Love Conquers Alz: Recent Episodes
Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess
2020 WINNER BEST PODCAST - New Media Film Festival. Caregivers have one of the hardest jobs in the world. Having both been caregivers for a family member affected with Alzheimer’s, Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess both know this is a disease that cannot be faced alone. In fact, their Oscar Qualified film based on Susie's Mother, MY MOM AND THE GIRL starring Valerie Harper in her final performance - has and continues to touch people all over the world. Their goal was to let others know they are not on their own and to help them find the JOY in the journey. And that's just what they do in their Podcast "Love Conquers Alz".
A rushed discharge. A chart that does not match reality. A loved one with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s dementia who cannot explain what hurts. If you have ever felt bullied by a system that moves too fast, this conversation is for you.
Susie and Don talk with Laura Finnelly, a registered nurse with 25+ years in healthcare, a certified senior care manager, an Air Force veteran, and the founder of Guided Care RN Advocates. Laura lays out what families need to know about patient advocacy, navigating hospital stays, preventing medical errors, and protecting dignity in dementia care. She also shares why she calls herself a “neighborhood healthcare cop” and why that mindset helps caregivers ask better questions, document the right details, and stop feeling “crazy” when something is off. All things that motivated her to write RN on Duty, a practical guide gives families the tools, structure, and confidence they need to navigate today’s healthcare system more effectively.
Rather than focusing on medical advice, RN on Duty teaches you how to navigate the system itself—from preparing for appointments and organizing medical information, to understanding hospital processes, discharge planning, and care transitions.
Susie and Don connect those practical tools to the bigger fight for long-term care reform, including their first-ever synchronized National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform on September 27. They also get real about caregiver stress, nurse burnout, staffing shortages, and the harsh reality that people who cannot speak up are often the first to be overlooked unless someone is there to advocate. Laura will be leading one of the walks in Illinois. So if you live in Illinois - you'll want to sign up to be a part of this historic event!
One key takeaway you do not want to miss: how to challenge an unsafe discharge, including the Medicare Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage and how an appeal can pause the process long enough to get answers. We also cover Medicare-funded advocacy and navigation options and where to find qualified patient advocates,
Connect with Laura: info@guidedcare1.com
Subscribe, share this with a caregiver, and leave a review so more families can find these tools when they need them most.
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If someone you love experienced neglect in a nursing home…Then you know how desperately the system needs to change. History has shown us that It takes people power to change anything worthwhile. That’s why we we’re launching something that’s never been done before. On September 27, communities across the country are coming together for the first-ever National Long-Term Care Reform Day.This is a peaceful national walk for dignity, accountability, and change in long-term care.We’r
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform) for quality long term care! Visit the ROAR 4 LTC Website for more information and consider participating in the inaugural National National Long-Term Care Day, Sunday, September 27th The 1st ever ROAR 2026 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform! Found out more here: https://www.roar4ltc.org/roar-2026-walk
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Alzheimer’s can take so much, so fast, and the hardest part is feeling like you have zero control. We’re Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess, and we’re joined by Mark Wilson, a former Fortune 500 leadership executive whose new book, Breakthrough Alzheimer's Care, offers a hopeful roadmap that leads to thriving, not just surviving through a dementia journey.
After his mother was diagnosed with both Alzheimer's and vascular dementia, Mark made the life-changing decision to leave a successful corporate career and become her full-time caregiver. What followed was a remarkable journey that challenged expectations and transformed both their lives.
Drawing on leadership principles, practical strategies, and deep personal experience, Mark shares how families can become Care Leaders, not just caregivers, by creating environments that prioritize safety, joy, connection, purpose, and well-being.
We discuss:
• The mindset shift from caregiver to care leader
• The five breakthrough pillars of care
• Building and leading an effective care team
• Creating moments of joy even in the face of dementia
• Supporting your loved one without losing yourself
• Why hope still matters after an Alzheimer's diagnosis
• Finding purpose and meaning throughout the caregiving journey
Whether you're caring for a parent, spouse, partner, or friend, this episode offers practical guidance, heartfelt wisdom, and a powerful reminder that love can still create extraordinary moments.
Because even when there is no cure, there can still be connection, purpose, and joy.
If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s caregiving, and leave a review so more families searching for Alzheimer’s caregiving support and dementia care strategies can find it.
LoveConquersAlz, #Alzheimers, #Dementia, #Caregiving, #FamilyCaregiver, #CaregiverSupport, #DementiaCare, #SeniorCare, #CareLeader, #AgingParents, #CaregiverLife, #AlzheimersAwareness, #CaregivingJourney, #ElderCare, #CaregiverWellnes
Connect with Mark:
Website: Bold Care Leader
LinkedIn: LinkedIn Profile
Instagram: @boldcareleader
Facebook: Mark Wilson / Bold Care Leader on Facebook
Book: Breakthrough Alzheimer's Care
Send us Fan Mail
If someone you love experienced neglect in a nursing home…Then you know how desperately the system needs to change. History has shown us that It takes people power to change anything worthwhile. That’s why we we’re launching something that’s never been done before. On September 27, communities across the country are coming together for the first-ever National Long-Term Care Reform Day.This is a peaceful national walk for dignity, accountability, and change in long-term care.We’r
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform) for quality long term care! Visit the ROAR 4 LTC Website for more information and consider participating in the inaugural National National Long-Term Care Day, Sunday, September 27th The 1st ever ROAR 2026 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform! Found out more here: https://www.roar4ltc.org/roar-2026-walk
Follow us on Twitter, FB, IG, & TiK Tok 💜
Listen on your favorite platform 💜
If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
What happens when society looks away from its most vulnerable?
In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, hosts Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess welcome WGA, AWD, award-winning, neurodiverse, bi, writer/director, and podcaster, Ellen Ancui, who specializes in traumadies—darkly funny stories where (mostly) women dig their own graves, then complain about the landscaping. Ellen writes about caregiving, sex, and the 2nd act of a creative life. She co-hosts the pod FILTHY MILFS with Sophie Levine, about women’s health, desire, and aging fearlessly.
Ellen wrote, produced, and directed the Oscar-qualified short film, SAVERIO, that sheds light on a shocking and often invisible issue: elder abandonment, also known as “granny dumping.”
Through a powerful blend of humor and humanity, Ellen’s film tells the story of a young woman forced to confront her own values when an elderly man is abandoned in her care—an all-too-real scenario happening far more often than most people realize.
This episode is both a wake-up call and a reminder of what’s at stake if we continue to look away.
Because aging is not someone else’s story.
It’s all of ours.
And change starts with awareness.
Follow Ellen and her podcast
✨ IMDB
✨ Apple Podcasts
✨ Spotify
✨ YouTube
✨ TikTok
https://ellenancui.blogspot.com/
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If someone you love experienced neglect in a nursing home…Then you know how desperately the system needs to change. History has shown us that It takes people power to change anything worthwhile. That’s why we we’re launching something that’s never been done before. On September 27, communities across the country are coming together for the first-ever National Long-Term Care Reform Day.This is a peaceful national walk for dignity, accountability, and change in long-term care.We’r
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform) for quality long term care! Visit the ROAR 4 LTC Website for more information and consider participating in the inaugural National National Long-Term Care Day, Sunday, September 27th The 1st ever ROAR 2026 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform! Found out more here: https://www.roar4ltc.org/roar-2026-walk
Follow us on Twitter, FB, IG, & TiK Tok 💜
Listen on your favorite platform 💜
If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, hosts Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess welcome Kathy Bradley, a nationally respected advocate with over 3 decades of experience in long-term care and the founder of Our Mother’s Voice.
After retiring from a career as a nursing home administrator, Kathy faced the system again as a daughter when her own mother rapidly declined into severe dementia. What she experienced changed everything.
Despite knowing the system inside and out, Kathy struggled to get her mother the care she needed. That journey led her to create Our Mother’s Voice, a nonprofit that provides free services and is dedicated to helping families understand their rights, advocate effectively, and navigate one of the most complex and overwhelming systems many will ever face.
In this powerful conversation, you’ll hear:
• Why so many families feel powerless in long-term care
• What to do when something “feels off” with your loved one’s care
• The importance of documentation and speaking the right language
• How systemic issues and financial incentives impact quality of care
• Practical ways to advocate without burning bridges or risking retaliation
• And why love, empathy, and human connection still matter most
This episode is both a wake-up call and a guide.
Because every family will face this moment.
And no one should have to face it alone.
If you like what you saw and heard today, please follow, share, tell everyone about it, and also definitely go to www.roar4ltc.org. Sign up and be a ROARior! Join our movement. And if you haven't seen No Country for Old People, do yourself a favor, do your family a favor, sit down, watch three episodes of it on Amazon, Tubi, or Hoopla.
Send us Fan Mail
If someone you love experienced neglect in a nursing home…Then you know how desperately the system needs to change. History has shown us that It takes people power to change anything worthwhile. That’s why we we’re launching something that’s never been done before. On September 27, communities across the country are coming together for the first-ever National Long-Term Care Reform Day.This is a peaceful national walk for dignity, accountability, and change in long-term care.We’r
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform) for quality long term care! Visit the ROAR 4 LTC Website for more information and consider participating in the inaugural National National Long-Term Care Day, Sunday, September 27th The 1st ever ROAR 2026 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform! Found out more here: https://www.roar4ltc.org/roar-2026-walk
Follow us on Twitter, FB, IG, & TiK Tok 💜
Listen on your favorite platform 💜
If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
The long-term care system is one of the most important issues families will face, yet few people understand it until they are in the middle of a crisis.
In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, hosts Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess welcome Lindsay Friedman, a care advocate, writer, and educator dedicated to transforming how families navigate aging, caregiving, and long-term care. Lindsay is a four-time healthcare startup founder on a mission to solve real-world problems in caregiving and long-term care. (Our kind of girl!!)
Lindsay’s perspective is uniquely powerful. She has experienced the system from every side: as a nursing assistant working in memory care and nursing homes, as a family caregiver, and even as a care recipient herself.
She shares how these experiences inspired the creation of two groundbreaking platforms:
• CareBloom – a technology designed to help families monitor caregiving tasks and ensure accountability in care environments
• LTC Nav – a free planning resource helping families understand the financial and logistical realities of long-term care before crisis strikes
Together, Susie, Don, and Lindsay dive into the real challenges families face, including:
• The lack of accountability in many care facilities
• Why planning for long-term care earlier is essential
• The emotional realities of caregiving and aging
• How technology could improve oversight and protect vulnerable patients
• The importance of empathy and dignity in caregiving
This conversation is honest, emotional, and deeply informative. It reminds us that while the system may be broken, awareness, planning, and compassion can make a powerful difference.
Because at the end of the day, the heart of caregiving is simple:
Love.
LTC Nav on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
EMAIL: hello@LTCareNav.com
Carebloom on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube , LinkedIn
EMAIL: support@carebloom.com
Send us Fan Mail
If someone you love experienced neglect in a nursing home…Then you know how desperately the system needs to change. History has shown us that It takes people power to change anything worthwhile. That’s why we we’re launching something that’s never been done before. On September 27, communities across the country are coming together for the first-ever National Long-Term Care Reform Day.This is a peaceful national walk for dignity, accountability, and change in long-term care.We’r
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform) for quality long term care! Visit the ROAR 4 LTC Website for more information and consider participating in the inaugural National National Long-Term Care Day, Sunday, September 27th The 1st ever ROAR 2026 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform! Found out more here: https://www.roar4ltc.org/roar-2026-walk
Follow us on Twitter, FB, IG, & TiK Tok 💜
Listen on your favorite platform 💜
If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
What if shopping for medical equipment felt empowering instead of depressing? Caregiving is hard enough. Getting the right equipment should not be. In this episode, Hosts Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess talk with Erica Sell, founder of Harmony Home Medical in San Diego, about how the right equipment can help families keep loved ones at home longer, safer, and with more independence.
Erica breaks down what Medicare typically covers (and what it does not), how reimbursement can work, and why the system often forces families to wait until a crisis. They also explore practical home solutions like high-low adjustable beds that still feel like home, safer bathing options, lift chairs, mobility devices, ramps, and monitoring tools that protect privacy.
Plus, a moving story about how one piece of equipment gave a man his community back.
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If someone you love experienced neglect in a nursing home…Then you know how desperately the system needs to change. History has shown us that It takes people power to change anything worthwhile. That’s why we we’re launching something that’s never been done before. On September 27, communities across the country are coming together for the first-ever National Long-Term Care Reform Day.This is a peaceful national walk for dignity, accountability, and change in long-term care.We’r
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform) for quality long term care! Visit the ROAR 4 LTC Website for more information and consider participating in the inaugural National National Long-Term Care Day, Sunday, September 27th The 1st ever ROAR 2026 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform! Found out more here: https://www.roar4ltc.org/roar-2026-walk
Follow us on Twitter, FB, IG, & TiK Tok 💜
Listen on your favorite platform 💜
If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
One of the most precious resources in dementia care are the stories we share.
Today, we welcome back two deeply respected members of the Love Conquers Alz family for a conversation rooted in care, credibility, and shared purpose that has led to a major milestone:
Marianne Sciucco, registered nurse, author, and founding member of AlzAuthors, a groundbreaking global, rigorously vetted hub for Alzheimer’s and dementia books, blogs, films, and podcasts, is passing the baton to senior care professional, writer Lance A. Slatton, host of the award-winning All Home Care Matters podcast and YouTube channel.
, For over a decade, Marianne and the AlzAuthors team have thoughtfully spotlighted the most meaningful and reliable literature available for the Alzheimer’s and dementia community. At a time when families are often overwhelmed by information, their careful curation created a trusted guidepost grounded in lived experience and compassion.
Lance brings more than two decades of experience in senior care and continues to be a consistent, dependable voice, not only as a podcast host, but through his work as a Senior Case Manager with Enriched Life Home Care Services.
What connects Marianne and Lance is presence. Both have remained steady voices in an ever-changing landscape, offering stringently curated, reliable resources to caregivers and families when clarity matters most.
Join us as we celebrate a community that refuses to let its most valuable assets—truth, art, and love—fade into the noise. Subscribe, share with a caregiver who needs a lifeline, and tell us what resource you want to see next. Your voice shapes where this library goes from here.
Send us Fan Mail
If someone you love experienced neglect in a nursing home…Then you know how desperately the system needs to change. History has shown us that It takes people power to change anything worthwhile. That’s why we we’re launching something that’s never been done before. On September 27, communities across the country are coming together for the first-ever National Long-Term Care Reform Day.This is a peaceful national walk for dignity, accountability, and change in long-term care.We’r
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform) for quality long term care! Visit the ROAR 4 LTC Website for more information and consider participating in the inaugural National National Long-Term Care Day, Sunday, September 27th The 1st ever ROAR 2026 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform! Found out more here: https://www.roar4ltc.org/roar-2026-walk
Follow us on Twitter, FB, IG, & TiK Tok 💜
Listen on your favorite platform 💜
If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
This episode originally released on March 11, 2024. While Don and I are taking a much needed break, we wanted to share one of our most popular and valuable episodes in case you missed it. And if you already heard it, it couldn't hurt to listen again because the episode is filled with powerful informstion for keeping your brain as healthy as you possibly can! Have a happy and healthy 2026...and thank you all for listening!
Don and I both agree that this episode ranks as one of our favorites to date. Our amazing guest, Dr. Mitchell Clionsky is a board certified neuropsychologist with more than 30 years of clinical experience and has treated more than 20,000 patients with cognitive problems. Dr. Clionsky understands the toll of memory disorders as both a caring professional and as the son of his mother Muriel, who died in 2008 from dementia.
Dr. Clionsky holds staff privileges on four hospitals and in addition to dementia, he evaluates ADHD, concussions, and a variety of neurological conditions. From years of patient data, Dr. Clionsky and his wife/partner Emily Clionsky, MD have developed the Memory Orientation Screening Test or MOST, a highly valid measure that provides a single, numerical score that reflects cognitive status and change over time. MOST helps identify -cognitive problems- earlier in the deterioration process so health professionals can intervene and help their patients live better lives.
Now Dr. Clionsky and his wife, Emily, have taken what they do in their consulting room and have written a new book, Dementia Prevention: Using Your Head to Save Your Brain. It's an exciting, fun to read, motivating, and potentially life changing read that is the culmination of 45 years of extensive clinical evaluation and treatment. Scientifically detailed and vetted by Johns Hopkins University doctors and content experts, it is translated into terms that almost everyone will understand.
8 out of 10 people over 55 say that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are a major concern. Well now there is something that can be done. Dementia is not inevitable, but for 1 out of 2 people it is preventable. And we are so excited to share all about this fascinating breakthrough. Enjoy!!
Connect with Dr. Clionsky here.
Send us Fan Mail
If someone you love experienced neglect in a nursing home…Then you know how desperately the system needs to change. History has shown us that It takes people power to change anything worthwhile. That’s why we we’re launching something that’s never been done before. On September 27, communities across the country are coming together for the first-ever National Long-Term Care Reform Day.This is a peaceful national walk for dignity, accountability, and change in long-term care.We’r
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform) for quality long term care! Visit the ROAR 4 LTC Website for more information and consider participating in the inaugural National National Long-Term Care Day, Sunday, September 27th The 1st ever ROAR 2026 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform! Found out more here: https://www.roar4ltc.org/roar-2026-walk
Follow us on Twitter, FB, IG, & TiK Tok 💜
Listen on your favorite platform 💜
If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
In Part 2 of our powerful conversation with elder care attorney Anthony Lanzone, we continue pulling back the curtain on why elder abuse and neglect cases are so hard to fight — and what families must know to protect their loved ones.
