Truth, Lies & Alzheimer's

In this episode of The Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s Show, Lisa Skinner interviews Jill Poser, founder and principal of Life Care Concierge of South Florida.

Jill helps families navigate the difficult questions that often come after an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis, including care planning, healthcare decisions, safety concerns, changing family roles, and preparing for future needs.

Lisa and Jill discuss why dementia impacts the entire family, common mistakes families make when trying to manage everything on their own, and how caregivers can advocate for their loved ones while also protecting their own well-being.

With more than 15 years of experience in aging services, Jill brings both professional expertise and personal experience caring for her own parents. Her approach focuses on compassionate, person-centered care that balances clinical guidance with genuine human connection.

Lisa Skinner interviews aging life care expert Jill Poser about what families should do after an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis, including care planning, safety, family dynamics, caregiver advocacy, and preparing for future care needs.

#Alzheimers #Dementia #DementiaCare #Caregiving #CaregiverSupport #FamilyCaregiver #AgingLifeCare #SeniorCare #CareManagement #PersonCenteredCare #AgingInPlace #DementiaSupport #TheTruthLiesAndAlzheimersShow

In this episode of The Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s Show, Lisa Skinner explores an often-overlooked symptom that may provide an early clue to neurological changes: loss of smell, also known as hyposmia.

A reduced sense of smell is commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease and can sometimes appear years, or even decades, before a diagnosis. While losing your sense of smell does not mean that you will develop Parkinson’s disease, it is a symptom worth paying attention to, especially when it occurs alongside other neurological changes.

Lisa discusses why our sense of smell matters, how changes in smell can affect taste, appetite, nutrition, and quality of life, and why subtle changes in the body should not always be dismissed as simply part of aging.

This episode is an important reminder to notice changes, ask questions, and talk with a healthcare provider when something feels different.

For additional information about loss of smell and Parkinson’s disease, visit the Parkinson’s Foundation:

https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/non-movement-symptoms/loss-of-smell

#TruthLiesAndAlzheimers #MindingDementia #LisaSkinner #ParkinsonsDisease #ParkinsonsAwareness #LossOfSmell #Hyposmia #NeurologicalHealth #BrainHealth #DementiaAwareness #EarlyWarningSigns #CaregiverEducation #HealthyAging #PersonCenteredCare

The Parkinson’s Foundation notes that hyposmia is a common early Parkinson’s symptom, although not everyone who experiences reduced smell will develop Parkinson’s disease. (parkinson.org)

Why does someone living with dementia repeat the same question, insist on going home, accuse someone of stealing, or suddenly resist care?

In this episode, Lisa Skinner explains how these behaviors are often connected to fear, confusion, memory loss, discomfort, or the need for reassurance. She shares practical ways caregivers can respond with calm, simple communication instead of arguing, correcting, or escalating the situation.

You’ll learn why identifying the possible trigger behind a behavior can make such a difference, and how reassurance, familiar routines, simple choices, and a person-centered approach can help reduce distress.

Learn what may be triggering common dementia behaviors and how calm, reassuring responses can help reduce distress and improve dementia care.

#MindingDementia #TruthLiesAndAlzheimers #LisaSkinner #DementiaCare #DementiaCaregiver #AlzheimersCare #CaregiverSupport #DementiaBehavior #DementiaSupport #PersonCenteredCare #FamilyCaregiver

In this episode of The Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s, Lisa Skinner welcomes Matt Field, Managing Director and co-owner of Right at Home, serving families throughout the Chicago suburbs.

Matt and Lisa discuss the importance of person-centered dementia care and how in-home support can help individuals maintain dignity, independence, safety, and quality of life. They also explore caregiver training, fall reduction, hospitalization prevention, and why understanding the person behind the diagnosis is so important.

Matt Field has worked in home care since 2012, building Right at Home with his wife, Rachel, into a trusted resource for families caring for aging loved ones. His work focuses heavily on person-centered dementia care, caregiver education, fall prevention, and practical strategies that help people remain safely at home.

Matt also develops training programs for professional caregivers, family caregivers, and first responders. Before entering the home care field, he spent a decade in congregational leadership as an ordained Conservative rabbi, an experience that continues to shape his compassionate and human-centered approach to supporting families.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattfieldrah/

Website: https://www.rightathome.net/north-suburban-chicago

#DementiaCare #AlzheimersCare #PersonCenteredCare #HomeCare #CaregiverSupport #FamilyCaregivers #AgingInPlace #SeniorCare #DementiaSupport #CaregiverEducation #FallPrevention #HealthyAging #TruthLiesAndAlzheimers #MindingDementia

When a loved one is living with dementia, families may suddenly find themselves responsible for important financial and medical decisions. One of the biggest sources of confusion is assuming that one legal document gives someone authority to handle everything.

