The Alzheimer's Podcast

This episode was recorded November 9, 2020. Phil and Christy discuss President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris's victory and the ongoing impact of COVID-19 within our community. But mostly, Phil wrestles with two parts of himself about what happened last week at the FDA Advisory Committee: should the guy who believes in science prevail, or the guy living with the diagnosis?

We're fast-forwarding through the editing queue to bring you this episode recorded June 23, 2020. We wanted to make this episode as timely as possible for a few reasons:

• Phil Gutis (our Assistant Sherpa on The Alzheimer's Podcast) and his husband Tim Weaver once again did a Longest Day event on behalf of The Alzheimer's Association. The Longest Day was last weekend, but the fundraising doesn't close out until August 31, 2020, so there's still time to donate here.

• Phil describes their Longest Day experience as Laurel & Hardy Throw a Party, and gives up the details. There's a lot of laughing in this episode, and sometimes--like if we've been lucky enough to survive 2020 so far--we just need to laugh.

• We finally got Tim on the show!! He provides some great insight and what I believe are three of the most valuable pieces of advice a dementia care partner will ever get.

Full transcript + show notes at https://www.dementiasherpa.com/episode138

This episode was recorded April 20th, 2020.

At one point, Phil refers to protesters, and who he's talking about are the armed white people who showed up at statehouses wanting to get a haircut, go to the movies, open up the economy, that sort of thing. 

So, I don't want there to be any confusion because of when this episode is being released (in early June) about who Phil is talking about. 

One other warning: this episode, I think, really reflects the anger and frustration that Phil and I were feeling in mid-April. Many of you have told me how much you appreciate me putting a positive message out into the world. But I think there's also a time to not only have righteous anger but to share it with the rest of the world. 

Finally, unlike virtually every other episode of The Alzheimer's Podcast, this episode is marked "E," because I use the s-word, once.

Full transcript at DementiaSherpa.com/episode136.

Show notes + transcript: DementiaSherpa.com/episode135.

This week, I got author and blogger Donna Thomson to come back to the show. She has so much wisdom to share about solitude, a timely topic in this time of Covid-19. Although many states are "reopening" right now—and we've got more on that in upcoming episodes—Donna's thoughts on solitude and isolation are relevant to care partners no matter what's going on in the outside world.

Donna is an exceptionally experienced care partner, having first become one as a teenager. As you'd expect, she's developed an enormous amount of wisdom along the way. 

You'll also no doubt note the empathy and compassion that comes through loud and clear in the soothing sound of Donna's voice.

The mother of two grown children, one of whom has severe disabilities, Donna also cared for her mother who had a diagnosis of dementia and passed away in the summer of 2018 at the age of 96.

Donna is the co-author (with Dr. Zachary White) of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned From a Life of Caregiving (The House of Anansi Press, 2014). She blogs regularly at The Caregivers' Living Room and teaches caregivers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.

Christy offers a cheap, low-tech way to make sure your person knows you're thinking of them with this bonus tip.

Show notes + links: DementiaSherpa.com/Episode132.

Phil Gutis, our Assistant Sherpa, and Christy discuss what life is like right now in the shadow of Covid-19, including ways families can stay connected with their person who lives in long-term care.

Complimentary Strategy Call for Dementia Care Partners

March Master Class Training: Reducing Your Chances of Developing Dementia

If you've been following the story of coronavirus spread over the past several weeks, you may be freaked out right about now. News came out over the weekend that a long-term care community in the Pacific Northwest has been impacted, with both residents and staff affected. As I'm recording this the morning of March 3, 2020, 4 residents in that nursing home have died. 

So even if you're a cool kitten not prone to panic, you may have questions about how the spread of coronavirus could affect your person.

Complete transcript + links: DementiaSherpa.com/Episode131.

In this episode, Phil Gutis, our Assistant Sherpa, and Christy discuss situations that show respect for your person and opportunities to bring The Good Stuff.  Show notes at DementiaSherpa.com/episode130.

Complimentary Strategy Call for Dementia Care Partners

Complimentary Strategy Call for Dementia Care Partners

Show notes at DementiaSherpa.com/Episode126.

Christy Turner, AKA The Dementia Sherpa, and Phil Gutis, our Assistant Sherpa, get candid about a wide range of topics:

• Phil's depression
• His use of Ambien during his working years
• His aunt, who is showing signs of cognitive impairment
• Familial and environmental risk factors for developing neurodegenerative diseases
• The possibility of a cure (or at least an effective treatment similar to the HIV cocktail) in the next 10 years
• The relative value of seeing a neurologist pre- and post-diagnosis

The Dementia Sherpa's February 2020 LIVE Master Class Training: Advance Care Planning