In this episode we dig into:
• Why arbitration agreements are hidden in nursing home paperwork and how they stack the deck against families
• How residents and families unknowingly waive their right to a jury trial
• The truth about nursing home bankruptcies and how they’re used to avoid accountability
• What happens when fines are issued and why residents rarely benefit
• Why the government’s oversight system is failing
• How private equity has reshaped long-term care for profit
• What you can do as a caregiver to advocate, protect your loved one, and push back
Anthony brings decades of experience litigating elder abuse cases, and his honesty and clarity are invaluable. If you care about someone in long-term care - or may one day - this episode is essential listening.
This conversation is emotional, eye-opening, and empowering. And it reinforces a truth we live by:
💜 We can’t wait for the system to fix itself. We have to fight — together.
Watch Part 1 first if you haven’t — it sets the foundation.
And please share this episode with anyone who loves or cares for an older or disabled adult.
Contact Anthony Lanzone:
Email: mycase@www.lanzonemorgan.com
Phone: 888-887-9777
LoveConquersAlz, #ElderCare, #ElderLaw, #NursingHomeReform, #ElderAbuseAwareness, #SeniorAdvocacy, #LongTermCare, #JusticeForOurElders, #PeopleOverProfit, #HealthPodcast, #AdvocacyPodcast
🎧 LOVE CONQUERS ALZ
Hosted by Susie Singer Carter & Don Priess
Because love is powerful, love is contagious… and Love Conquers Alz.
And don’t forget:
📽️ Watch “No Country for Old People” — a nursing home exposé documentary — now streaming on Amazon Prime, Tubi, Hoopla, and more.
Send us Fan Mail
If someone you love experienced neglect in a nursing home…Then you know how desperately the system needs to change. History has shown us that It takes people power to change anything worthwhile. That’s why we we’re launching something that’s never been done before. On September 27, communities across the country are coming together for the first-ever National Long-Term Care Reform Day.This is a peaceful national walk for dignity, accountability, and change in long-term care.We’r
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform) for quality long term care! Visit the ROAR 4 LTC Website for more information and consider participating in the inaugural National National Long-Term Care Day, Sunday, September 27th The 1st ever ROAR 2026 National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform! Found out more here: https://www.roar4ltc.org/roar-2026-walk
Follow us on Twitter, FB, IG, & TiK Tok 💜
Listen on your favorite platform 💜
If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
The moment a loved one lands in long‑term care, everything feels urgent and unclear. We’ve been there—rushed discharges, impossible forms, promises that don’t match reality—and we wanted a straight answer on what legal accountability looks like when neglect or abuse causes real harm. That’s why we sat down with elder abuse attorneyAnthony Lanzoneto map the path from pain to action without sugarcoating the struggle.
In Episode 113, we talk about why nursing home cases are so hard, what families can realistically expect, and how accountability actually happens. We share the steps to document harm, find the right lawyer, and protect your peace of mind while you pursue justice.
• systemic barriers that shield long-term care providers
• why elder neglect requires proof beyond simple negligence
• how damages caps shape which cases lawyers can take
• settlements versus trials and real risk trade-offs
• punitive damages and when they apply
• CMS liens and how they reduce awards
• practical steps to document abuse or neglect
• where to file complaints if you cannot sue
• why memorializing misconduct still matters
Contact Anthony Lanzone: Email: mycase@www.lanzonemorgan.com
Phone: 888-887-9777
LoveConquersAlz, #ElderCare, #ElderLaw, #NursingHomeReform, #ElderAbuseAwareness, #SeniorAdvocacy, #LongTermCare, #JusticeForOurElders, #PeopleOverProfit, #HealthPodcast, #AdvocacyPodcast
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT for quality long term care! Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
YOU CAN ALSO SUPPORT THE ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL PROMOTION OF OUR DOCUMENTARY "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE" BY MAKING A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION THROUGH THE NATIONAL CONSUMER VOICE HERE
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Listen on your favorite platform 💜
If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
If you’ve ever left a doctor’s appointment wondering what was said—or wished your siblings understood how much you’re doing—this conversation is a must-listen.
In episode 112, Susie and Don sit down with Crystal Gallo, founder of innerhive—a groundbreaking app using AI to help caregivers capture, organize, and share vital information while staying present for the people they love.
From preventing burnout to improving family communication, Crystal shares how Innerhive was born from her own caregiving experience and designed to bring clarity and connection to one of life’s most chaotic and emotional journeys. Together, they explore how technology can enhance humanity—not replace it—and why wellness, empathy, and smarter tools are key to transforming the caregiving experience.
Email: hello@innerhive.com, crystal@innerhive.com
Facebook Instagram Website Linkedin Personal Linkedin
Support the show
No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé is STREAMING NOW on Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F7D1RR5X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r)
Please watch. Review. Share.
Be a ROAR-ior!! JOIN THE R.O.A.R. MOVEMENT for quality long term care! Visit the No Country For Old People Website for more information.
YOU CAN ALSO SUPPORT THE ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL PROMOTION OF OUR DOCUMENTARY "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE" BY MAKING A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION THROUGH THE NATIONAL CONSUMER VOICE HERE
Follow us on Twitter, FB, IG, & TiK Tok 💜
Listen on your favorite platform 💜
If you like what you hear leave us some love. 💜
In this powerful episode of Love Conquers Alz, Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess sit down with Neal K. Shah, visionary founder and CEO of CareYaya, a groundbreaking platform that connects families with compassionate, college-educated student caregivers. Neal shares how his personal caregiving journey inspired him to reimagine elder care, creating affordable, dignified, and deeply human support that benefits both older adults and the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Together, they explore the urgent need to bridge generational divides, destigmatize dementia, and cultivate empathy in future doctors and nurses by immersing them in real-life caregiving experiences.
Neal also opens up about his new book, "Insured to Death", which takes aim at the rising crisis of AI-driven healthcare claim denials and the devastating toll they take on patients and families.
From stories of students forming life-changing bonds with people living with dementia, to hard truths about our broken long-term care and insurance systems, this conversation is both eye-opening and hopeful. It’s a reminder that caregiving—when rooted in love, purpose, and community—has the power to transform lives.
Counterforce Health
Careyaya.org
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This episode launches Season 10 of Love Conquers Alz 🎙️! And fittingly, we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of Alz Authors, the global community changing the dementia narrative one book at a time. My co-host, Don Priess and I sit down with Marianne Sciucco and Christy Byrne Yates to reflect on a decade of impact — from books to podcasts to their brand-new film festival.
What began as a one-month blog has grown into a worldwide network of 400+ storytellers sharing authentic experiences of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Together we explore:
- How one story can change a life, and how hundreds can change a culture.
- Why storytelling across genres — memoir, fiction, children’s books, podcasts, and film — matters.
- The importance of curating authentic voices and supporting new authors.
- Practical encouragement for anyone ready to share their journey.
This milestone episode is a joyful reminder that storytelling is activism — and that love, creativity, and community truly Conquer Alz!
Marianne Sciucco (RN, author of Blue Hydrangeas) and Christy Byrne Yates (MS, psychologist and author of Building a Legacy of Love) co-host the AlzAuthors Podcast and bring lived caregiving wisdom to a global community of 400+ storytellers. AlzAuthors curates books, podcasts, and now films that transform the way we understand Alzheimer’s and dementia.
🎙️ Guest & Organization Contacts
Marianne Sciucco — Co-founder, AlzAuthors; author of Blue Hydrangeas
🌐 mariannesciucco.com
📱 Instagram: @mariannesciucco
📘 Facebook: Marianne Sciucco
Christy Byrne Yates, MS — Licensed Educational Psychologist; author of Building a Legacy of Love
🌐 christyyates.com
📱 Instagram: @christybyates
📘 Facebook: Christy Byrne Yates
AlzAuthors — Global community of Alzheimer’s & dementia storytellers
🌐 alzauthors.com
✉️ alzauthors@gmail.com
🎧 AlzAuthors Podcast
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Every caregiver knows the feeling—overwhelmed by endless to-do lists, struggling to coordinate help from well-meaning family members, and searching desperately for reliable information at 3 AM. Nicole àBeckett lived this reality when she lost both parents in her thirties, emerging from what she calls "the washing machine" of caregiving determined to create a solution.
As co-founder of Hero Generation, Nicole has built what many caregivers only dream of: a comprehensive platform that organizes the chaos. In this candid conversation, she reveals how the platform's three pillars—organization, resources, and community—transform the caregiving experience. The system allows users to store vital information, delegate tasks to helpers, access expert guidance, and connect with others on similar journeys.
What makes this episode particularly powerful is the shared understanding Don and I with Nicole about caregiving's hidden challenges. We discuss the moment you realize you're a caregiver (often long after you've taken on the role), the difficulty of navigating healthcare systems not designed to support family care providers, and the profound isolation that comes with the territory.
Beyond practical solutions, the conversation explores how caregiving, despite its heartbreak, offers precious moments of connection. As Nicole reflects, "Having cared for my mom, I wouldn't change that for anything." Hero Generation aims to minimize stress so caregivers can be fully present during these meaningful interactions.
The discussion also touches on broader themes of civic engagement and advocacy, emphasizing how collective action drives systemic change. Whether caring for aging parents, managing children's needs, or even coordinating pet care (a surprising use case for the platform), Hero Generation demonstrates how technology can strengthen rather than replace human connection.
Ready to transform your caregiving journey? Listen now, and discover resources that might just make tomorrow a little easier. And don't forget to watch "No Country for Old People" on Amazon starting August 1st to join the movement for better long-term care systems.
Connect with Nicole on Social Media:
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Alzheimer's and elder care demand our attention not just because millions endure them, but because the systems that are supposed to protect our most vulnerable are fundamentally broken. In light of the upcoming release of our documentary, No Country For Old People; a Nursing Home Exposé, August 1st on Amazon, my producing partner and today's guest host, Rick Mountcastle (whose work prosecuting Purdue Pharma was dramatized in Hulu's "Dopesick") and I are turning our focus on elder abuse.
In this powerful episode, we're joined by Richard Routman, whose 14-year career at the Department of Health and Human Services gave him a front-row seat to nursing home neglect cases, pulls back the curtain on why elder abuse persists despite seemingly robust regulations. The reality is sobering: residents fear retaliation if they report mistreatment, staff worry about losing jobs if they speak up, and facility administrators actively obstruct investigations by altering records or instructing employees to "forget" incidents when questioned by surveyors. Meanwhile, the regulatory landscape remains fragmented between federal agencies, state surveyors, Adult Protective Services, and law enforcement—creating dangerous gaps where abuse reports disappear.
Most troubling is how money influences the entire system. The nursing home industry spends hundreds of millions annually on political contributions and lobbying, effectively buying themselves protection from meaningful reform. As Richard notes, ordinary citizens advocating for better care are "fighting with sticks" while the industry fights "with guns."
Yet this conversation offers hope through specific action steps. Every county has a Commission on Aging that citizens can join to question officials and advocate for improved oversight. Families should learn their rights regarding documenting care—in many cases, they can legally record conditions despite what staff might claim. Most importantly, Richard reminds us that cultural change starts with rejecting the ageism that treats elder abuse as somehow less urgent than child abuse.
Don't miss our documentary "No Country for Old People" launching on Amazon August 1st. Until then, remember that knowledge, community action, and love remain our most powerful tools against a system that too often fails those who built our world.
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Could artificial intelligence be the solution to our eldercare crisis? In this riveting episode, we dive deep into the intersection of technology and compassionate care with Breana Patel, founder and CEO of Owie AI.
The statistics are sobering – we're facing a projected shortage of half a million nurses within the next decade while our aging population grows exponentially. But Breana's innovative approach offers a ray of hope in what can seem like an overwhelming challenge. Her company is developing contactless AI monitoring systems that can predict patient needs, prevent adverse events, and reduce the administrative burden on already overwhelmed caregivers.
Imagine a world where technology can alert staff before a fall occurs, detect early signs of dehydration, or recognize when a non-verbal patient is in distress. These aren't futuristic dreams but tangible solutions Breana's team is currently piloting in healthcare facilities. What makes this approach revolutionary is its focus on enhancing rather than replacing human care – giving caregivers more time for meaningful interactions by automating documentation and routine monitoring.
We explore the profound implications for transparency in long-term care, how AI might serve as a digital companion for isolated residents, and the careful privacy considerations built into these systems. Breana shares her personal motivation behind founding Owie AI after witnessing a loved one's complications from undetected health events, highlighting how technology can help prevent similar situations for countless families.
As our society grapples with policy decisions that will fundamentally shape eldercare for decades to come, innovations like these represent our best hope for creating dignified, quality care for all. Join us for this thought-provoking conversation about how artificial intelligence might become our most powerful tool in ensuring no one is forgotten or neglected in their vulnerable years.
Want to learn more about the challenges facing our long-term care system? Watch our documentary "No Country for Old People," releasing August 1st on Amazon.
CONTACT BREANA PATEL
OWIE AI
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What happens when your caregiving journey is complicated by family betrayal, mental illness, and profound loss? Meet Sheri Smith, a resilient entrepreneur whose life took unexpected turns when faced with both her mother's dementia and her husband's bipolar disorder simultaneously.
Sheri's new memoir "Mama Drama: A Journey with Bipolar and Dementia, Finding Light Through Loss and Grief" chronicles her extraordinary path from running a successful catering business and owning an oceanfront castle in Hawaii to navigating the heartbreaking terrain of cognitive decline (her mother) and mental health challenges (her spouse). Her story reveals the devastating reality many caregivers face when family dynamics turn toxic—in Sheri's case, a cousin who prevented her from seeing her mother during her final days.
The conversation delves into painful parallels between caring for someone with dementia and someone with untreated bipolar disorder. As Sherry candidly shares, "I made every mistake in the book because I simply didn't know better." This raw honesty about her attempts to "fix" situations beyond her control resonates deeply with anyone who has blamed themselves for not handling caregiving perfectly.
Despite these enormous challenges, Sheri transformed her pain into purpose through writing. Her journey from confusion and self-blame to understanding and advocacy offers a roadmap for others navigating similar terrain. By sharing both mistakes and triumphs, she creates space for caregivers to forgive themselves and find strength even when outcomes aren't what they hoped for.
Have you experienced family conflicts while caring for a loved one with dementia? Share your story and connect with our supportive community dedicated to finding light even in the darkest caregiving moments.
For updates and releases, visit:
Follow Sheri Smith
Other ways to connect:
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What happens when a former federal judge faces an Alzheimer's diagnosis? For Stephanie Duncan-Peters and her husband Richard James, it becomes an opportunity to showcase remarkable resilience, joy, and a refreshing perspective on living with cognitive change.
In Episode 105, Don and I have a deeply moving and uplifting conversation with Stephanie, whose impressive career spans nearly 20 years as a District of Columbia Superior Court judge appointed by President George H.W. Bush.
Far from letting her diagnosis define her, Stephanie has recently published a children's book, "The Blue-Footed Booby Blues," about a dancing bird who loves to travel—mirroring her own passions.
The couple shares how they met through dance lessons 12 years ago and continue to dance together today, demonstrating how activities that build "cognitive reserve" can remain accessible and joyful despite Alzheimer's. Their calm, matter-of-fact approach to the diagnosis stems partly from Stephanie's previous experience supporting a Harvard Law professor friend through his Alzheimer's journey.
We explore fascinating concepts like cognitive reserve—how certain skills and passions often persist longer in people with dementia—and the way Alzheimer's can paradoxically create what host I call "the ultimate state of Zen," fostering heightened presence and appreciation for the now.
Richard offers valuable insights from the care partner perspective, discussing how unexpected connections in his community led to crucial support resources. Their story beautifully illustrates how love, resilience, and maintaining meaningful activities create a fulfilling life even when facing significant health challenges.
Whether you're navigating dementia in your own family or simply seeking inspiration on facing life's unexpected turns with grace, this conversation will leave you with renewed hope and practical wisdom for the journey ahead. Listen now and discover how, as the podcast name suggests, Love truly Conquers Alz. :)
Much Love,
Susie
Connect with Stephanie and Richard through Kayla Mancuso - kayla@ballastbooks.com
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In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, Don and I sit down with Kristina Hayes, the inspiring founder of Waltz Through Life. Kristina shares her journey of using dance, movement, and creativity to support individuals and families navigating the challenges of aging, dementia, and caregiving. Through her unique approach, she brings joy, connection, and healing to those who need it most. We explore the power of music, movement, and mindfulness in transforming the caregiving experience.
I know how powerful dance has been in my life. It truly is my form of meditation. The healing power of music and movement for people with Alzheimer's radiates through this heartwarming conversation. For 15 years, Kristina has witnessed firsthand how dance transforms seniors in memory care, creating magical connections when words fail.
"Dancing to music is a shortcut to a person's heart and miracle medicine for Alzheimer's," Kristina explains, describing how residents who appear disengaged suddenly come alive when music plays. Her journey from ballroom dance instructor to therapeutic dance facilitator happened almost by accident, but has evolved into deeply meaningful work that challenges conventional approaches to dementia care.
