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EP 6  I have Grieved 100 Losses ..

Thoughts on Grief, Guilt, and Ambiguous Loss as a Dementia Caregiver

In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer’s podcast, host Ken Cardita shares his personal journey of caregiving for his wife Shanna, who has Alzheimer's. Ken delves into the complex emotions of grief, guilt, and ambiguous loss that caregivers often face. By reflecting on his own experiences, he provides insights and strategies on how to manage these emotions healthily. Ken emphasizes the importance of seeking support and maintaining a perspective that focuses on the quality of time spent with loved ones. He also highlights how accepting and understanding ambiguous loss can help in finding peace amidst the challenges of caregiving.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflections
00:44 Today's Episode: Grief, Guilt, and Ambiguous Loss
01:25 Understanding and Managing Grief
07:49 Dealing with Guilt as a Caregiver
21:04 Ambiguous Loss: A Unique Caregiving Challenge
27:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
28:48 Next Week's Episode and Closing Remarks

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Navigating Diagnosis and Acceptance: A Journey through Moderate Alzheimer's

In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's podcast, host Ken Cardita delves into 2016, a pivotal year in his 12-year journey with his wife Shanna's Alzheimer's. Ken shares the challenges of undiagnosed moderate Alzheimer's, the life upheaval from early retirement, and the financial planning that shaped his transition to a full-time caregiver. He recounts the stress and realizations during their downsizing move, and details Shanna's cognitive assessments leading to her official Alzheimer's diagnosis. Ken offers insights on embracing caregiving, fostering acceptance, and the profound lessons learned through their experiences. He highlights the importance of community support, both from family and friends, and encourages listeners to share the podcast to help others on their own dementia journeys.

00:00 Introduction and Recap
00:59 The Diagnosis Journey Begins
01:42 Life Changes and Financial Planning
03:34 Downsizing and Moving Challenges
07:44 Medical Evaluations and Diagnosis
12:56 Coping with the Diagnosis
16:45 Sharing the News with Family and Friends
20:01 Lessons Learned as a Caregiver
24:44 Final Thoughts and Next Episode Preview

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Navigating Early Stage Alzheimer's: Personal Reflections and Advice

In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's podcast, host Ken Cardita delves into his personal experiences during the early stages of his wife Shanna's Alzheimer's diagnosis. Ken recounts the emotional challenges and adjustments needed to manage caregiving duties effectively. He discusses common symptoms such as repeated questioning, short-term memory loss, and poor judgment, and shares coping strategies and lessons learned. The episode emphasizes the importance of patience, adaptability, and seeking support for caregivers while navigating the complexities of Alzheimer's disease.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:54 Understanding the Journey
02:15 Early Stages of Alzheimer's
04:30 Challenges and Adjustments
08:24 Social Interactions and Coping
16:06 Dealing with Anger and Fear
21:02 Seeking Support and Self-Care
23:51 Conclusion and Next Steps

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Navigating Denial and Driving: A Caregiver's Journey

In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's podcast, host Ken Cardita recounts his personal experiences dealing with denial and the challenges of getting his wife, Shanna, to stop driving once it was no longer safe for her to drive. He shares valuable insights and resources for caregivers, emphasizing the importance of overcoming denial, being proactive, and finding support. Ken also offers practical tips on how to handle the sensitive issue of driving with a loved one who has Alzheimer's, as well as highlighting the role of denial as a coping mechanism.

00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome
00:40 Episode Overview: Dealing with Denial
01:20 Personal Journey: Early Signs and Diagnosis
04:03 Understanding Denial in Dementia
09:31 Shanna's Driving Struggles
17:34 Caregiver Tips and Resources
23:07 Recap and Closing Thoughts
24:34 Next Episode Preview and Final Remarks

Online Resources that were helpful  for Ken early on
                   o   www.alz.org – The Alzheimer’s Association
                   o   www.TeepaSnow.com     - Teepa Snow – A positive approach to care
                   o   www.CareBlazers.com  -  Dr. Natale Edmunds careblazer program and facebook group

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Surviving Alzheimer's: Reflections on Early Signs and Coping Strategies

In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's podcast, host Ken Cardita shares his journey alongside his wife, Shanna, who has been battling Alzheimer's disease. He reflects on their early life together, identifying initial signs of cognitive decline, and the crucial lessons learned during their journey. The podcast delves into the importance of selecting the right medical support, dealing with emotional triggers and caregiver challenges, and highlights the role of faith and open communication in their continued resilience. Ken also emphasizes the value of hindsight and offers advice for those starting their caregiving journey.

00:00 Introduction to the Surviving Alzheimer's Podcast
00:32 Early Signs and Reflections
01:00 Life Before Alzheimer's
03:06 Challenges and Changes in the 1990s
04:23 The 2000s: Family and Personal Growth
10:10 Early Cognitive Struggles
13:00 The First Neurologist Visit
17:17 Lessons Learned and Advice
23:17 Emotional Journey and Faith
25:27 Conclusion and Next Steps

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In this  first episode I will give you some of background information and introduce you to the people that this podcast is about. I'll also introduce you to how we have survived Alzheimer's disease so far.

It's my hope that you'll be able to connect with us, thus, be able to relate your experiences to ours in doing this. I hope that you can learn from our experiences.

Why did I decide to do this podcast? It's about you. I wanted to help you in dealing with your loved one's dementia. I've learned a lot of things along the way here. A lot of it was the hard way, and I hope that some of the things that I've picked up along the way may be of use to you.

About a year and a half ago, when I finally decided to move Shanna to a memory care facility after I couldn't take care of her anymore, I had done it for four years, 24 /7. I decided to get some grief counseling. I took grief counseling sessions for about nine months. And one of the things that she taught me was that as we help other people with the things that we have struggled with, we heal.

And I have learned that along the way, I've dealt with caregiver burnout, we survived the COVID pandemic together. The decision to put her in memory care was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. And then once she was there after almost a year, I made another tough decision to move her to a better facility. And that turned out really good. But watching my wife go through all of the stages of the disease and all of the challenges that it brought, both of us was a very interesting experience. 

This disease has brought my wife and I closer than ever together in the last four or five years. Tremendous things have changed all for the better, even while we're struggling with the disease. And this is our story. My hope is in telling our story, it'll be helpful to you, and you'll be able to face your own challenges with a degree of hope and be able to find peace. Like I have found. 

So how does one survive alzheimer's? As you probably know, Alzheimer's is a fatal disease, but what do I mean by surviving it? Well, I looked up in the dictionary what the word survival means, and some of the things that I really liked was it means to remain or to continue in existence.

How do I continue to live as I watch the person I love the most in my life slowly fade away? How do I get along or remain healthy, happy and unaffected in spite of some circumstances? That's another definition of survive. That's what I mean by surviving Alzheimer's I will tell you how my wife has dealt with this in episodes to come and how I dealt with it.

Well, thanks for listening and be sure to follow the surviving Alzheimer's podcast. The surviving. Alzheimer's. Podcast is brought to you by Ascending Minds, LLC.

Link to “The Surviving Alzheimer’s Podcast” Facebook page.
 

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