The Alzheimer's Podcast

In this episode of Navigating Rough Terrain with the Dementia Sherpa, I chat with Bonnie Lais, a family care partner who raised her hand when I asked for volunteers to come on the show and share their acquired wisdom.

We cover a lot of ground, from how Bonnie landed in Dementia World, to the best thing she did during the experience, who she begged for help, and how her abusive childhood prepared her for being a family care partner. Bonnie drops one golden nugget after another throughout our conversation, so I'm really excited to share part one with you.

We discuss little tweaks with big impact care partners can make to ensure your person feels included and valued.

When we think of dementia, we usually focus on memory loss, confusion, and the need to make sure our person stays safe. We may overlook more subtle changes in our person, like an increased need for time to process information and more explanation about people and situations that used to be familiar. The net result is they can start feeling like they don't belong in a situation, they're being ignored, and worse, they just don't matter anymore.

Sometimes as a dementia care partner there's so much going on all at once, and it feels so overwhelming, that you can start asking yourself, "What if I'm getting dementia, too?"

We discuss how to figure out what is really going on for you and the simple changes you can make to start feeling better (and the key to even being able to make changes), and we look at a couple of real-life case studies from Christy's experience.

In this episode of Navigating Rough Terrain with the Dementia Sherpa, Christy addresses the sensitive and complex question of knowing when it's time to ease up on the level of care being provided.

I'm sure you're always doing your best to provide the best care for your loved one. You want to support them and do the right things - always.

But as the disease progresses, you must adjust the level of care you are providing to meet their changing needs. And unfortunately, at some point you just have to ease up because too much care can actually be detrimental to quality of life.

In this episode of Navigating Rough Terrain with the Dementia Sherpa, Christy Turner and I discuss the importance of incorporating simple pleasures into the daily routine and care plan for your person.

When caring for someone living with dementia, it's easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day challenges or focus on the negative aspects of the disease.

But in order to have good quality of life for both you and your person, simple pleasures must be an integral part of your care plan.

Simple pleasures will put a smile on a face and lift one's spirit. Among other positive aspects, simple pleasures also help create lasting memories.

In this episode of Navigating Rough Terrain with the Dementia Sherpa, Christy Turner shares ideas to help you make small changes to the care you provide that can make a huge positive difference and improve the quality of life for both you and your loved one.

Although dementia is complex, these small adjustments to the way you provide care can be incorporated into your daily routine and approach.

In this episode of Navigating Rough Terrain with the Dementia Sherpa, Christy and I discuss how to not let the "What If's" stop you from being successful as a care partner.

What if none of this works for you? What if you can't figure it out? What if you do something wrong?

But what if some of it does work for you? What if you do figure it out? What if you have successes along with some mistakes?

"What if's" can be paralyzing if you look at them with a glass half-empty view.

But because you are here listening to this podcast and educating yourself, I think you know this, and you are striving to have a glass half-full view.

Utilizing Christy's insider knowledge as a memory care director, we discuss things that often surprise families when they move a loved one into a long-term care community.

Christy and I began this discussion in episode 68: Reality vs. Promises: Discerning the Differences in Long-term Care.

And don't forget, we have this insider information because Christy has run award-winning memory care communities in assisted living and skilled nursing levels of care.

When your life has been affected by a debilitating disease such as Alzheimer's or another dementia, it can be hard to be grateful. This episode is all about being grateful and sharing your gratitude and love with those around you.

If you're reading this, then I'm sure you are one of these special individuals and I am grateful that you are here, and that I am able to share with you.

Christy Turner, a former Memory Care director, shares her insider knowledge to help you get the facts you need to make the best decisions possible when selecting a community for your loved one.

When you are considering moving a loved one with dementia into long-term care, it's likely you have many, many questions about what it will be like for your loved one and for your family.

You've got hope that's shrouded in mystery, maybe false beliefs and misconceptions that are engulfing you in fear of the unknown.

Not all dementia care communities are alike - some are great while others are less than stellar. But how do you cut through the sales pitch and determine if a community is right for your family?