The conversation weaves through fascinating science about why music reaches people with cognitive decline—it lights up more regions of the brain than any other sensory input and remains accessible even in advanced stages of memory loss. Suzy shares poignant stories about singing with her mother, who responded to music when other forms of communication had slipped away.
Beyond the therapeutic benefits, this episode explores larger questions about how society views aging and elder care. The hosts advocate for a movement that values and integrates older adults rather than marginalizing them. "We're all headed to the same place if we're lucky enough to live a long life," Kristina observes, making a powerful case for reconsidering how we approach our later years.
This isn't just a conversation about dementia care—it's about reconnecting with what makes us human at every stage of life. Whether you're a caregiver seeking new approaches or simply someone interested in the healing power of movement, this episode will inspire you to turn up the music, move your body, and connect with others across all boundaries of age and ability.
Subscribe, share, and keep dancing—it's good for your brain, body, and soul!
Love,
Susie xo
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Imagine your loved one living with Alzheimer's in a place where they could truly feel at home, free from the fear of wandering. This episode shares heartfelt stories of personal experiences, including my own mother's joyful time in a vibrant Los Angeles loft community. Join my co-host, Don Priess and I, as we welcome esteemed guest Dr. Allen Power, a renowned geriatrician, whose compassionate approach to dementia care challenges traditional methods and focuses on creating environments that foster contentment and security for those affected by Alzheimer's.
We venture into the transformative journey of Dr. Power, who moved from general practice to become a leading advocate for non-pharmacological dementia care. Influenced by the Eden Alternative movement, he reveals his insights on the misuse of antipsychotic drugs and highlights the importance of communication and community integration. Our discussion sheds light on the experiences of families affected by medication misuse and calls for innovative care models that prioritize the well-being of individuals with dementia, emphasizing the power of love, companionship, and understanding.
Explore how rethinking dementia care can enhance quality of life, balancing safety and freedom in care environments. Together with Dr. Power, we reflect on the power of intergenerational relationships and the vital need for societal shifts towards embracing diversity and supporting aging in place. With personal anecdotes and expert insights, we challenge misconceptions about dementia, highlighting the lessons of mindfulness and the importance of integrating people with dementia into communities, ultimately advocating for a more inclusive and compassionate approach to care.
Thanks for watching, listening, and sharing!
Much Love,
Susie
Dr. Allen Power is a board-certified internist, geriatrician, Schlegel chair in aging and dementia innovation at the Schlegel U Waterloo Research Institute for aging, a sought after speaker around the world, and a trained musician and songwriter with four recordings. Peter, Paul and Mary performed his song of elder autonomy, “If You Don’t Mind”, and Walter Cronkite used his song, “I’ll Love You Forever” in a 1995 Discovery Channel profile of American families. A recent project was composing music for Anne Hills’ latest album (www.annehills.com).
Contact: DrAlPower@gmail.com
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Finding the right elder care for your loved ones shouldn't be a stressful challenge. But for most of us it is. Elder care is EXPENSIVE! Yet, families everywhere grapple with the lack of reliable information.
Imagine if booking elder care were as easy as booking a hotel. In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, we sit down with Daniel Clarke, the visionary founder of Elderado— which is not a Cadillac or a song by ELO, but rather the perfect name for a groundbreaking web platform designed to help families compare over 1,400 long-term care and retirement homes across Ontario. Daniel shares the story behind Elderado, his mission to bring transparency to the long-term care industry, and his ambitious plans to expand the platform to the United States and the world.
Don and I, along with guest Daniel, discuss the essential role of transparency and compassion in finding suitable elder care. We explore the importance of reliable resources and personal experiences when navigating these complex decisions, highlighting the positive aspects of elder care while addressing systemic issues families face.
Whether you’re searching for the right care home or advocating for change, this conversation is a must-listen!
Learn More about Elderado
Connect With Daniel Clarke
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Navigating the emotional labyrinth of Alzheimer's care can be both heartbreaking and frustrating, especially when personalized care falls by the wayside. Our journey begins with a relatable exploration of these challenges—stories of care facilities that miss the mark on truly understanding their residents, turning beloved family members into mere room numbers. We wrap this poignant narrative with a lighthearted twist, sharing personal anecdotes about how life’s quirks and ailments can be surprisingly comedic.
Enter Tim and Tannis Roberts, the innovative duo behind EchoBox Memory Vault, who are reshaping person-centric healthcare with their groundbreaking tool. Neither were tech people, worked in healthcare, or had a business background. Yet both were moved to improve our care model by providing the comfort of a loved one's voice. EchoBox preserves cherished memories and stories, enriching family bonds and supporting those dealing with dementia and palliative care. Tim and Tannis share profound insights and personal stories that illustrate how capturing memories can provide lasting emotional benefits and a sense of belonging, transforming the caregiving experience.
This episode celebrates the importance of personal connections and innovation in Alzheimer’s care. We discuss the powerful impact of EchoBox, a technology that helps preserve and share the stories of loved ones, offering caregivers the ability to provide individualized care.
• Conversations surrounding the emotional challenges of caregiving
• The dehumanization often faced in care facilities
• Introduction to EchoBox and its founding story
• How EchoBox captures memories and personalizes care
• Real-world examples showcasing its effectiveness
• Technical details on practically using the app
• Insights on the growing adoption of EchoBox in care facilities
• Encouragement for advocacy and connection in caregiving
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What better way to celebrate our 100th episode than with an interview that truly reflects the definition and the title of our show: Love Conquers Alz. Former Wisconsin Gov. Martin J. Schreiber is an award-winning crusader for Alzheimer's caregivers and persons with dementia and author of the best selling novel, My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver.
Since 2016, Marty has been campaigning unlike anything he experienced while in office. Rather than seeking votes, Marty now works to recognize and support Alzheimer’s caregivers – an unpaid workforce that now exceeds 16 million people nationwide. Schreiber's goal for caregivers (whom he calls heroes) is that they learn, cope, survive and even thrive during their difficult journey. All things that Marty learned caring for his beloved wife, Elaine.
Imagine your spouse falling in love with you over and over again. Romantic, right? But what if they kept falling in love with you because every morning they woke up they’d forget who you were? The love story of Marty and his wife Elaine that began in the 1950s when they were high school freshmen began to take the cruelest of twists when Elaine, diagnosed with Alzheimer's, gradually transformed from the woman who had gracefully entertained in the Executive Residence to one who sometimes no longer recognized Marty as her husband. Yet, the two still found moments of joy which Marty lovingly talks about in his acclaimed My Two Elaines.
We share insights from "My Two Elaines," a poignant memoir that highlights the emotional journey from partner to caregiver, offering practical advice on therapeutic fibbing and redirection. The episode underscores the importance of male caregivers seeking help and stepping away from outdated stereotypes, as we discuss the necessity of systemic reform in care facilities.
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Betsy Wurzel started her career as a Talk Show Host at Passionate World Talk Radio and the name of her show was Chatting with Betsy. Betsy is also is an unwavering advocate for Alzheimer's caregivers who shares her own heartfelt experiences caring for her husband, Matt Sloan. Her stories are candid and passionate and truly exemplify the transformative power of love, humor, and community in the difficult landscape of dementia care.
Shifting gears, we confront the murky waters of hospice care—a field riddled with misconceptions and often misunderstood protocols. Misunderstandings about hospice care and the rights of patients can lead to inadequate pain management, affecting the dignity and well-being of those with dementia. Through our unvarnished discussion, we unearth Betsy's personal story of advocacy, emphasizing the critical role caregivers play in ensuring comfort and respect for their loved ones. This chapter serves as a poignant reminder that caregivers must be steadfast in their rights to demand the best care possible.
Finally, we tackle the systemic challenges plaguing senior healthcare, from understaffing and inadequate training to the pitfalls of profit-driven care models. Betsy guides us through a sobering exploration of these issues, pointing out how they result in inconsistent care for vulnerable populations, like those with Alzheimer's. With a call to action for more compassionate and consistent caregiving, she stresses the importance of prioritizing people over profits, advocating for a system that values quality care above all. Through this inspiring episode, we aim to empower caregivers to fight for the dignity and quality care their loved ones deserve.
Connect with Betsy:
Email - Sloanbetsy31@gmail.com
IG
FB
LinkedIn
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In Episode 98, Don and I have a fantastic conversation with Dr. Marc Rothman, MD,founder and president of the Dementia Spring Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) venture studio that invests in visual and performing artists and innovators who are changing the prevailing narrative of dementia and bringing joy and creativity to the dementia community through their work. Founded in 2020, the Artist Network now includes over 200 artists and innovators from around the world who are grappling with memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in their work. New artist Spotlights are shared every week on the Dementia Spring website. (Including our Oscar qualified short film, My Mom and the Girl ,starring Valerie Harper in her final performance!!)Through the Foundation’s annual, competitive Dementia Arts Impact Award program, funding, technical & marketing support, and subject-matter expertise are provided to a select group of artists and innovators who are telling new stories of dementia and bringing theatre, dance, music, and other visual/performing arts programs to those living with dementia.And if that's not enough, Dr. Rothman is also the CEO of Lizzy Care, a company providing tools and resources for dementia care at home.
Join us as our guest,Dr. Rothman, reveals his insights on harnessing artistic talents to enhance caregiving experiences. Discover how integrating art into dementia care not only brings joy and connection but also offers a holistic approach to treatment that blends medical and artistic perspectives, creating a more enriched life for both caregivers and individuals with dementia.
Immerse yourself in discussions on the profound impact of music and visual arts on mental health and healing. We underscore the importance of preserving memories through photography and the ethical considerations that come with sharing such intimate moments. The episode also touches on the cultural shift required in our institutions to prioritize arts therapy, advocating for comprehensive care models that improve quality of life. With personal stories and innovative projects, including virtual reality and comedy, we demonstrate how creativity stands as a beacon of hope and connection for those affected by dementia. And that includes, Love Conquers Alz, of course!
xoxo
Susie
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Elopement usually conjures up visions of secret excursions or maybe even the Elvis Chapel in Las Vegas. But elopement is also used to describe what happens when someone with dementia or cognitive loss leaves a safe area, such as a home or care facility, without supervision or awareness of the potential dangers. In dementia care facilities, it is a heartbreaking reality that needs urgent attention.
With over 30 years of experience as an occupational-therapist-turned-dementia-coach and 5 years of being a daughter-of-dementia, our guest, Lizette Cloete OTR/L, CADDCT, CDP, shares her first-hand, personal experience with elopement, how it can lead to accidents, injuries, and even death as a result of hypothermia, malnutrition, and weight loss, and why there is a huge need to protect vulnerable residents living in long term facilities. Lizette is the owner of “Think Different” Dementia, helping families navigate dementia together, using science-backed strategies, has become a sought-after speaker on dementia-related topics, both nationally and internationally. Her podcast, Christian Dementia Caregiving, is a key resource for connecting and sharing her valuable insights.
In 2023, Lizette was awarded a grant to create an online education and coaching community for family care partners. She is truly a fount of information and support for our caregiving community. We recount personal stories, including a tragic incident from 1994, highlighting the dire consequences of inadequate staffing and training in these facilities. By sharing these narratives, we stress the critical need for improvements in care and safety measures to protect vulnerable individuals. The broader implications of facility understaffing reveal a pressing need for vigilance and proactive strategies to prevent similar tragedies.
Understanding and managing dementia-related wandering is a complex challenge for caregivers and families. From unpredictable behaviors to ethical dilemmas around monitoring technology, we discuss real-life anecdotes that underscore the relentless nature of wandering. With hopes pinned on proactive engagement and innovative solutions, we aim to inspire meaningful change in caregiving practices, ensuring the safety and well-being of loved ones.
Connect with Lizette: Think Different Dementia
Christian Dementia Caregiving
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In honor of Residents’ Rights Month and in conjunction with our documentary, No Country For Old People, Don and I, along with our special guest-host, Rick Mountcastle, the former US attorney famed for his role in the Purdue Pharma case, are highlighting the importance of listening to residents who live in our country’s nursing homes, assisted living and board and care facilities.
In episode 96, we speak with AARON ADAMS, son, former caregiver, author and inventor. Aaron is a heavy machine operator for the local 649 international union of operating engineers and lives in Peoria Illinois. His father, Thomas Adams, was a robust 75-year old who was a beloved brother, father, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend. After treatment for heart issues, Aaron’s father was sent to an acute rehab hospital. to explore the emotional labyrinth of healthcare navigation which in too many cases isn't always kind.
Through Aaron's poignant personal story caregiving for his father, we unveil the harsh realities of seeking adequate medical care and the systemic flaws that many families encounter. From Aaron's fiery exchange with healthcare providers who underestimated his father's needs, to the desperate struggle of a family fighting against hospital bureaucracy to grant their father a peaceful end at home, these narratives underscore the dire need for advocacy and transparency. Rick Mountcastle lends his legal expertise, dissecting these challenges and providing a sobering perspective on patient neglect and the systemic issues at hand.
In a world where medical decisions can feel like a battlefield, the emotional rollercoaster of advocating for loved ones becomes evident. As families grapple with complex treatments and the ethical dilemmas surrounding end-of-life care, they find themselves questioning the motivations of medical professionals and the adequacy of patient care.
The stories shared here emphasize the importance of informed advocacy, the emotional toll of feeling sidelined, and the sacrifices made to ensure dignity and respect for loved ones. Join us as we unravel these deeply personal and univ
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How can a system meant to care for our most vulnerable turn into our worst nightmare? Join us as we kick off a special series of Love Conquers Alz episodes, inspired by our soon-to-be-released documentary, "No Country for Old People." We’re honored to have Rick Mountcastle, former U.S. attorney and co-producer of our documentary, with us. Rick offers his eye-opening experiences prosecuting nursing homes for fraud and abuse. Together, we hope to shed light on the urgent need for public awareness and collective action to combat the systemic neglect rampant in the long-term care industry. In this series, we will present personal narratives that serve as powerful calls to action, urging us to demand better care standards and advocate for systemic change.
In this episode, we feature the poignant account of Jen Trejo, who faced unimaginable hardship after her son Christopher (whose story was featured in the Netflix limited series "Painkiller") was prescribed OxyContin. From a mother's gut-wrenching moment of signing surgery papers for her son, to the neglect suffered within skilled nursing facilities, her story uncovers the severe failings of our profit-driven healthcare system. Jen shares the struggle of finding appropriate care for a loved one with a history of drug addiction and the frustrations of a system that prioritizes financial considerations over patient care. Jen also talks about the poor conditions in certain facilities and the lack of support for patients with more intensive care needs are also examined.
We also explore the transformative power of love and advocacy in these challenging times and how collective efforts have sparked progress, especially in addressing the opioid crisis and improving caregiving standards.
From the emotional toll of dealing with addiction and inadequate medical care, to the relentless pursuit of improvement despite resistance, this episode underscores the importance of empathy, persistence, and the human spirit in driving change. Tune in and join us in our mission to make a real difference.
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What if the shift towards for-profit hospice care models is compromising the quality of your loved one's final days? In this episode, Don and I have a robust conversation on hospice with Penny Hawkins Smith, BSN, RN, CHPN. Hospice Nurse Penny, as she is known to her millions of social media followers, is a nationally certified hospice and palliative care registered nurse with over 17 years of experience with a passion for hospice advocacy and normalizing death and dying.
Have you ever wondered how hospice care is funded and what services are actually covered? We break down the often-misunderstood world of hospice care funding, highlighting the system used by nonprofit agencies and detailing the array of services provided under this model, as well as the hidden truths behind the financial practices of many hospice agencies and their unsettling impact on patient care. We confront the alarming rise in Medicare spending and the exodus of physicians from the field. The episode also tackles the aggressive marketing strategies in the industry and the emotional turmoil families face when navigating palliative and hospice care. From the importance of clear communication and family advocacy to the systemic hurdles within end-of-life care, this conversation offers insights and personal stories that resonate deeply.
Navigating the maze of hospice care decisions can be daunting, especially when facing ethical dilemmas and advocating for compassionate treatment. We explore the critical role of hospice advocacy, the rights of patients and families, and the often-overlooked challenges of caregiving in nursing homes. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, we shed light on the importance of respecting patient dignity and goals, and the necessity for better education and support in end-of-life decisions. Join us as we call for empathy, open dialogue, and a more humane approach to hospice and elder care.
Follow Hospice Nurse Penny on TIKTOK
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Can human connection and dignity survive in a profit-driven healthcare system? On this episode of "Love Conquers Alz," we are joined by the talented artist and filmmaker Teace Snyder, who introduces his thought-provoking film "Hold Me." The film explores the emotionally charged and controversial topic of voluntary euthanasia, focusing on a woman whose job is to comfort individuals in their final moments. Teace shares the poignant inspiration behind the film, highlighting the ambiguous professional role of a "holder" and how the film raises essential questions about human connection, grief, and end-of-life care. Our conversation with Snyder sheds light on the delicate balance between personal choice and ethical implications in these profound moments.