In this episode, Lisa Skinner explains the difference between a Power of Attorney and a Medical Decision Maker, why these roles are often separate, and why both can be important when planning for dementia.

The difference between financial and healthcare decision-making authority

Why a financial Power of Attorney does not usually provide medical decision-making authority

Why a Medical Decision Maker generally cannot manage finances

Why planning should happen while the person with dementia still has the capacity to participate

The importance of naming backup decision makers

How advance directives and conversations about personal wishes can reduce confusion

What can happen when these documents are not in place before a crisis

Planning ahead can help families avoid delays, reduce uncertainty, and make sure the right person has the proper authority when important decisions need to be made.

This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Laws and terminology vary by state, so families should consult an appropriate legal professional regarding their individual circumstances.

#MindingDementia #TruthLiesAndAlzheimers #LisaSkinner #DementiaCare #DementiaCaregiver #AlzheimersCare #CaregiverSupport #DementiaPlanning #PowerOfAttorney #MedicalDecisionMaker #AdvanceDirective #FamilyCaregiver #PersonCenteredCare

Season 5 of The Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s Show begins with an important conversation about dementia, communication, compassion, and better understanding the experience of those living with cognitive changes.

In this episode, Lisa Skinner welcomes guest Kandiee Campbell for a thoughtful discussion about people living with dementia and the importance of meeting them where they are.

Lisa and Kandiee explore how dementia can affect behavior, communication, emotions, and everyday interactions. They discuss why caregivers and family members may need to adjust their expectations, look beyond the behavior they are seeing, and respond with greater patience and understanding.

The conversation also highlights the importance of preserving dignity and recognizing the person behind the diagnosis. Rather than focusing only on what someone can no longer do, this episode encourages listeners to consider what the person may be feeling, experiencing, or trying to communicate.

• Understanding how dementia can affect behavior and communication
• Looking beyond difficult or confusing behaviors
• Meeting a person living with dementia where they are
• Responding with patience, compassion, and understanding
• Recognizing emotional needs even when communication becomes difficult
• Preserving dignity and personhood throughout the dementia journey
• Supporting caregivers and families as they navigate changing needs

This episode offers practical perspective and an important reminder that compassionate dementia care begins with understanding the person, not simply managing the diagnosis.

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.theawakenhopeshow.com

Instagram: @awakenhopeshow

Linktree: www.linktr.ee/awakenhopeshow

#TruthLiesAndAlzheimers #MindingDementia #DementiaCare #DementiaAwareness #AlzheimersAwareness #CaregiverSupport #DementiaSupport #PersonCenteredCare #DementiaEducation #FamilyCaregivers #LivingWithDementia #CompassionateCare #AwakenHopeShow #KandieeCampbell #LisaSkinner

In this episode of Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s, Lisa talks with Kirstin Thomas, co-founder of KindredMind, about the personal caregiving journey that led her to create an AI voice companion for dementia families.

Kirstin shares what it was like receiving repeated calls from her mom, who is living with frontotemporal dementia, and realizing that the calls were often less about the question being asked and more about the need for reassurance, familiarity, and connection.

That experience inspired KindredMind, a voice companion designed to answer calls using the caregiver’s own voice, personal routines, and familiar memories. Kirstin also discusses how technology can be used to support both the person living with dementia and the caregiver without simply removing access to the phone or blocking calls.

It’s a meaningful conversation about caregiving, innovation, and what can happen when a very personal challenge becomes the inspiration for a new kind of support.

Visit our Website - https://www.mindingdementiasummit.com/

About the Guest:

Kirstin Thomas, co-founder of KindredMind a voice companion for dementia families. When repetitive calls happen, it answers and has conversations in the caregiver's own voice using personal routines and memories, easing anxiety while supporting caregiver relief instead of removing the phone or blocking calls.

My mom has frontotemporal dementia. She lives in a memory care facility in Ontario, Canada. She calls me looking for my voice, the same question over and over, sometimes ten times before lunch. I could not always answer.

Every caregiver in this situation eventually tries the same things. You block the calls. You let it go to voicemail. You take the phone away. You try to explain that you were just there, that you will be back soon, that everything is okay. None of it works, because the call was never really about the question. It was about the fear. And the fear resets every time, whether the call was answered or not.

I searched for something that could meet that fear with warmth, every time, in my voice. I couldn’t find it. So I built it.

