loved one’s behaviors and emotions.

They start with discussing how caregivers can find emotional support, then offer specific tips on ways to encourage loved one’s to change their clothes, bath, and agree not to drive. They also offer suggestions on how to ensure that the doctors believe you when you tell them about certain behaviors your loved one is exhibiting and why it’s important to let your local police department know that you have someone living with you that has dementia.

Don't forget to subscribe, download, and review to share your thoughts about the show!

To find out more about Bobbi and Mike or the inspiration behind this podcast, Rodger That, head over to rodgerthat.show.

Too often, older patients are put on a healthcare conveyor belt, enduring tests, procedures and medications that offer little benefits. Hear from Margaret Fitzpatrick, a critical care nurse and nurse anesthetist for over 20 years, discuss how to help people have a more rational relationship with healthcare as they age and the importance of establishing individual healthcare goals that reflect your values.

Don't forget to subscribe, download, and review to share your thoughts about the show! `

To find out more about Bobbi and Mike or the inspiration behind this podcast, Rodger That, head over to rodgerthat.show.

There are 44 million unpaid elder caregivers in the U.S. and 75% are employed. Today's guest, C. Grace Whiting, the President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, works to increase public awareness of family caregiving issues. NAC recognizes that family caregivers provide important societal and financial contributions toward maintaining the well-being of those in their care.

NAC is a nonprofit think tank based in Washington, DC, focused on improving the quality of life for family caregivers and those in their care through research, advocacy, and innovation.

In addition to national research and advocacy, NAC provides technical assistance to a national network of caregiving coalitions representing nearly 30 states and localities in the United States and serves as Founder and Secretariat for the International Alliance of Carer Organizations (IACO).

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To find out more about Bobbi and Mike or the inspiration behind this podcast, Rodger That, head over to rodgerthat.show. 

Bobbi and Mike sit down today with Dr. Roger Kreuz to discuss the impact of dementia on speech, vocabulary and how positive emotions are associated with a longer life.

Dr. Kreuz is a professor of psychology, an associate dean, and director of graduate studies at the University of Memphis. He conducts research on discourse, pragmatics, and nonliteral language. He is the coauthor (with Richard Roberts) of 'Changing Minds: How Aging Affects Language and How Language Affects Aging' released in 2019. It is their third book.

Don't forget to subscribe, download and review to share your thoughts about the show!

To find out more about Bobbi and Mike or the inspiration behind this podcast, Rodger That, head over to rodgerthat.show.

Today's guest, Kathy Shoaf, creates vacations for caregivers and loved ones who have accessibility challenges and/or clinical issues that often stymie travel. Listen as MIke and Bobbie discuss with Kathy how she arranges cruises with fun, friendly activities from onboard entertainment to off-board excursions which enable caregivers -- along with their loved ones who have specific diagnoses such as Dementia/ Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and MS -- to have their "Bucket-List” dreams finally come true.

She chooses trips and ports of call based on accessibility, helps you participate in nearly any activity you want, including scuba, diving, swimming with dolphins, city tours, or relaxing on the beach, when you travel on one of her tours the opportunities are endless.

Kathy is a travel expert with 20+ years of clinical and management experience in geriatric, neurology, rehabilitation and senior housing as an RN and ATP. Her professional career has allowed her to be a public speaker, CEU educator, clinical consultant, and passionate travel advocate. 

To find out more about Bobbi and Mike or the inspiration behind this podcast, Rodger That, head over to rodgerthat.show. Don't forget to subscribe, download, and review to share your thoughts about the show!