Our discussion expands to the broader issues of systemic neglect and the isolating experiences of the elderly and sick in our healthcare system, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. We draw parallels to solitary confinement and critique the pervasive influence of money in healthcare, particularly within the hospice system. Through a candid examination of systemic corruption and the hidden influence of the nursing home lobby, we aim to inspire grassroots movements and honest conversations. Our goal is to foster empathy and prioritize human dignity in a system too often driven by profit. Join us as we navigate these complex topics with hope and a commitment to meaningful change.
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In Episode 92, Don and I talked with three prolific writers who have made profound literary contributions to the Dementia community and now pooled their talents and love of poetry to launch a beautiful anthology, “Poetry For the Dementia Journey”, that sprung from an online event featuring over 30 poets. (This just may be one of my favorite episodes!!)
Marianne Sciucco is not a (dementia) nurse who writes but a writer who happens to be a nurse. Her novel, Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s Love Story, is a testament to the power of love in the face of this heart wrenching disease. She has since launched her own podcast “Untangling Alzheimer’s and Dementia: An AlzAuthors Podcast” and is the Co-founder of the non-profit AlzAuthors.com, a global community of over 300 dementia-centered writers.
Ann Campanella is the manager/director of AlzAuthors and is a former magazine and newspaper editor. She is the author of two award-winning memoirs and four collections of poetry. Her first memoir, Motherhood: Lost and Found, tells the story of her mother’s descent into Alzheimer’s and was named “One of the best Alzheimer’s books of all time,” by Book Authority two years in a row.
Sue Fagalde Lick has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize in both fiction and nonfiction and won first prize in Willamette Writers Kay Snow Awards for poetry. Sue is co-founder of the Central Coast chapter of Willamette Writers and former president of the Oregon Poetry Association. Her latest release, No Way Out of This, is a me
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Comedian/Filmmaker/Caregiver HEATHER FINK came to filmmaking from comedy. She has been making funny videos since she was a kid growing up in small town New Jersey. After earning a Philosophy degree from The George Washington University, she began NYU's Grad Film program as Writer/Director. Heather has gone on to direct over 35 comedy short and has been featured on MTV, Dr. Phil, TV Guide Magazine and The Washington Post, to name a few. Most currently, she was featured in the LA Times with, as she said in her post on X, her “my most depressing interview and pull quotes ever!” talking about the residual affect ion her career following the SAG-AFTRA and WGAstrikes in 2023. She currently pays the bills as a Sound Person for film and tv, including Marvel’s “Daredevil” and Hulu’s “The Dropout.”
Heather came to caregiving after her beloved father had a paralyzing stroke. Now, she is taking her life-altering story to the stage with her one-woman show, Quicksand, that chronicles how she navigated her role as a young caregiver after her dad’s stroke and the challenges she faced trying to keep herself from sinking. As Heather says, “From caregiving to death and the midlife crisis, QUICKSAND is a storytelling and clown exploration of the realest sh*t we face.”
We chatted with Heather about the importance of creating a supportive community and shared our personal experiences with grief and loss, and the challenges of balancing personal storytelling with the need to connect with a wider audience in documentary filmmaking.
Don and I had a truly fantastic, funny, and heartfelt exchange with this incredible lady and are sure you are going to enjoy our conversation with the one and only Heather Fink.
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SEASON 9 Premiere!
Episode 90 features our esteemed guest, Dr. Ethelle Lord, is an author, practitioner, educator, management coach, presenter, mother and grandmother, and a pioneer in the containment of dementia.
Spending 21 years in the care of her husband Larry, living with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s truly motivated Dr. Lord's career path as a Global Dementia Care Shape and the founding president of the International Caregivers Association, a Dementia-Management-Consultant and Creator of the “Transactional Dementia Intelligence” or TDI business model of dementia care, a WHOLE SYSTEM which includes management, training, care, and coaching.
She has also authored the enlightening book, "Alzheimer and Dementia Coaching: Taking a Systems Approach in Creating an Alzheimer's Friendly Healthcare Workforce."
As Dr. Lord says, “One of the biggest challenges people face is the lack of basic information on where to begin, what to do, and how to do it.” Well this dementia warrior is helping the world, face those challenges - and Don and I were honored to have her with us on Love Conquers Alz!
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“I’m a lawyer by trade, politician by practice, and an academic by accident.” These are the musings of the remarkable, and I have to say, charming, Max Sherman.
In Episode 89, we interviewed a young and energetic 89 years old, Max Sherman. Max's life has been significantly influenced by women. But one in particular has shaped who he is today. In 1953 Max was among 4 high school boys conducting a church service at a local jail when he first laid eyes on a Gene Alice, who was there with her fold up field organ. And their love affair still thrives to this day...
In 2002 Gene Alice started noticing that something was different and soon after was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Through the inevitable progression of the disease Max and Gene Alice’s journey together is now chronicled in the beautiful and poignant memoir, “Releasing the Butterfly: A Love Affair in Four Acts”. It's a caregiver's story and journey. An honest, heart wrenching and insightful look at not only the disease but of a bond that could not be broken.
Max shares many of the insights he has gained as a caregiver, and thoughts on how to maintain connection even while grieving the losses of the fading abilities of a spouse living with Alzheimer’s.
Max boasts a rather formidable body of work which includes: Texas State Senator, President of West Texas State University, and Dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs. His leadership roles also include President of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Vice President of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. AND recently he was honored as an 80 over 80 recipients.
Don and I had the best conversation chatting with the author of this ode to a 70 year love-affair that will warm your heart and make you want to fall in love all over again!
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Heeeeeeee’s back! And Don and I couldn’t be happier! Our dear friend and “Senior Care Influencer”, Lance A. Slatton is not only a Writer, Author, and Healthcare professional with over 20 years in the healthcare industry…he is a number one class act and all around nice guy! Oh, and he is also the busiest person I have ever met! I thought I was juggling. Nope. Apparently not. ;)
In case you’re not familiar with Lance, here’s just little background on this Care Commander: Lance is a native of Michigan, and the Senior Case Manager at Enriched Life Home Care Services, a leading care provider. His ingenuity and fortitude led to the creation of All Home Care Matters, an informative podcast and YouTube show devoted to helping families, caregivers, and their loved ones navigate long-term care issues. All Home Care Matters was recently the recipient of the Silver Creator Award from Google & YouTube.
Lance also produces and Co-Host’s two additional shows (I know! What are we doing wrong!?): Conscious Caregiving with L & L, co-hosted by Lori La Bey and The Caregiver’s Journal with Denise M. Brown.
If that were not enough, he also writes a monthly column for McKnight’s Home Care News, DailyCaring.com, and AgeBuzz.
Recognizing Lance’s contributions to the industry, he was named a “50 Under 50” honoree by the New York City Journal for 2023 and has been chosen as a Juror for the Academy of Interactive Visual Arts for 2023 and 2024.
And because he apparently has so much spare time on his hands Lance has now authored a new book, “The All Home Care Matters Official Family Caregivers' Guide”, a beacon of wisdom, meant to guide you through the complexities and emotional tides of becoming a caregiver. So, grab a cuppa tea or coffee and find out more about this new endeavor and everything else in the wild world of the inimitable Lance A. Slatton.
And remember - Love is Powerful. Love is Contagious. And Love Conquers Alz.
xoxo Susie
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📣 New Love Conquers Alz Episode #87!
Don Priess and I were so excited to talk to Christina ‘n Cindy Hardin-Weiss WEISS (https://adaptiveequipmentcorner.com), the founders of Adaptive Equipment and Caregiving Corner, IMHO - THE best place to go for educational and instructional videos and home medical equipment product reviews for professional caregivers, families caring for a loved one, and older adults who want to age in place.
We are such HUGE fans of these ladies. Cindy and Christina bring years of expert knowledge and hands on experience to their educational videos and adaptive equipment reviews. If they endorse it - you know it's good! They literally put each and every product to the test! Even adult diapers! Come on! They are the real deal! They are the Ralph Nader for Caregivers.
Cindy Hardin-Weiss is a Physical Therapist and has spent the majority of her career in home healthcare. Her passion is to assist people in maintaining their independence, especially when it makes a difference in their ability to remain in their homes.
Christina Hardin-Weiss is a Speech/Language/Dysphagia Therapist. She has spent most of her career treating patients in skilled nursing facilities. She enjoys working with individuals who have dementia and their families, as well as those that have difficulty eating, chewing, and swallowing due to illness or disease.
Their mission is to help you maintain yours or your loved one's dignity and independence while remaining safely in the comfort and familiarity of your home. It is a noble cause indeed and we can’t wait for you tto get to know Cindy and Christina Hardin-Weiss.
Please listen on your favorite platform (https://linktr.ee/LCALZ) and/or watch us on our YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRgcPBktXGd5ubfJf4xmJRA).
And share, share, share! 💜
Remember:
Love is Powerful
Love is Contagious
and Love Conquers Alz!
Love,
Susie
Christina 'N Cindy on LinkedIn
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Advocate. Leader. Caregiver. Jenny Abeling is dedicated to helping those in need, through the complexities of long-term care. Currently she is the Governor’s Commissioner on Senior Services, working tirelessly to raise up senior related needs across the State of Oregon.
Formerly the Essential Worker Healthcare Trust Director, Jenny led a first in the nation approach to lift Long -Term Care workers by supporting their health and wellness.
Now she has launched JennyAbeling.com, where she provides personalized support to individuals, families and Long -Term Care workers, helping to navigate their care needs.
Featured on CNN, Jenny shares her knowledge and experience through media, podcasts, speaking engagements, and events to harmonize empathy with her unique expertise.
Jenny was recently honored by the Gray Panthers as a recipient of the coveted Above and Beyond Award honoring Long-term Care Workers.
No Jenny has branched out as an author with A Kids Book About Long-Term Care, titled A Kids Book About Long-Term Care. She truly is a bright light in the world of caregiving and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to talk to her!
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Don and I both agree that Episode 85 (wow!), ranks as one of our favorites to date. Our amazing guest, Dr. Mitchell Clionsky is a board certified neuropsychologist with more than 30 years of clinical experience and has treated more than 20,000 patients with cognitive problems. Dr. Clionsky understands the toll of memory disorders as both a caring professional and as the son of his mother Muriel, who died in 2008 from dementia.
Dr. Clionsky holds staff privileges on four hospitals and in addition to dementia, he evaluates ADHD, concussions, and a variety of neurological conditions. From years of patient data, Dr. Clionsky and his wife/partner Emily Clionsky, MD have developed the Memory Orientation Screening Test or MOST, a highly valid measure that provides a single, numerical score that reflects cognitive status and change over time. MOST helps identify -cognitive problems- earlier in the deterioration process so health professionals can intervene and help their patients live better lives.
Now Dr. Clionsky and his wife, Emily, have taken what they do in their consulting room and have written a new book, Dementia Prevention: Using Your Head to Save Your Brain. It's an exciting, fun to read, motivating, and potentially life changing read that is the culmination of 45 years of extensive clinical evaluation and treatment. Scientifically detailed and vetted by Johns Hopkins University doctors and content experts, it is translated into terms that almost everyone will understand.
8 out of 10 people over 55 say that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are a major concern. Well now there is something that can be done. Dementia is not inevitable, but for 1 out of 2 people it is preventable. And we are so excited to share all about this fascinating breakthrough. Enjoy!!
Connect with Dr. Clionsky here.
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If you don't know the preeminent caregiving champion, Christina Keys, you're in for a valuable treat! Christina was living her best life, enjoying a successful career, she was financially and spiritually healthy and happy - when in 2013 her beloved mother suffered a devastating stroke and was given a 1% chance to live. In a blink of an eye Christina went from care-free career woman to full-time caregiver. With Christina’s dogged and loving support, her mother survived - but after 4 years Christina was bankrupt, financially, emotionally, mentally, and physically. And suddenly she was faced with a diagnosis of her own. Her body was shutting down from the stress and she was given 6 months to live. She knew she had to completely change her life…and she did. But she decided to not only transform her own life, but to help change the lives of other caregivers.
Christina’s mission to make sure caregivers everywhere are seen, heard valued and appreciated and are never alone through her local work with Loving Them Forward , the Non Profit she founded, and the national work she is doing as the Director of Community Growth at Caregiving.com. We can’t wait for you to hear more about her remarkable transformation and journey!
Connect with Christina: FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM
Connect with Caregiving.com: https://www.caregiving.com
Apply and Learn more about the Caregiving.com Caregiver
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In Episode 83, Don and I had a heartfelt and informative conversation with Dr. George Ackerman who started the movement Together for Sharon to honor his late mother Sharon Riff Ackerman, who succumbed to complications from Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease on January 1, 2020. George is an absolutely tireless #advocate for those who suffer with PD and their families and has an unending hope for a cure. Come join us and learn about this important movement and why this is so important to George and his family.
ORDER YOUR WRIST BANDS HERE: https://www.togetherforsharon.com/con...
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Love Conquers Alz!
Susie xoxo
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In Episode 82, Don and I had a fantastic conversation (no surprise) with UK’s own PIPPA KELLY. Author, podcast host, award-winning blogger, contributor to numerous national newspapers and magazines, Pippa has truly made a name for herself in the dementia and elder care universe.
It was Pippa’s own personal journey with her mother, who battled vascular dementia for 10 years, that shaped her creativity and launched her career. A prolific writer for the Huffington Post, The Guardian and many others, she also shares her thoughts and experiences on her popular, Covid-born podcast “Well I know Now…So Much More About Dementia.” And has become one of the UK’s top 10 dementia influencers.
But Pippa Kelly’s artistic proclivities know no bounds. Her debut novel “Invisible Ink” deftly draws upon her experiences with her mother to craft a fascinating, poetic fictionalized tale that captures the intricacies of her mom’s insidious disease.
In this episode, we talk about the importance of sharing stories and personal experiences. The role of humor and creativity in advocating for better care. The need for education and ongoing advocacy.. The importance of creating community and promoting human interaction. And finally, the positive impact of therapy dogs, especially golden retrievers, is acknowledged.
Pippa Kelly is a force to be reckoned with in the literary and dementia space. And let’s face it, we absolutely love her accent.
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My co-host , Don, and I have been blessed with so many amazing guests, but truth be told, our 81st guest, Mary Lou Falcone , ranks as one of our very favorites!! We fell in love with this EXTRAORDINARY woman and we have no doubt you will, too.
For over 50 years, Mary helped guide the careers of celebrated artists – Van Cliburn, Gustavo Dudamel, Renée Fleming, Sir Georg Solti, James Taylor – and advised many institutions including Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic. Then combining communication skills with her background as a performer and educator, she now adds another layer: advocate for Lewy body dementia (LBD) awareness.
Mary became a caregiver when her father had a massive stroke. She was 10 years old. The experience prepared her for the day, many years later, when her husband, a world-renowned cartoonist, illustrator, painter, and 1950s rocker, Nicholas 'Nicky’ Zann, was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). Nicky, who died from LBD in 2020, was the catalyst for Mary's first book, I Didn’t See It Coming: Scenes of Love, Loss, and Lewy Body Dementia.
"Mary Lou Falcone is an expert storyteller. After years of telling other people's stories, she now tells her own compelling story." Friend and client, James Taylor.
In her memoir of love, loss, and Lewy body dementia (LBD), Mary Lou Falcone takes readers on a cathartic journey of caregiving that is filled with hope, laughter, and tears, making stops along the way for music, romance, and surprises. Written to inspire and give hope, Mary Lou unflinchingly shares in detail her late husband’s struggle with LBD, providing informative, compassionate, and inspiring insights into dementia. As she emerges transformed and energized, so will you after reading I Didn’t See It Coming: Scenes of Love, Loss, and Lewy Body Dementia .
Learn about Lewy Body Dementia, why it is difficult to diagnose, and the special challenges faced by caregivers. Enjoy Episode 81!!
Love conquers alz,
Susie xo
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Season 8 kicks off with episode 80 - a MUST LISTEN to show featuring JACKLYN RYAN - a sought-after speaker, consultant, workshop presenter, and best-selling author of the gut-wrenching book, “CareGivers, ScareTakers - Exposing Fraud In Senior Care”. With an aging population, families are struggling with dependable, trusted care. This process is riddled
with problems. What can adult children do to protect their parents from abuse and financial theft and also protect their inheritance and peace of mind from unscrupulous caregivers?
Just like all of us, Jacklyn was instantly faced with a heart-wrenching time in life when her parents were no longer able to care for themselves are soon learned the world of home healthcare agencies is riddled with what she calls inappropriate and unscrupulous ScareTakers. Armed with her and other's powerful personal stories, plus extensive research on this undeniable problem, Jacklyn is sharing this life-changing information through her enlightening book in hopes of revising the process for those looking for appropriate and trustworthy care for their loved ones.
We covered the following topics and more:
• How to better prepare when you enter the "wormhole of healthcare"
• The Actions You Can Take to Safeguard Your Family Inheritance and Expose the Scammers.
• Don't wait for a Crisis to happen! Prepare YOUR OWN Care Ahead of Time.
• We neglect to make a plan for our own care when we can no longer care for ourselves.
• Make a Plan and Put it in Writing.
• Discover resources, how to research and reviews on agencies and caregivers.