KindredMind is a Canadian-based AI voice companion for dementia families that answers calls from loved ones living with dementia in the family caregiver's own cloned voice, calm, familiar, and present. Built on simulated presence therapy and Alzheimer Society of Canada communication guidelines. Available across Canada and the United States.

Before KindredMind, my partner Patrick founded Snaile Inc., Canada’s leading smart parcel locker company. I worked closely alongside him as Chief Operating Officer and President, helping build and scale the business together. Snaile was acquired in 2024. I’ve brought everything we learned from building a Canadian tech company to the problem I couldn’t stop thinking about.

Links:

https://kindredmind.care/

https://www.youtube.com/@kindredmindcare

About the Host:

Author Lisa Skinner is a behavioral specialist with expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. In her 30+year career working with family members and caregivers, Lisa has taught them how to successfully navigate the many challenges that accompany this heartbreaking disease. Lisa is both a Certified Dementia Practitioner and is also a certified dementia care trainer through the Alzheimer’s Association. She also holds a degree in Human Behavior.

Her latest book, “Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s – Its Secret Faces” continues Lisa’s quest of working with dementia-related illnesses and teaching families and caregivers how to better understand the daunting challenges of brain disease. Her #1 Best-seller book “Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost,” was written at their urging. As someone who has had eight family members diagnosed with dementia, Lisa Skinner has found her calling in helping others through the struggle so they can have a better-quality relationship with their loved ones through education and through her workshops on counter-intuitive solutions and tools to help people effectively manage the symptoms of brain disease. Lisa Skinner has appeared on many national and regional media broadcasts. Lisa helps explain behaviors caused by dementia, encourages those who feel burdened, and gives practical advice for how to respond.

So many people today are heavily impacted by Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. The Alzheimer's Association and the World Health Organization have projected that the number of people who will develop Alzheimer's disease by the year 2050 worldwide will triple if a treatment or cure is not found. Society is not prepared to care for the projected increase of people who will develop this devastating disease. In her 30 years of working with family members and caregivers who suffer from dementia, Lisa has recognized how little people really understand the complexities of what living with this disease is really like. For Lisa, it starts with knowledge, education, and training.

Thanks for listening!

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Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

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In this episode of Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s, Lisa explores the challenges faced by the sandwich generation, adults who are caring for aging parents while also supporting children, managing careers, relationships, finances, and their own well-being.

When dementia becomes part of that caregiving picture, the responsibilities can become even more complicated and unpredictable. Lisa discusses the emotional, financial, and practical pressures caregivers may face, along with ways to better prepare for changing care needs.

You’ll learn about planning ahead, creating a support network, navigating unexpected dementia-related situations, communicating with employers, using available resources, and recognizing when it is time to ask for help. Most importantly, Lisa shares practical ways caregivers can protect their own well-being while continuing to care for the people who depend on them.

Visit our Website - https://www.mindingdementiasummit.com/

About the Host:

Author Lisa Skinner is a behavioral specialist with expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. In her 30+year career working with family members and caregivers, Lisa has taught them how to successfully navigate the many challenges that accompany this heartbreaking disease. Lisa is both a Certified Dementia Practitioner and is also a certified dementia care trainer through the Alzheimer’s Association. She also holds a degree in Human Behavior.

Her latest book, “Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s – Its Secret Faces” continues Lisa’s quest of working with dementia-related illnesses and teaching families and caregivers how to better understand the daunting challenges of brain disease. Her #1 Best-seller book “Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost,” was written at their urging. As someone who has had eight family members diagnosed with dementia, Lisa Skinner has found her calling in helping others through the struggle so they can have a better-quality relationship with their loved ones through education and through her workshops on counter-intuitive solutions and tools to help people effectively manage the symptoms of brain disease. Lisa Skinner has appeared on many national and regional media broadcasts. Lisa helps explain behaviors caused by dementia, encourages those who feel burdened, and gives practical advice for how to respond.

So many people today are heavily impacted by Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. The Alzheimer's Association and the World Health Organization have projected that the number of people who will develop Alzheimer's disease by the year 2050 worldwide will triple if a treatment or cure is not found. Society is not prepared to care for the projected increase of people who will develop this devastating disease. In her 30 years of working with family members and caregivers who suffer from dementia, Lisa has recognized how little people really understand the complexities of what living with this disease is really like. For Lisa, it starts with knowledge, education, and training.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Many older adults want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible, but aging in place requires more than simply choosing to stay home. It takes planning, reliable support, ongoing safety assessments, and a realistic understanding of changing care needs.

In this episode of Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s, Lisa Skinner explains what aging in place really means and how families can evaluate whether home care, assisted living, or memory care is the safest and most appropriate option.