• "My Father (or Mother) is in Love with His Caregiver! "
Connect with Jacklyn here:
EMAIL: info@caregiverscaretakers.com
WEBSITE: https://caregiverscaretakers.com
LinkedIn: Jacklyn (Jacci Perry) Ryan
X: @Jacklyn72519695
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In Episode 79, my co-host, Don Priess, and I had an enlightening conversation with Stephan Jackman, the CEO of Alzamend Neuro, a clinical stage biotech company committed to “Making Alzheimer’s Just a Memory™.” Stephan shared information about the new lithium-based drug that offers Alzheimer's patients hope.
Stephan is laser focused on his mission to rapidly develop and market safe and effective treatments that address the unmet needs of those living with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders, through advanced research and development.
Their current pipeline consists of two novel therapeutic drug candidates, AL001 – a patented ionic cocrystal technology delivering lithium via a therapeutic combination of lithium, proline and salicylate, and AL002 – a patented method using a mutant-peptide sensitized cell as a cell-based therapeutic vaccine that seeks to restore the ability of a patient’s immunological system to combat Alzheimer’s. Both of our product candidates are licensed from the University of South Florida Research Foundation, Inc. pursuant to royalty-bearing exclusive worldwide licenses.
Our primary target, Alzheimer’s disease, was among the most-feared diseases (second only to cancer) among Americans, according to a 2011 survey by the Harvard School of Public Health. Alzheimer’s is also the sixth leading cause of death in the United States according to a 2021 report from the Alzheimer’s Association, a nonprofit that funds research. Existing Alzheimer’s treatments only temporarily relieve symptoms but do not slow or halt the underlying worsening of the disease, which currently affects roughly 6.2 million Americans and that number is expected to grow to 13 million individuals by 2050.
Enjoy the listen.
Love Conquers Alz,
Susie
Alzamend Neuro
Stephan Jackman
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In episode 78, Don and I had a fantastic conversation with the warm-hearted and incredibly delightful, Maria Kent Beers. Maria, along with her partner, Rachael Martinez, is the co-founder and co-host of the Remember Me Podcast + Community. Maria has always had a love of radio and editing, receiving a TV Production Degree from Boston University where she was a host of BU In The Morning Radio Show. She also spent time at MTV Radio as an intern in NYC before falling into the world of fashion merchandising for 7 years. After losing her beloved mother, Amalia to FTD in 2020, Maria had a desire to share her mom and experience as a caregiver to the world and the seed for the Remember Me Podcast + Community was planted. Since its inception, the Remember Me Podcast has tripled its audience as the awareness for brain health, Alzheimer’s and FTD continues to grow. Maria has served as a guest speaker at Alzheimer’s and caregiving conferences around the world and continues to be a resource for others on the FTD journey. Remember Me Podcast + Community has collaborated with partners such as Learn FTD, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (The AFTD) and the Bluefield Project to share their stories and offer support to the FTD community. You can follow along at @remembermepodcast and listen on your favorite podcast platform.
World FTD Awareness Week Sept 24 - Oct 8, 2023. Remember Me is going on a 3-city tour (NYC, Philly, DC) to raise awareness of FTD Sept 25 - 28th. - please see their tour page here.
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My co-host, Don Priess, and I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with, Ashton Applewhite, the internationally acclaimed spokesperson for the emerging movement to raise awareness of ageism and to dismantle it. A co-founder of the Old School Anti-Ageism Clearinghouse, she has been recognized by the New York Times, The New Yorker, National Public Radio, and the American Society on Aging as an expert on ageism. She speaks widely at venues that have included the TED main stage and the United Nations, has written for Harper’s, the Guardian, and the New York Times, and is the voice of Yo, Is This Ageist? She has been named as a Fellow by The New York Times, Yale Law School, and the Royal Society for the Arts.
In 2016, Ms. Applewhite joined the PBS site Next Avenue’s annual list of 50 Influencers in Aging as their Influencer of the Year. In 2022, she appeared on HelpAgeUSA’s inaugural 60 Over 60 List and on Fe:maleOneZero’s first international edition of 40 over 40 – The World’s Most Inspiring Women, and received the Maggie Kuhn Award from Presbyterian Senior Services.
Ms. Applewhite is also the author of Cutting Loose: Why Women Who End Their Marriages Do So Well, described by Ms. magazine as “rocket fuel for launching new lives.” As the pseudonymous author of the Truly Tasteless Jokes series, she was the first person to have four books on the New York Times best-seller list and was a clue on “Jeopardy."
Connect with Ashton Applewhite:
Facebook XInstagram Email: ashton@thischairrocks.com
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SOCIAVI: Connecting Generations Made Simple - Globally - the simplest way for older adults and people with disabilities to connect and engage with their families and friends. There is no username, no password, no login, and no app to choose from. Just a dedicated device, the Sociavi C2M (Connect To Me) device that is always on and ready to use (When you signup for an annual subscription, All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
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“Anything is possible if you have the desire and passion to make it happen.” That is the mantra of our Episode 76 guest, Lance A. Slatton. Tirelessly dedicated to giving back, Lance has become a standout in the healthcare industry. A native of Michigan, he is a Senior Case Manager at Enriched Life Home Care Services, a leading care provider. His wealth of knowledge and experience, along with his innovative approach to providing care, has led to his award-winning home care company being named Michigan’s top-rated service over the past five years.
But Lance is committed to sharing his wealth of knowledge and experience far beyond the Michigan state line. His ingenuity and fortitude led to the creation of his podcast and YouTube show, All Home Care Matters. Reaching over 12 million viewers globally, the platform serves as a beacon of support to communities worldwide.
If that were not enough, as a contributor to McKnight’s Home Care News, Lance’s articles explore diverse topics from “the state of Medicare” to “innovations in senior care technology” to “caring for the caregiver” and so much more.
Recognizing Lance’s contributions to the industry, he was named a “50 Under 50” honoree by the New York City Journal for 2023. A testament to his visionary approach and outstanding dedication, this prestigious recognition has placed him in the ranks of some of the most influential professionals in the world.
We feel so fortunate that Lance actually found the time to sit down with my co-host Don Priess and me to share a candid, enlightening conversation that explores the challenges, possibilities and advantages of home care for our loved ones. We discuss the current state of our troubled long-term care system and even dive into the oh so vast and bewlidering frontier called Medicare.
If you are a caregiver, know a caregiver or may be a caregiver someday, today’s chat with the inimitable Lance A. Slatton is a must listen.
FOLLOW LANCE:
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Support the showBEDSORE RESCUE - JEWELL NURSING SOLUTIONS: Home of the Patented Bedsore Rescue Positioning Wedge Cushions, Pads & Pillows (Use the PROMO CODE: NCFOP and All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
SOCIAVI: Connecting Generations Made Simple - Globally - the simplest way for older adults and people with disabilities to connect and engage with their families and friends. There is no username, no password, no login, and no app to choose from. Just a dedicated device, the Sociavi C2M (Connect To Me) device that is always on and ready to use (When you signup for an annual subscription, All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
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If you have ever wondered just what the role of Adult Protective Services truly is, when should you contact them, what kinds of investigations they make, and how much power do they actually have when it comes to protecting your loved one or any vulnerable adult, then this is required listening! (Even if you have never wondered, I recommend this show!)
My co-host, Don Priess, and I had an incredibly candid and enlightening conversation with Bettina Morrow, currently the Supervisor of Adult Protective Services in Jefferson County, Colorado.
Bettina shares her invaluable, honest perspective of the program that promotes "the safety, independence, and quality-of-life for vulnerable adults who are, or are in danger of, being abused, neglected by self or others, or financially exploited, and who are unable to protect themselves." A program that can differ from state to state and even from county to county in terms of definitions, client eligibility requirements and standards of practice.
With over 20 years of international experience, Bettina Morrow started her career in her home country of Australia before moving to the UK. There she practiced social work for 9 years, eventually leading to her move to the U.S. Bettina is a true unicorn, having spent the last 15 years working with at-risk and vulnerable adults with specific expertise in elder abuse, dementia, and guardianship. Bettina has obtained a Bachelor of Social Work and a Masters in Dementia, is a Nationally Certified Guardian, and has presented at state and national conferences.
Support the showBEDSORE RESCUE - JEWELL NURSING SOLUTIONS: Home of the Patented Bedsore Rescue Positioning Wedge Cushions, Pads & Pillows (Use the PROMO CODE: NCFOP and All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
SOCIAVI: Connecting Generations Made Simple - Globally - the simplest way for older adults and people with disabilities to connect and engage with their families and friends. There is no username, no password, no login, and no app to choose from. Just a dedicated device, the Sociavi C2M (Connect To Me) device that is always on and ready to use (When you signup for an annual subscription, All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
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In Episode 74, Don Priess and I had an incredible conversation withTerri Pease, Ph.D., an Author, Coach, and Consultant for Spousal Caregivers. As a highly experienced professional in the social services and healthcare industries, Terri has dedicated her working life to encouraging Parkinson's caregivers, to make self-care real, practical, and possible. But really, the same applies to almost all Spousal Caregivers - including those caring for spouses with Alzheimer's.
Terri has has also dedicated her life to working with people who are facing highly stressful situations. Her experience has taught her how to provide supportive and trauma-informed care to those who need it most. When Terri married her husband who had Parkinson's Disease, she brought her wealth of knowledge and experience to bear on caring for him. She trained staff in organizations around the United States on how to offer supportive, empathic, and trauma-informed care. Her professional experience has informed her approach to caregiving, and to encouraging Parkinson's caregivers to make the idea of self-care real, practical, and possible. In addition to her work as an author and caregiver advocate,
Terri's book, "Love, Dignity, and Parkinson's: from Care Partner to Caregiver" (Paperback – October 19, 2022 ), is a great resource for caregivers whose spouse or loved one has been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. and are feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to best care for them without losing themself. The book offers a new approach to caregiving that can help ease the stress and anxiety that come with this diagnosis. In this book, you'll learn how to strengthen your caregiving capacity, maintain peace of mind, and live a less stressful, upsetting, or lonely caregiving life. You'll also find practical tips on how to deal with common experiences like changes in mood, challenging behavior, and communication difficulties.
Most importantly, Love, Dignity, and Parkinson's will serve as a constant reminder that you are not alone in this journey. With compassion and wisdom, Pease offers invaluable insights into the caregiver experience, drawn both from her extensive professional experience providing trauma-informed care and from her own years as a caregiver to her husband. This book is an essential resource for any caregiver navigating the challeng
Support the showBEDSORE RESCUE - JEWELL NURSING SOLUTIONS: Home of the Patented Bedsore Rescue Positioning Wedge Cushions, Pads & Pillows (Use the PROMO CODE: NCFOP and All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
SOCIAVI: Connecting Generations Made Simple - Globally - the simplest way for older adults and people with disabilities to connect and engage with their families and friends. There is no username, no password, no login, and no app to choose from. Just a dedicated device, the Sociavi C2M (Connect To Me) device that is always on and ready to use (When you signup for an annual subscription, All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
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Meet the Founders of AlzAuthors! In episode 73, my co-host, Don Priess, and I had the unique pleasure of speaking with the three co-founders of AlzAuthors.com. In 2016, our guests, Marianne Sciucco, Jean Lee, and Vicki Tapia, founded the non-profit AlzAuthors.com, a global community of over 300 writers who are writing all about dementia from their personal experience. This ever-growing global community is united in an effort to light the way for others, with a vision of lifting the silence and stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and other dementias through the sharing of personal stories.
If you're writing your own story or are thinking about it, this is a must see/hear episode! Regardless, you will be enriched by this dynamic trio who are truly Caregiver Crusaders!
You can find out more about AlzAuthors on their Website and their podcast, Untangling Alzheimer's and Dementia.
writers #writer #podcast #experience #love #art #medical #nurse #community
Support the showBEDSORE RESCUE - JEWELL NURSING SOLUTIONS: Home of the Patented Bedsore Rescue Positioning Wedge Cushions, Pads & Pillows (Use the PROMO CODE: NCFOP and All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
SOCIAVI: Connecting Generations Made Simple - Globally - the simplest way for older adults and people with disabilities to connect and engage with their families and friends. There is no username, no password, no login, and no app to choose from. Just a dedicated device, the Sociavi C2M (Connect To Me) device that is always on and ready to use (When you signup for an annual subscription, All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
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Anthony "Tony" Copeland-Parkeris back for a record 3rd time on Love Conquers Alz... and Don and I are thrilled. Tony and his, partner Cat, have a unique and inspiring story that has been unfolding before our eyes and this new chapter is as heartening as ever.
For those who may not be familiar with Tony andhis partner, Cat, here's a little background to get you up to speed. (I'm killing it with the running puns!) Tony and Cat were in there 50s going their merry way, when they were presented two life-changing pieces of news...at the same time. Tony was told he needed a heart valve replacement and Cat had early-onset Alzheimer’s. But both being endurance athletes, their reaction to this news was, let's say, unique. They retired, sold their home, & became nomads, running marathons & half-marathons - literally over the world.
Their book, Running All over the World, Our Race Against Early Onset Alzheimer’s, is an engaging travelogue with a heart. Don't let the word "Alzheimer's" give you the wrong impression! It's filled with fun, humor, heart, and adventure. It's chock-full of interesting facts and detailed travel advice. And if you ever thought about running a marathon, but just can't seem to check that off your list, you'll experience the thrill of the finish…blister-free! The book is an account of their 5+ years of flying, running, walking, sailing, & sightseeing from Atlanta to Antarctica and back again.
Now that Cat's Alzheimer's has progressed and she can no longer run marathons, she and Tony have embarked on a new chapter in their unique and awe-inspiring story. Enjoy this episode!
Love,
Susie
SPECIAL GIVEAWAY! The first 5 people to leave a comment at RunningwithCat.com will receive an ebook version of Tony's book and one signed copy! Leave a comment and then let me know you did at loveconquersalz.susie@gmail.com. Good luck!
Support the showBEDSORE RESCUE - JEWELL NURSING SOLUTIONS: Home of the Patented Bedsore Rescue Positioning Wedge Cushions, Pads & Pillows (Use the PROMO CODE: NCFOP and All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
SOCIAVI: Connecting Generations Made Simple - Globally - the simplest way for older adults and people with disabilities to connect and engage with their families and friends. There is no username, no password, no login, and no app to choose from. Just a dedicated device, the Sociavi C2M (Connect To Me) device that is always on and ready to use (When you signup for an annual subscription, All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
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In episode 71, Don and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to Gail Weatherill, RN BSN CAEd, AKA theDementia Nurse. Gail is a practicing RN for 43 years, a board-certified Alzheimer's Educator, a fearless advocate, and the author of The Caregiver's Guide to Dementia: Practical Advice for Caring for Yourself and Your Loved One.
Gail became a family caregiver herself when a beloved client with no family moved in with her and her family for her last few years of life. She understands the demands of 24/7 care of a loved one with dementia. She now works to compensate for our health "care" system's failure to support caregivers in meeting those demands.
Gail recently shared her irreverent approach to the American health care machine in a dynamic interview for our documentary, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE. It's no wonder she has become an effective and sought out advocate for those in deepest need. Her advocacy led to her participation in the Nurses Take DC movement for safe staffing ratios in our hospitals and long-term care facilities.
Through her writing, speaking, and coaching, Gail lives to educate dementia caregivers "one heart at a time". She maintains a closed caregiver support group on Facebook, a group that has grown to 50,000 members from over 100 countries. The need is global and great. As Gail makes her way through her fortieth year of nursing practice, she will tell you she is just getting started. YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE HER!
When she's not busy rabble-rousing for health care causes, Gail can be found reading, sewing fidget quilts, and missing her two daughters whom she says live entirely too far from their mother. She shares her home in Charlottesville, VA with a cat named Baby Silas who lets her use the laptop when he's not busy warming his belly on it.
Enjoy!
xox Susie
Support the showBEDSORE RESCUE - JEWELL NURSING SOLUTIONS: Home of the Patented Bedsore Rescue Positioning Wedge Cushions, Pads & Pillows (Use the PROMO CODE: NCFOP and All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
SOCIAVI: Connecting Generations Made Simple - Globally - the simplest way for older adults and people with disabilities to connect and engage with their families and friends. There is no username, no password, no login, and no app to choose from. Just a dedicated device, the Sociavi C2M (Connect To Me) device that is always on and ready to use (When you signup for an annual subscription, All proceeds go to help fund the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE.)
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For our 70th episode, we spoke with the very irrepressible Ellen Belk, a domestic educator and Silver Living strategist, with a refreshing "call it as she sees it" style that leaves a lasting impression on anyone who works with.
Ellen is the company founder of the K.I.M. Academy (Keep In Mind) - An online Dementia Education platform to serve both professionals & families with on-demand, interactive learning-sessions for adult learners.
Ellen has an impressive 20+years of operational experience in Senior housing as a holistic Dementia expert, author, trainer, and influencer. She brings a unique blend of proficiency in operations, sales, team building, resident experience, and innovation to her clients.
Ellen is on a mission to elevate the collective (global) Dementia IQ by dispelling the myths, elevating the truth, and highlighting the LIVES that are still lived after a dementia diagnosis.
As a rising Brand Ambassador, Ellen is a trusted voice seeking to share information about technology products and other services benefitting aging consumers within her circle-of-influence and network. Therefore, she’s an asset to those innovator cohort groups who understand the need for influencer marketing strategies to reach Boomer consumers and ‘silver citizens’.
Ellen is simply not satisfied with the status quo. If you tell her, “This is the way it’s always been done”, she'll be the first voice to share an alternative solution. Her motto: Together we are stronger. Be the change. We couldn't agree more!
Enjoy!
xoxo Susie and Don
Follow Ellen Belk on LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest
Contact: kim.info@keepinmindinc.com
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In Episode 69, Love Conquers Alz hosts, Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess, cover a wide range of timely topics with the extremely accomplished mother, wife, educator, and physician, DR. MIRIAM ZYLBERGLAIT LISIGURSKI. Dr. Z is a triple Board-Certified Physician in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Obesity Medicine with extensive clinical and academic experience.
Dr. Z is also a well-being advocate with a strong focus on burnout, mental health, and leadership development. Dr. Z discusses how her advocacy led her to author, “The 3G Cycle of Life. The Secrets for Achieving Joy, Meaning, and Well-being,” in which she asks readers to imagine life as a sequence of cycles instead of a unidirectional line, where each cycle consists of basic three components: Goal, Grit, and Growth, as well as catalysts that may facilitate or hinder your progress throughout life. Dr. Z provides a broad vision of how to use each component of the 3G Cycle in your favor, even during the most challenging circumstances, to avoid the negative consequences of chronic stress and burnout. The book includes more than thirty experts' personal and professional experiences, evidence-based data, and Dr. Z's insights and stories.
Dr. Z also candidly discusses the current phenomenon of “doctor burnout”. She blames it on a Healthcare system that does not allow doctors to practice the way that they want to. Dr. Z says there is a very big gap between what many doctors think medicine should be and what they are doing every day.
Originally from Peru, Dr. Z has two awesome sons, a caring husband, and a supportive family. Her dream is to help others achieve lives full of joy, meaning, and well-being.
PURCHASE DR. Z'S BOOK HERE
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In Episode 68, Love Conquers Alz hosts, Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess have a fascinating conversation with Dr. Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, one of the foremost authorities on infection prevention and control in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Dr. Buffy (as she likes to be called) is a frequent contributor and interview source for national and trade press concerning infection prevention and control and mitigation.
Dr Buffy is also the author of Broken: How the Global Pandemic uncovered a nursing home industry in need of repair and the heroic staff fighting for change. In BROKEN, Dr. Buffy Lloyd-Krejci exposes an industry in dire need of a massive policy overhaul. Her book chronicles her "boots on the ground" experience visiting 200 nursing homes across the country as the pandemic brought these deadly problems into stark relief. Through interviews with patients, healthcare workers, advocate groups, and regulatory agencies, she reveals the critical flaws in a system that was set up to fail—and her bold vision for change.
Dr. Buffy states that "Our elderly loved ones deserve to live out their final days with dignity and respect, not to be left alone to die in a broken system. But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, infectious diseases ran rampant in US nursing homes. Between one and three million infections resulted in 380,000 deaths among nursing home residents each year. That’s over 1,000 people per day. All because the nursing home industry has been struggling with Infection Prevention and Control practices (IPC) for decades."
Dr. Buffy's practice, IPCWell, is headquartered in the Phoenix metropolitan area and is devoted to mitigating infectious diseases and inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in all healthcare settings to reduce adverse events, infections, antibiotic resistance, re-admissions, and death. Dr. Buffy consults with health care facilities across the United States and internationally (Doctors Without Borders).
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In Episode 67, Don Priess and I have a candid - and inspiring - conversation with our first guest of the year, Mary S. Daniel, a Board-Certified Patient Advocate whose mantra is "boldly advocate for your loved ones".
Leading by example, Mary showed us just what that looks like when she took a job as a dishwasher at the facility where her husband, Steve (diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2013 ), lived after being separated for 114 days during the lockdown due to COVID-19.
The conversation delves into some of the very real challenges caregivers face navigating our ageist, ableist, and broken healthcare system that became glaringly apparent during the Covid era. A fierce advocate, Mary shares the incredible steps she took to make sure she kept a watchful eye and consistent connection with her husband, Steve, despite the seemingly impossible roadblocks.
Mary founded the Facebook group "Caregivers for Compromise – because isolation kills too!" which has over 14,000 members and chapters in every state. Her grassroots effort got the attention of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who named Mary to the Florida Task Force on the Safe and Limited Re-Opening of Long-Term Care Facilities. The recommendations of the Task Force were accepted by the Governor on September 1, 2020 and Essential Caregivers were allowed back in facilities to see their loved ones.
On December 21, 2022, Mary announced that her beloved husband Steve, passed away peacefully that morning. One of her next posts simply said, "Now What?" Mary answers that question and much more in this "must listen"conversation.
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In Episode 66, Hosts Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess have a fantastic meeting of the minds with their guest from the UK, Dr. Kellyn Lee, as she breaks down her new approach to dementia care – Material Citizenship - which focuses on the important role and function of everyday - personal - physical objects & tasks make a HUGE positive impact in the caring process.
Dr. Lee is thefounder of WISER Health & Social Care Ltd and The Dementia Care Hub - supporting people living-well with dementia, both at home and in formal care settings.
Dr. Lee is an accomplished academic with a BPS Chartered Psychologist and over 11 years-experience in “research in aging” and dementia. She has lectured in psychological research methods & fundamentals in older persons’ complex care, Chairs the Innovation and Impact Board for the Institute of Health & Social Care Management, and is the former Co-Director of the Doctoral Training Centre for Dementia Care at the University of Southampton.
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In episode 65, Love Conquers Alz hosts, Susie SInger Carter and Don Priess dive deep into the world of Palliative and Hospice Care with their guest, Anne Kenny MD, Professor of Medicine with specialty training and board certification in Geriatric Medicine, and Palliative and Hospice care.
Dr. Kenny has found immense joy in her work with individuals and their families managing issues related to the diagnosis of dementia. Her experience in partnering in the care of these families touched close to home when her own mother was diagnosed with dementia. Dr. Kenny’s shares her expertise and experience in
inpatient and outpatient Palliative and Hospice care which were called on when
her mother reached the final stages of living with dementia.
The Kenny family worked together for their mother’s graceful exit from this planet Dr. Kenny has been a practicing physician for nearly 30 years and has been recognized by her peers as a “Top Doc” in Geriatric Medicine. She has been honored with a Brookdale National Fellow and the prestigious Paul Beeson Physician Faculty Scholar awards.
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Kenny lectures to both healthcare professionals and the public on aging related issues such as osteoporosis, exercise, nutrition, hormone therapy, death and dying, and frailty. She is an educator of medicine and research skills. She taught and mentored clinical and research skills to all levels of trainees including medical students, post-graduate residents and fellows, and early faculty members. She has been active investigator participating in clinical research focusing on various aspects of aging. She has over 100 scientific publications
and presentations focused on improving the care and functioning of older adults.
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In EPISODE 64, Co-Hosts Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess chat with Dr. Brittany Lamb, an ER Physician, Dementia Family Caregiver, Educator and Advocate.
In medicine, there is a saying, "You don't know, what you don't know." Dr. Lamb is on a mission to inform Dementia Caregivers so they can make competent medical decisions on their person's behalf through anticipation and planning. Her enlightening services include such matters as advanced directives, planning for medical emergencies, how to talk to your family and determining goals of care just to name a few. So if you are someone's power of attorney, health care proxy, surrogate or default decision maker, Dr. Lamb can help create a plan to help you make informed future medical decisions and focus on spending quality time with your loved one now.
Dr. Lamb openly discusses the challenges and stress doctors and healthcare workers face working within the current healthcare system. You don't want to miss this episode.
You can connect with Dr. Brittany Lamb here:
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In EPISODE 64, Co-Hosts Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess chat with Dr. Brittany Lamb, an ER Physician, Dementia Family Caregiver, Educator and Advocate.
In medicine, there is a saying, "You don't know, what you don't know." Dr. Lamb is on a mission to inform Dementia Caregivers so they can make competent medical decisions on their person's behalf through anticipation and planning. Her enlightening services include such matters as advanced directives, planning for medical emergencies, how to talk to your family and determining goals of care just to name a few. So if you are someone's power of attorney, health care proxy, surrogate or default decision maker, Dr. Lamb can help create a plan to help you make informed future medical decisions and focus on spending quality time with your loved one now.
Dr. Lamb openly discusses the challenges and stress doctors and healthcare workers face working within the current healthcare system. You don't want to miss this episode.
You can connect with Dr. Brittany Lamb here:
Facebook Group
Online Group Program
Phone Consultations
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Hosts, Susie and Don are joined by Professor/Author/Caregiver, Cindy Weinstein, Ph.D., who co-authored a book with neurologist, Dr. Bruce Miller titled, Finding the Right Words: A Story of Literature, Grief, and the Brain. Dr. Weinstein talks about the guilt and grief she dealt with after her father was diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease. She describes the challenges of being away from him while in graduate school, and the different strategies - including literature - that she used to stay connected and to manage her sadness.
The narratives of the authors alternate in the book. Cindy tells the story of her father's illness, and how 30 years ago scant information was available to families about this vicious disease. She also tells the story of his life, and along the way, weaves in observations about literature and the insights she has gained from her favorite books. Bruce takes over certain sections of the text offering in-depth explanations of the science behind neurological topics including the brain, Alzheimer's and language.
Cindy was born and raised in Verona, New Jersey. She received her B.A. in English and American Literature from Brandeis University, after which she went to UC Berkeley for her Ph.D. in English. She is currently the Eli and Edythe Broad Professor of English and has been at the California Institute of Technology since 1989, during which time she has published three monographs on American literature, edited several volumes, and taught classes on Herman Melville, Edgar Allan Poe, Women’s Fiction, and African-American literature. She has had several administrative roles at Caltech, including Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer. In 2018-19, she was an Atlantic Fellow in the Global Brain Health Institute based at UCSF and Trinity College Dublin, where she studied neurology with an interdisciplinary group of scientists, artists, social scientists, and physicians. During this time, she worked with Dr. Bruce Miller on Finding the Right Words.
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In Episode 62, Love Conquers Alz Co-Hosts and award-winning filmmakers, Susie and Don discuss what motivated them to produce their upcoming film, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE (NCFOP). An important documentary that will be the required punch to the gut that forces people to take a good hard look at the Long Term Care crisis that has been going on for decades and the health-care system that is literally collapsing around us.
NCFOP will be a cautionary tale that exposes the dangerous façade of stability and safety held tightly by Long Term Care (LTC) nursing facilities. A pretense propagated by a system that subscribes to the notion that honesty is far less profitable than dishonesty and cavalierly regards human beings as commodities. A system that relies on deceitful marketing to successfully divert most Americans away from the fact that decades of underfunding has left the nursing home system in dire need of a seemingly unachievable overhaul.
In a case of every cloud having a silver lining, we have Covid-19 to thank for pulling the curtain back on this nationwide crisis. Still, without comprehensive and accurate data, interventions to improve outcomes and quality are limited and consumers have a difficult time discerning how risky a particular facility might be. According to their producing partner, former Assistant Attorney General of Virginia, Rick Mountcastle (portrayed in the Hulu miniseries Dopesick by Peter Sarsgaard), it all comes down to understaffing. "With most not-for-profit nursing homes offering low pay, limited benefits, and not nearly enough training, and for-profit companies (that dominate the industry) having incentives to keep their costs low, neglect has regrettably become the industry standard."
In the first six months of 2022, Susie was witness to this systemic crisis. She saw things she cannot unsee. Things she won't unsee. Her mother had been a resident at a 5-Star Nursing Facility in Los Angeles for 5 years – a place where she took solace in believing her mother was receiving the very best care possible. And as it turns out, she was. Unfortunately, the “best” turned out to be the worst.
Susie had been on the front lines of what she calls a systemic catastrophe daily for the first six months of 2022. And despite her relentless advocating, her mother died July 17, 2022 from what was inarguably egregious nursing home neglect and abuse. It's unimaginable to think what happens to residents without advocates.
***This is Susie's mother’s story. But it could be yours
For more information: *No Country For Old People
** If you've been a victim of Nursing Home Neglect and/or abuse, and would like to share your story in this documentary, please contactus at LoveConquersAlz.Susie@gmail.com.
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In Episode 61, Don and I had the pleasure of speaking with Adria Thompson is a speech language pathologist, dementia educator, and owner of Be Light Care Consulting. Adria has over 8 years experience in working with individuals one on one providing speech therapy services for those with dementia.
Adria has also created a dementia training program to teach therapists in 13 states how to increase their creativity, efficiency, and compassion. She creates daily content for over 200,000 professional and personal caregivers of individuals with dementia on social media platforms in a relatable, positive way that makes the condition seem a little less scary.
I was particularly interested in talking to Adria about dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing) which often presents in late-stage dementia patients. Although dysphagia can only truly be diagnosed via Videofluoroscopy (VFS), also called a modified barium swallow study (the gold standard), many Long Term Care Facilities use antiquated ways to make their official assessment based on budget and man-power.
This is what happened to my mother in the last 6 months of her life. Without having her properly tested, the facility that she was at claimed she could no longer swallow safely and insisted she be fed via a G-Tube. They also refused to allow her to have anything orally for fear she would aspirate. But the truth was, my mother was not only able to swallow, she wanted to desperately. Despite my advocating, they forbid it. I was finally able to convince them to have her assessed by their speech therapist who proceeded to diagnose her with dysphagia by watching her and placing a finger on her throat.
I implored the therapist to watch me give my mother liquids from one of the sponges used for oral care. She agreed that my mother was able to swallow...for me. Her final decision was that I would be allowed to give liquids to my mother via a sponge on a stick. No one else would be given permission. Let's be honest - the decision was based on the fact that they were understaffed. And potential liability. Consequently, my mother suffered for 6 months from an unnecessary G-Tube, solid chunks of mucus that formed daily which happens when liquid is withheld from a person, and the monotony of almost zero oral gratification! Can you imagine?
I say almost zero, because everyday for 6 months, I brought my mother "something to drink". I was restricted by their edict that it could only be provided by a sponge that my mother had to suck. It was heartbreaking.
Their attempt to keep my mother from aspirating and developing pneumonia GREATLY affected her quality of life. In truth, it was an exercise in futility and really a distraction from the stage 4 pressure sore they allowed to develop and neglected to care for properly which ultimately resulted in sepsis and pneumonia several times during her last six months.
We must protect our LOs from decisions based on policy that benefit the establishment and disregard our LOs quality of life... however long that may be. They deserve it. xo Susie
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Don and I had the pleasure of speaking with DR. DELON CANTERBURY, Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist and Founder of GeriatRX, a Deprescribing Accelerator Program based on the premise that the majority of patients taking 15-18 medications annually are aged over 65, preventable medication errors cost nearly $21 billion dollars annually, and the ongoing inappropriate , HARMFUL, use of medications in the senior population.
Too many Americans are dying from harmful medications and wasting thousands of their hard earned dollars on unnecessary prescriptions. Over 275,000 people die each year due to medication mismanagement. While other American's are wasting over $6,000 per year on unnecessary medications.
GeriatRX is a pharmacist-lead consulting service that identifies that there is a lack of support for caregivers advocating for the elderly who need help in maneuvering a very difficult health care landscape by providing high quality evidence-based medication management for our most vulnerable patients, the elderly.
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There are no Survivors of Alzheimer's Disease. And the grief is unique, complicated, and layered. In Episode 59, Love Conquers Alz Host/Filmmaker, Susie Singer Carter, who lost her mother last month and Daughterhood the Podcast Host, Rosanne Corcoran, who lost her mother last year, share a very candid and revealing conversation about their personal experiences dealing with the final death of their beloved mothers and the veritable storm of the "typically untypical" process known as Dementia Grief.
Both Susie and Rosanne have spent over a decade as hands-on caregivers for their mothers and bring an abundance of invaluable experience, knowledge, and perspective on the End of Life stage of Alzheimer's and beyond.
Rosanne Corcoran is a former caregiver and founder and host of “Daughterhood The Podcast: For Caregivers” She is also a regional Daughterhood Circle Leader - a group that provides resources and support while caregiving.
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Our guest, Rayna Neises, has the story no one wants to have. Rayna lost both of her parents to Alzheimer's disease 20 years apart. Her mom was diagnosed when she was just 16, living 12 years with the disease. Her dad lived 14 years with the disease being diagnosed just 6 years after her passing. But even still, Rayna feels blessed to be able to share her family’s story of journeying through Alzheimer’s Disease in her book No Regrets: Hope for Your Caregiving Season.
Rayna understands the joys and challenges that come from a season of caring. She helped care for both of her parents during their separate battles with Alzheimer’s over a thirty-year span. And she is able to look back on those days now with no regrets – and she wishes the same for everyone caring for aging parents.
No Regrets: Hope for Your Caregiving Season, is a book filled with her own heart-warming stories and practical suggestions for journeying through a caregiving season.
Rayna is an ICF Associate Certified Coach with certifications in both Life and Leadership Coaching from the Professional Christian Coaching Institute. She is the host of “A Season of Caring Podcast” and a passion speaker.
Rayna lives on a farm in southeast Kansas with her husband, Ron, and small pack of adorable dogs. She is the baby of her family, but most would never guess that. She is a former teacher and enjoys crafts of all kinds and spending time with her grandkids most of all.