In This Episode:

• What aging in place looks like in everyday life
• Home safety changes that may reduce falls and other risks
• The importance of medication, transportation, and emergency planning
• How dementia can affect safety at home
• The differences between aging in place, assisted living, and memory care
• Why caregiver capacity, nighttime needs, and backup support matter
• Financial, legal, and long-term care considerations
• Warning signs that additional support or a move may be needed

Key Takeaway:

Aging in place is not about willpower or avoiding change. It is about whether the person’s physical, medical, cognitive, and emotional needs can be met safely and consistently at home.

Visit our Website - https://www.mindingdementiasummit.com/

About the Host:

Author Lisa Skinner is a behavioral specialist with expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. In her 30+year career working with family members and caregivers, Lisa has taught them how to successfully navigate the many challenges that accompany this heartbreaking disease. Lisa is both a Certified Dementia Practitioner and is also a certified dementia care trainer through the Alzheimer’s Association. She also holds a degree in Human Behavior.

Her latest book, “Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s – Its Secret Faces” continues Lisa’s quest of working with dementia-related illnesses and teaching families and caregivers how to better understand the daunting challenges of brain disease. Her #1 Best-seller book “Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost,” was written at their urging. As someone who has had eight family members diagnosed with dementia, Lisa Skinner has found her calling in helping others through the struggle so they can have a better-quality relationship with their loved ones through education and through her workshops on counter-intuitive solutions and tools to help people effectively manage the symptoms of brain disease. Lisa Skinner has appeared on many national and regional media broadcasts. Lisa helps explain behaviors caused by dementia, encourages those who feel burdened, and gives practical advice for how to respond.

So many people today are heavily impacted by Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. The Alzheimer's Association and the World Health Organization have projected that the number of people who will develop Alzheimer's disease by the year 2050 worldwide will triple if a treatment or cure is not found. Society is not prepared to care for the projected increase of people who will develop this devastating disease. In her 30 years of working with family members and caregivers who suffer from dementia, Lisa has recognized how little people really understand the complexities of what living with this disease is really like. For Lisa, it starts with knowledge, education, and training.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Dehydration is common in people living with dementia and can quickly make confusion, agitation, weakness, and other symptoms appear worse. A person may forget to drink, no longer recognize thirst, have difficulty asking for fluids, or struggle with mobility or swallowing.

In this episode of Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s, Lisa Skinner explains why dehydration can be difficult to recognize and shares practical ways caregivers can encourage safe, consistent fluid intake.

In This Episode:

• Why dementia increases the risk of dehydration
• Common physical and behavioral warning signs
• How medications, illness, pain, and swallowing problems affect hydration
• Simple ways to make drinking part of the daily routine
• How preferred cups, flavors, temperatures, and smaller servings may help
• What to consider when someone refuses food or fluids
• When changes in confusion, urination, alertness, or swallowing require medical attention

Key Takeaway:

Sudden changes in confusion or behavior should not automatically be blamed on dementia. Dehydration may be an underlying cause, and early attention can help prevent more serious complications.

Visit our Website - https://www.mindingdementiasummit.com/

About the Host:

Author Lisa Skinner is a behavioral specialist with expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. In her 30+year career working with family members and caregivers, Lisa has taught them how to successfully navigate the many challenges that accompany this heartbreaking disease. Lisa is both a Certified Dementia Practitioner and is also a certified dementia care trainer through the Alzheimer’s Association. She also holds a degree in Human Behavior.

Her latest book, “Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s – Its Secret Faces” continues Lisa’s quest of working with dementia-related illnesses and teaching families and caregivers how to better understand the daunting challenges of brain disease. Her #1 Best-seller book “Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost,” was written at their urging. As someone who has had eight family members diagnosed with dementia, Lisa Skinner has found her calling in helping others through the struggle so they can have a better-quality relationship with their loved ones through education and through her workshops on counter-intuitive solutions and tools to help people effectively manage the symptoms of brain disease. Lisa Skinner has appeared on many national and regional media broadcasts. Lisa helps explain behaviors caused by dementia, encourages those who feel burdened, and gives practical advice for how to respond.

So many people today are heavily impacted by Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. The Alzheimer's Association and the World Health Organization have projected that the number of people who will develop Alzheimer's disease by the year 2050 worldwide will triple if a treatment or cure is not found. Society is not prepared to care for the projected increase of people who will develop this devastating disease. In her 30 years of working with family members and caregivers who suffer from dementia, Lisa has recognized how little people really understand the complexities of what living with this disease is really like. For Lisa, it starts with knowledge, education, and training.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.