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Annie Woodis a Hollywood native, neurodiverse, Israeli-American actor (Good Luck Chuck, My Sister’s Keeper, Becker) an internationally exhibited mixed media artist, an author, screenwriter, and playwright.
Annie was the host and co-producer of the nationally syndicated dating game show, BZZZ! making her the 3rd female solo dating game show host in the history of television.
The Hollywood Reporter compared Annie’s comedic chops to the legendary actresses, Jean Harlow and Mae West declaring that a new comic blonde is on the scene! Annie Wood is a find! Annie was a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher and confesses to being a “creative compulsive.”
Annie can juggle kiwis for about 3 seconds. (The fruit, not people from New Zealand.)
Now you know everything.
Almost...
Annie's father was diagnosed with dementia but only after researching his horrible reaction to the antipsychotics that his doctors put him on did she do a deep dive to discover that he most likely had Lewy body dementia, the kind without Parkinson's. His main symptom is he has auditory hallucinations. And in particular, one that recurred on a very consistent basis.
After a stressful few months with ER visits and lots of wild times, Annie placed her father into assisted living (he was previously living in a senior living place with his own apartment without additional help) and is able to see him almost everyday.
During the really chaotic time when her father thought the voice was going to kill her, Annie turned to her talents to cope - writing, painting, as well as other expressions of art, which resulted in 44 powerful pages of art and poems that she shares HERE.
Annie is currently writing a play called "Nudnik", the nickname she gave the main voice her father hears, that is scheduled to be read at the Dramatist Guild upon its completion. She is thinking about a documentary short incorporating her poetry.
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In episode 56 of Love Conquers Alz, my outstanding guest co-host, Rosanne Corcoran and I have a very candid and extremely important conversation for anyone who has a loved one in a nursing home or anyone planning to live a long and fulfilling life.
Like me, Rosanne cared for her mother, Rose, over a 12 year span. in 2019, Rosanne started a regional Daughterhood Circle in the Philadelphia suburbs . In November of that year she created Daughterhood The Podcast: helping Caregivers navigate their new role. You can also visit Rosanne on her website HeyRoe.com for information, inspiration and a little company. Previously, I spoke with Rick Mountcastle -Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia and retired Federal Prosecutor. Rick and his partner, Randy Ramseyer, led the investigation and prosecution of Purdue Pharma, for falsely marketing OxyContin as told in the Hulu miniseries "Dopesick", where I literally gasped out loud when it was revealed in the last episode that they were going to go after Abbott Laboratories for falsely marketing Depаkote, to nursing homes- the drug responsible for rendering my physically healthy mother non ambulatory and incontinent in a matter of seven days.
Rick led the investigation and prosecution of Abbott Labs which resulted in criminal and civil penalties totaling $1.5 Billion. He is back to continue the conversation we started along with one of his lead investigators, John Peirce – who had boots on the ground inside Nursing Homes across the US. and witnessed the many negative results of understaffing that is now too common in too many nursing homes - where people are viewed as commodities and compassion is a liability. John was employed as a Special Agent – Criminal Investigator with the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS in western VA, eastern TN, & western NC. investigating numerous cases of tax fraud and financial crimes In 2007, John was hired as a Criminal Investigator by the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. In 2013, he was promoted to Investigative Supervisor. While employed by the OAG, he assisted in several healthcare fraud investigations of providers including physicians, pharmaceutical companies, nursing homes, & pain clinics. Many of these investigations were conducted in conjunction with the US Attorney’s Office before he retired in 2021.
Note: There are many facilities that still provide excellent care, but there is nevertheless a crisis that must be stopped now.
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Do you feel it is difficult to be a care partner to someone that suffers from memory loss? Have you been looking for tools to cope with certain symptoms associated with dementia? Are you looking for respite and interesting in learning more about improving quality of life in your household?
If you answered yes to any of these questions we are happy to introduce you to Alban Maino, noted Franco-American media producer who is passionate about integrative health. After personal experiences in his family with palliative care, Alban embarked on a social impact mission to help people living with memory loss. After several years of product development in Europe and New England, he launched in 2022 the first streaming platform for people living with dementia: www.memory-lane.tv. A therapeutic digital intervention designed to help people living with dementia and their care partners through interactive multi-sensory stimulation. FINALLY!!! I have been banging the drum about this for years... but Alban actually did it!!
Passionate about mindfulness and philosophy, cinematography and photography, goat cheese and wine, hiking and walking in noble silence, music and poetry...among other things…Alban believes that life’s purpose is to remain optimistic on all levels and do your best to make other people feel good. We do, too!
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Greg O’Brien was 59 years old when diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, unmasked by doctors after suffering a serious head injury. The award-winning journalist, husband, and father of three, lost his mother, father, paternal grandfather, and paternal uncle to Alzheimer’s.
Greg learned from his beloved mother, Virginia, what it means to truly live with Alzheimer’s, and it was her inspiration that prompted him to write and speak openly about his own diagnosis. Ever since, Greg has been chronicling his thoughts, addressing medical conferences and Alzheimer’s support groups around the world. In 2014, Greg, now 72, published a memoir called On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s, which won the 2015 International Book Award for Health.
The memoir is the first book written by an investigative reporter embedded inside the mind of Alzheimer’s, chronicling the progression of his own disease. Lisa Genova, author of the best-selling Alzheimer’s novel, Still Alice, whose screen version won an Academy Award, wrote the foreword. “If you’re trying to understand what it feels like to live with Alzheimer’s…then you need to read this book,”
Now, a new documentary feature film, Have You Heard About Greg? A Journey Through Alzheimer’s with Faith, Hope and Humor, about Greg’s life opens nationwide May 6, 2022. (Written and coproduced by Greg O’Brien. Directed and coproduced by his childhood friend, Steve Ecclesine.)
Powerfully told, HYHAG puts a human face on the most terrifying disease of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Don and I spoke with Greg and Steve about the inspiration behind the documentary and why its message is so very important.
Enjoy!
xoxo Susie(Greg is a board member of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s in DC, has served on the national Alzheimer’s Association Early-Stage Advisory Group, and is an advocate for the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund of Boston).
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FACT: We are currently experiencing a global Caregiving Crisis.I just experienced the affects of this crisis and it is terrifying. Here are some harrowing facts:
- 53 MILLION PEOPLE ARE CAREGIVERS
- 75% OF THOSE WORK FULL TIME
- 30% OF EVERY WORKFORCE IS CARING FOR OLDER LOVED ONES
- $68 BILLION ANNUALLY IN CAREGIVER RELATED COSTS THAT AREN'T CONSTRUCTIVE
Don and I spoke with Debbie Howard, a former caregiver on a mission to change the way the world looks at caregiving so the impacts are not so devastating. Her work focuses on providing companies with support programs for working caregivers to mitigate the related risks of absentee-ism, employee turnover, and extra healthcare costs.
With the launch of Aging Matters International and The Caregiving Journey in 2016, Debbie has brought her market research acumen to the world of caregiving.
Her first book The Caregiving Journey: Information. Guidance. Inspirationsupports individuals in going beyond logistics in managing their caregiving situations with ease and grace.
Her second book The Caregiving Crisis: What It Costs Your Business and How to Fix It (due out this spring 2022), helps companies with practical ways forward in terms of supporting their employee caregivers.
Debbie lived and worked in Japan for 30+ years; she founded Japan Market Resource Network (JMRN) in 1989, merged in 2012 to form CarterJMRN.
Debbie translates consumer research into clear strategic direction for global clients across a wide range of categories (including Age-Tech).
She served as President and Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) from 2004~2007, and as President Emeritus (2008~present)
LINKS TO RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
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It was so refreshing to speak with Jennifer Lagemann!! Jenn is a former family caregiver, and has spent most of her career in the private duty home care industry as a scheduling and intake coordinator.
Caregiving for her best friend, her grandmother, lead Jennifer to want to pursue the home care industry. Her experience marries home care and digital marketing skills to help businesses succeed.
At only 23, Jennifer is highly motivated to change the face of aging, dispel myths, and challenge the narrative and uses a PRO-AGING philosophy in all of her work. We need to sprinkle more Jennifers all around the world!!
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Rick Mountcastle is not only an Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia and a Retired Federal Prosecutor, he is a bonafide hero. Rick, along with his partner, Randy Ramseyer, led the investigation and prosecution of Purdue Pharma, as well as its CEO, General Counsel, and Chief Medical Officer, in an unprecedented case, that, at the inception of the opioid crisis, held the opioid manufacturer and its top executives criminally and civilly responsible for falsely marketing OxyContin. This case was at the center of Beth Macy's best-selling book, "Dopesick," and the the riveting, IMPORTANT, Hulu miniseries of the same name that premiered in October 2021. Rick is beautifully portrayed by Peter Sarsgaard.
I binged all eight episodes of "Dopesick" which was eyeopening and absolutely horrifying. Showrunner/Executive Producer, Danny Strong, did an amazing job putting faces on the opioid crisis, as well as the crusaders who relentlessly pursued "Big Pharma". (One being our guest, Rick Mountcastle.)
I was already blown away by Rick and Randy's passionate pursuit in taking down Purdue Pharma, but I literally gasped out loud when it was revealed in the last episode that they were going to go after Abbott Laboratories for falsely marketing Depаkote, a drug that is meant to treat epilepsy, and tаrgeting nursing homes to treat agitation associated with Alzheimer's and dementia.
Depakote is the drug responsible for rendering my otherwise healthy mother non ambulatory and incontinent in a matter of seven days.
Rick led the investigation and prosecution of Abbott Labs which resulted in criminal and civil penalties totaling $1.5 Billion (at the time the largest pharmaceutical settlement involving a single drug in U.S. history).
I had to thank him. I did and asked if he might share what he had learned while investigating Abbott. Turns out Abbott Labs are not the only pharma targeting the under-staffed and over-worked nursing homes.
Listen or watch this episode and TAKE NOTES.
And HUGE thanks to my special guest co-host, Trish Humenansky-Laub , Founder of Comfort in Their Journey LLC, guiding: Alzheimer's 🐞 Dignified Care 🐞 End of Life Author•Consultant•Speaker. xoxox
And if you are interested in joining me in a coalition to get the states to regulate Skilled Nursing Homes by requiring a specific minimum level of staffing, you can DM ME.
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I literally panic every time I can’t remember a word or a someone's name. And If you're caring or have cared for someone living with dementia or Alzheimer’s, like me, you probably experience similar anxiety when it comes to forgetting. It's terrifying. Well, Don and I are kicking off SEASON 4/EPISODE 50 with a very special guest, the distinguished memory researcher, Dr. Scott Small, who is going to share some new scientific findings that are going to give you some welcomed peace of mind in terms of normal forgetting and he also shared some GROUNDBREAKING DEVELOPMENTS ABOUT ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.
Scott is Director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Columbia University, is a neurologist and neuroscientist known for his work in Alzheimer's disease and normal cognitive aging. His research focuses on the hippocampus, a circuit in the brain targeted by Alzheimer's disease and aging. He is also the author of author of the 2021 book, Forgetting: The Benefits of Not Remembering, published by Crown/Penguin Random House.
Until recently, most everyone--memory scientists included--believed that forgetting served no purpose. But new research in psychology, neurobiology, medicine, and computer science tells a different story. Forgetting is not a failure of our minds. It's not even a benign glitch. It is, in fact, good for us--and, alongside memory, it is a required function for our minds to work best.
Scott’s book includes a wide variety of studies that include pigmy chimpanzees in the wild, visits with the iconic painter Jasper Johns, as well as the renowned decision-making expert Daniel Kahneman, looking across disciplines to put new scientific findings regarding forgetting into illuminating context.
These studies revealed that forgetting benefits our cognitive and creative abilities, emotional well-being, and even our personal and societal health. As frustrating as a typical lapse can be, it's precisely what opens up our minds to making better decisions, experiencing joy and relationships, and flourishing artistically.
So, the next time you forget where you left your keys, remind yourself that a little forgetting does a lot of good!
Love.
Susie and Don xoxo
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Earlier in the year, (Episode 38), Don and I had an absolutely inspirational conversation with ANTHONY COPELAND PARKER. In 2014, Tony, and his partner, Catherine (Cat) Elizabeth Popp, were in their 50’s when they found out that he needed a heart-valve replacement, and she had early-onset Alzheimer’s. But even though their life had was about to change forever, they were not about to let it stop them from chasing their dreams. With a shared passion for traveling and histories as endurance athletes, their reaction to the news was to retire from their jobs, sell their home, and become nomads, running marathons and half-marathons all over the world.
Since then, the duo has traveled to 82 countries and run marathons and half-marathons in thirty-five countries, on all seven continents.
Tony’s new memoir - Running All Over the World: Our Race Against Early-Onset Alzheimer’s - tells their story.
In Episode 49, both the author, Tony, and his partner, Cat, join Love Conquers Alz for a uplifting conversation about the book which includes traveling, marathons, and living their best lives… despite Cat’s Early Onset diagnosis.
Tony is committed to being Cat’s caregiver 24/7 and it is beautiful watching how great they are together. He shares that the book came directly from his blog, runningwithcat.com, that he began writing when he and Cat started traveling about seven years ago. Initially he was doing it to record memories for both of them, but them he decided he wanted to inspire others to look at the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s a little bit differently … and turned the blog into a book that combines their passion for running, travel, and each other.
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Once in a GREAT while, you read something and the author seems to be speaking directly to your heart. Like an old friend. That's what happened when I read a powerful missive Robert Pardi posted on LinkedIn. After that, I was hooked! I did a deep dive and, OMG, everything he shares about Caregiving and living your best life is incredibly astute and profoundly resonates with me. I am thrilled to have him as our guest and share his beautiful story that led to him being the dynamic leader in the Caregiving community that he is today.
In Episode 48, Don and I spoke with the wildly passionate and perceptive Robert Pardi and found him so engaging, we didn't evening realize the sun had begun to set! Robert, born in NYC, is one of those rare individuals who embraces change and lives what he calls “possibility in action” – taking his desire for transformation and putting it into action daily. He received his MBA from Columbia University and was quickly recruited by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds. Shortly after, his wife Desiree, was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. Unfortunately, she passed 11 years later. After, throwing caution to the wind, Robert leapt from his comfort zone. He changed careers and moved to the same Italian village his great grandfather immigrated from over 100 years ago. He is now a certified life coach, adjunct professor, international guest speaker, and the Author of Chasing Life - The remarkable true story of love, joy, and achievement against all odds.
If you like our show and find value in it ...
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How to find Robert:
www.robertpardi.com
www.chasinglifethebook.com
https://www.instagram.com/robert.pardi/
https://www.facebook.com/robert.pardi.lifecoaching
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-pardi-63b05921/
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Wander (verb) - To walk or move in an aimless way.
Wandering is an all-too-common behavior amongst people with dementia, Autism spectrum disorder, and Down syndrome, and are a huge fear for those concerned for their safety and well-being. A person's failing memory and declining ability to communicate can make it impossible for them to remember or explain the reason they wandered.
In episode 47, Don and I had the honor of speaking with retired Manager, Systems Engineer, Kirk Moody,* andfilmmaker, Thiago Didalt. Kirk's wifewasa brilliant aerospace engineer and entrepreneur, top of her class at the USC/Davis and highly respected across the industry, Nancy Paulikas, 55, was tragically diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease*. In 2016, she left to use the restroom at LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), never to be seen again.
Kirk led a relentless two-year search that helped to uncover the gaps in the USA's social and health systems and bring about systemic change across L.A. County by forming LA FOUND, an organization that helps caregivers of those living with Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism, or other cognitive impairments locate their missing loved ones.
We hope you find this very special episode helpful. If you know someone who would benefit from this information, please share our LINKS to listen to LOVE CONQUERS ALZ.
Loads of love,
Susie xo
- Filmmaker, Thiago Dadalt, made the fictionalized Oscar’s qualified short film, “Chocolate”, about a middle-age housewife with early onset Alzheimer’s disease who goes missing in downtown Los Angeles. Ironically, the film led him to direct the documentary about a family’s very real struggle to find missing housewife Nancy Paulikas. “Where is Nancy?” is currently making the rounds on the film festival circuit where it is gaining high praise and awards.
Where you can follow Thiago Didalt:
*Kirk Moody is an active Board Member of Alzheimer’s Los Angeles and Citizen Advocate, Participant in LA Found.
Where you can follow Kirk Moody:
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IN EPISODE 46 - Don and I had an absolutely inspiring conversation with Jackie Goldberg, also known as the Pink Lady. Pink is 89 years young - and I don’t say that lightly. Pink is a teacher, actor, author, and toastmaster. For over 40 years, she was in the fashion industry as a Womens’ Wear marketing & sales rep. At age 70, she developed a series of seminars called, “Get Up, Get Out, & Get a Life,” to encourage fellow seniors to embrace new challenges. She also began an acting career. This led to her creation of the non-profit Senior Star Power Productions and an annual live stage show featuring performers over the age of sixty. The mission of Senior Star Power is to engage, inspire and enrich the lives of seniors through the arts. This also led to her Variety/Talk Show, “Pink Lady Presents”.
When Pink was 64, Walter, her husband of 32 years was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Without a fraction of the resources available today, she relied on her instincts to guide her as she embraced her new role as a Caregiver. I love this interview because it comes from a healthy and positive senior perspective. It is also extremely candid and disarming - which is what I find so appealing about talking to “senior citizens”. (Can we please find a better title?”)
When Pink was 70, her beloved Walter passed away. With her caregiving days behind her, she took back her life and reinvented herself - truly living by her mantra, “Get Up, Get Out, & Get A Life! It Ain’t over Til I Say It’s Over!” Also the title of her book, Pink writes,”“I believe I’m a perfect example of what the right attitude and gratitude can do for you. You need to know who you are and realize there is still a lot of livin’ to do. The purpose of life, after all, is to live it. This is truly our time to live life to the max-to taste each experience and to live in the present moment, wisely, lovingly and with enthusiasm. In today’s world, it takes guts to get older, without being old. Aging happens to everyone. It’s inevitable. However, there’s no need to become a victim of age.”
How did she become “Pink Lady”? It began when she worked in the fashion industry and dressing in pink became her trademark. Pink Lady is a force of nature, like getting a shot of vitamin B-12! She is blessed with 5 children, 6 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren . . . who all call her Pink Grandma. Her philosophy of life is to “Think Pink!” to see love and inner beauty in everything and everyone around her, and to feel the energy and aura that a color can give us by letting people see life through rose-colored glasses.
I’m sold! After listening to this interview - you will be, too!
Love,
Susie xoxo
PinkLadyPresents.com is an Intergenerational Internet Variety Show streaming worldwide 24/7
Pink Lady Presents Television Variety Show seen throughout Southern California by 16 million viewers and worldwide on PinkLadyPresents.com.
* In 2021, Pink joined the EMT Network (channel 25.5) where her shows continue to be seen every Sunday evening.
For interviews, book signings, and speaking engagements, contact Pink Lady at
(818) 606-6679
Senior Star Power website
pinklady7@earthlink.net
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In Episode 45, Don and I have an absolutely dynamic conversation with Elizabeth Miller, a CCC (Certified Caregiver Consultant) and HHHCP (Host of the Happy Healthy Caregiver Podcast), an incredible aesthetic (check out her branding ... it's gorgeous!), and just all around WW (wonderful Woman! If you are not familiar with her then throw on your EarPods and enjoy!!
Yes, of course, we discuss the overwhelming responsibilities that come with being a caregiving, how she got started as a caregiver, and how we can adjust how we approach caregiving. We talked about better, more positive, ways we can frame our loved ones' disabilities (my mantra) to make caregiving better for caregivers today and in the future. Elizabeth shared how she became an unpaid caregiver after the loss of her father, and then through her experience and talking with other caregivers, she has been able to monetize what she does by working with companies and brands who are looking to talk to caregivers and the aging population, and provides them the tools to infuse self-care into their lives. Buuuuttttt....
....we also talked about what we are currently binging, the Braves, Hot Wings, and - my favorite- dancing!! Elizabeth is my kind of girl! You're going to love her!
Ways to connect with Elizabeth:
FACEBOOK
WEBSITE
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In Episode 44, Don and I had a candid conversation with Jennifer Fink - Founder and Host of Fading Memories Podcast - about a topic that doesn't seem to get as much attention as it should. Personal hygiene and our loved ones.
As Alzheimer's progresses, poor hygiene can become an issue: people living with dementia (PLWD) often refuse to bathe and even change their clothes. It can even lead to medical problem such as urinary tract infections.
Because Alzheimer’s causes a slow decline of cognitive functions, a PLWD will begin to get confused about seemingly simple things, like how to wash their hair. A PLWD may be overwhelmed and confused by all the products on the bathroom counter, perhaps mistaking a tube of lotion for toothpaste. Sometimes they don't recognize their loved ones or even themselves, so the images they see in the mirror may be confused as strangers!
Sensory perception, especially vision, touch and smell, also changes. This can make a tub of water seem scary as depth perception changes. The water spray from the shower can feel like sharp needles. A smelly shirt may be more comforting than a freshly laundered – but unfamiliar – replacement. Room or water temperature may feel different to the PLWD than it does to us.
Jennifer shares some of the best tips for overcoming the challenges associated with PLWD's and their personal hygiene.
Jennifer spent the first half of her adult life as a portrait photographer, retired from in early 2020. Listening to podcasts became a favorite way to learn new things while walking the dogsor doing household chores. After the death of her father in March 2017, dealing with and caring for her Mother became a much bigger part of her life. Looking to her favorite media in search of answers and not finding what she was looking for, Jennifer decided she would create a supportive podcast that caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients need and deserve.
Jennifer is the daughter, grand daughter & great grand daughter of women who suffered from Alzheimer’s or other cognitive impairment. Looking for answers on how not to become the fourth generation with this problem has led her on this interesting journey with her new passion, podcasting.
Connect with Jennifer:
FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM LINKEDIN APPLE PODCAST SPOTIFY
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In our Season Three Premiere (wow!!), Episode 43, Don and I talked with the force that is Marianne Sciucco -a registered nurse who's cared for hundreds of dementia patients over a 20-year career. Her novel, Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s Love Story, is based on a couple she met through her work and is a testament to the power of love in the face of this heart wrenching disease. Marianne’s tender work of fiction brings consolation and understanding to all who encounter Alzheimer’s.
Ironically, two years after her novel’s publication, she started living her own story when her stepfather was diagnosed with mixed dementia: frontotemporal lobe, vascular, and Alzheimer’s. As his Health Care Proxy and Power of Attorney, she became his medical, legal, and financial representative. At the same time, she became the same to her mother, who was suffering from heart failure and dementia caregiver PTSD.
With her novel in place, it eventually morphed into her current project which is Alzauthors, a global community of over 300 writers who are writing about all dementia from their personal experience. She also launched her own podcast “Untangling Alzheimer’s and Dementia: An AlzAuthors Podcast”Email - mariannesciucco@gmail.com
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In Episode 42, Don and I spoke with Swedish Caregiver, Patrick Berglund, We "met" this angel after he watched our film, My Mom and The Girl, and reached out through social media to tell us how much he enjoyed it. And we have been friends ever since.
I have always been struck by Patrick's dedication to caregiving and the pure joy it gives him. I found it fascinating and beautiful that a young father -- without any family living in a senior facility -- chose to make his living in Elder Care. He definitely falls outside outside the American Caregiver box.
Patrick has been working in elder care for almost 19 years. As he says, "To work with the elderly has been the best job in my life." And, of course, we delved into the moniker - The Singing Nurse - he was recently given by the Swedish Press.
In his spare time, Patrick is a team leader for a women's soccer team. He lives with his wife and two daughters 24 and 17 years old in Sweden in a town called Motala, by the second largest lake Vättern.
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
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In episode 41, Don and I spoke to the absolutely delightful and dynamic Kennedy Loftin, Chief Development Officer at the Montrose Center, one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ resource centers . Kennedy led the $26.5 million campaign to build The Law Harrington Senior Living Center, the nation’s largest, LGBTQ affirming senior housing center that opened on June 24, 2021.
In response to Hurricane Harvey, Kennedy launched the LGBTQ Hurricane Harvey Relief fund which raised $2.3 million to help the LGBTQ+ community recover from the disaster. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Center launched a fund that has currently raised $2.1 million in funds focused on providing direct financial assistance to vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community. Kennedy is a founding member of Houston Mayor Sylvestor Turner’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, has served on several boards, and is a sought-after development educator and leader in the industry, with guest teaching at Rice University, Glasscock School Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership and the University of Houston.
Kennedy was born in Houston, grew up in East Texas, and after experiencing housing insecurity following coming out to his family decided to channel his activism into nonprofit development impacting underserved communities. Kennedy began his career at Best Buddies Texas, an organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities, and became the Director of Special Events for Miami-based Best Buddies International. In 2006, Kennedy returned home to Houston to serve as executive director for Best Buddies Texas, and was the youngest executive director in the history of the organization. Kennedy became the Chief Development Officer for Interfaith Ministries in 2008. During his tenure, he led a $15 million capital campaign for the new Interfaith Conference Center and for the construction of the Meals on Wheels building which serves 4,500 seniors daily.
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Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
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While our population lives longer... caregivers get younger.
More millennials are becoming caregivers in their 20s and 30s. Of the over 40 million caregivers in the United States, one-fourth of them are millennials. Like the incredible Lauren Dykovitz.
Lauren Dykovitz knew nothing about Alzheimer’s when her mother was diagnosed at the age of 62. She was only 25 years old at the time. By the time she was 28, she quit her full-time job and became a caregiver for her mom.
Lauren started the Life, Love, and Alzheimer’s blog and social media pages to document her journey and share her experience as a caregiver. She self-published her first book, Learning to Weather the Storm: A Story of Life, Love, and Alzheimer’s, in 2017 and is currently finishing up her second book, When Only Love Remains: Surviving My Mom’s Battle with Early Onset Alzheimer’s, which she plans on self-publishing in early summer 2021. Although her mom passed in April 2020, it is Lauren’s mission to help others on their Alzheimer’s journey by sharing stories and lessons from her personal experience. In many ways, she feels like she is just getting started!
Lauren lives in New Jersey with her husband and two black labs.
BLOG: LIFE, LOVE, AND ALZHEIMER'S
LEARNING TO WEATHER THE STORM: A STORY OF LIFE, LOVE, AND ALZHEIMER’S
SIGN UP FOR LAUREN'S MAILING LIST TO RECEIVE THE INTRODUCTION TO MY NEW BOOK, AS WELL AS ANY UPDATES
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In celebration of Pride Month 2021, we had the honor of speaking with Chris MacLellan, author of "What's The Deal With Caregiving?". Christopher and his partner, Richard Schiffer, were featured in a 2015 Pulitzer Prize-nominated caregiving story "In Sickness and Health; A Couple's Final Journey", that chronicled their journey of caregiving. The story told of the challenges that LGBT partners have in dealing with the medical and legal system, but it also told of the love and joy that Richard’s last years had on their relationship.
The Whole Care Network™ has been a dream of Chris’ for quite some time. He started The Whole Care Network based on his own experience as a working family caregiver and the passion that he has gained through advocacy and collaboration before, during and after caregiving ends.
Christopher MacLellan is affectionately known nation-wide as The Bow Tie Guy in the vast network of family caregivers. He founded the Whole Care Network in 2016, presents regularly on topics that impact family Caregivers and now is Aging Gayfully after caregiving has ended.
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In Episode 38, Don and I speak with the incredibly inspirational, ANTHONY COPELAND PARKER. When Tony and his partner, Catherine Elizabeth Popp, were in their 50’s, they found that he needed a heart-valve replacement, and she had early-onset Alzheimer’s. They both had a history as endurance athletes, so their reaction to the news was to sell their home, retire from their jobs, and become nomads, running marathons and half- marathons all over the world. That's also when Tony began writing his blog, PlayHard-HaveFun.com.
Since then, he and his partner Catherine have traveled to 82 different countries. They have run at least a half-marathon in thirty-five countries and on all seven continents. Tony has also written a book, Running All Over The World, Our Race Against Early Onset Alzheimer’s. Due out June 15, 2021.
This is truly a special story. You will be moved and motivated to move!!
Love, Susie
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In Episode 37, Don and I have a fantastic conversation with DAN JAWORSKI - whose diagnosis a year and a half ago of Mild Cognitive Impairment hasn't slowed down him down one bit!
Dan is currently training for the 2021 Kona Ironman World Championship! Dan's philosophy on life and how he chooses to embrace his challenges.
Dan is gifted with an enormous amount of inspiration and empowerment to share with everyone, including families on the dementia journey. You will lean into the sunnier side of your own life after listening to this episode! I promise!!! xoSusie
About: Learn more about IRONMAN Dan’s fundraising progress and who he is dedicating each mile of his IRONMAN to on his fundraising page for The Longest Day.
Mild Cognitive Impairment
Adopt a Healthy Diet
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In episode 36, we had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Judy Cornish, author, founder of the Dementia & Alzheimer’s Wellbeing Network (DAWN®), creator of the DAWN Method® of dementia care, and a retired elder law attorney.
Judy is a maverick in the caregiving community and I hope you will take the time to listen and take notes! We could have talked for, at least, another 2 days!!
Her two books , The Dementia Handbookand Dementia With Dignity, take person-centered dementia care from theory to practice by identifying the skills not lost to dementia. Through DAWN, Cornish provides online training programs for families and professional caregivers, as well as certification courses for agencies and facilities. Judy's life work has been making dignified dementia care and aging in place available for all.
TEDx Spokane 2017
208.388.8898
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In EP 35, we spoke with Marisa Pasquini, an international educator for caregivers who serve people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. She has spent the last 12 years developing strategies that help caregivers survive the challenges of caring for people with dementia. She takes an empathic approach in assessing the needs of clients with dementia and teaches caregiving skills that allow the caregiver to accept and enter into the persons' "New Reality." The goal of developing these skills is to decrease the fear experienced by people with dementia, helping them feel safe. Her methodology gives caregivers confidence, creates inclusion for people experiencing cognitive decline and an empowered way of being in relationship with them. Marisa is especially skilled at understanding the rhythm of the person with dementia, and focusing on the state of the caregiver who is overwhelmed, grieving and in need of self-care.
Marisa a Certified Alzheimer's and Aging Educator and a Certified Dementia Practitioner. She's the founder of the National Home Care Academy and provides certified training for professional caregivers, and support, education and consulting for family caregivers. Marisa is the author of the Amazon Best Seller, Surviving Dementia Without Losing Your Mind.
Receive your audio book at 50% off HERE
(this link should include the discount code, but if not the Discount Code is loveconquers at checkout (not case sensitive)
Find Marisa at:
FACEBOOK
NATIONAL HOME CARE ACADEMY
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Susanne White is the Founder of Caregiver Warrior and the author of the "Caregiver’s Little Guide to Survival!" and has found the most happiness in sharing her knowledge, wisdom, and experience as a Caregiver. She wants Caregivers to survive what she calls "this amazing roller coaster of a ride and be open to scream, cry, laugh, and finally arrive home after the ride of your lifetime".
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Joey Paul Jensen is an award winning Casting Director, Movie Producer, Acting Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Peak Performance coach. She also is a devoted caregiver who knows first -hand that miracles can and DO happen!
Joey has been a driving force working with talent in Hollywood for over 20 years. She is a BFA graduate of Disney’s Cal ARTS. She has appeared as a speaker on Dr. Phil, E Entertainment, TLC, Access Hollywood, Nightline, and The Biography Channel as an expert on self image, acting and pursuing show business.
Joey is an entrepreneur and a business leader. She is president of Omnia Entertainment, part of Omnia Global with offices in Switzerland and Los Angeles. She is also the president of JP Casting, a movie and television casting company in Hollywood for over 20 years.
Most notably, Joey co-produced and cast, the award winning SONY release of “Soul Surfer”. It is the famous story about how Bethany Hamilton overcame the struggle of losing her arm to a great white shark. Joey received the prestigious Artios Award for Casting Disney Channel’s “That’s So Raven” along with 12 other nominations which also includes the movie “Soul Surfer”. JP Casting is a casting company with over 70 feature film credits and more than 16 television series.
Since 1994, Joey has cast live action and animated movies and series for Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Discovery Kids, Hallmark, Fox, CBS, ABC, PBS, Lifetime, Syfy, Universal, and Sony.
Joey has taught acting since graduating college and has developed a comprehensive program that guides actors to a greater sense of themselves and their purpose in their acting careers. She is an inspiring and energetic speaker working with kids/teens and professionals about their impact on others, social and emotional awareness, and what motivates our behavior! What is driving us? Joey likes to make small thinkers or big thinkers into even greater thinkers and inspire them to grow in exciting and creative ways.
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The Bob and Diane Fund is an annual grant for visual storytellers—about Alzheimer's and dementia. The 501(c) organization was founded by Gina Martin, a longtime National Geographic photo representative for their photo agency. Gina is committed to finding a cure for Alzheimer's and dementia.
This is the 5th year of the Bob & Diane Fund. They support photographers who are working on stories related to Alzheimer's and dementia through grants and scholarships. The grant supports work that already exists and to assist in getting the work published in magazines, online, book form, or exhibits.
You can more information and view the INCREDIBLE photo essays on the website, here.
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Darren Crombie is the founder of Upstream Health and lead for Team Bridgit. He has experience in building teams and start-ups to deliver technology and health innovation, with a focus on improving social outcomes. Prior to founding Upstream, he managed a care team responsible for looking after an amazing group of patients in Manchester, where he learnt a lot about the gap in health technology for family carers and the people they care for. This, combined with Darren's hands on experience with his Grandad Doug, led him on a path to create Bridgit with the simple objective of helping family carers all over the UK. Darren also helps and mentors other health tech founders, students and fellow makers.”
CONNECT WITH DARREN:
INSTAGRAM
LINKEDIN
FACEBOOK
Kat Bwalya is their Product Lead working across all aspects of Bridgit. He liaises with clients, customers, Bridgit device owners, family carers, key stakeholders, and the Bridgit Team. He helps individuals to clarify their needs and technological capabilities as they go through the journey of bringing a digital/tech solution to life. He is passionate about using technology in innovative ways with the goal of resolving the real world problems people face. His background in human physiology, internet computing, research, and business analysis means he can speak “geek” as well as “normally”, being able to look at things from very different perspectives to get to a solution.”
CONNECT WITH KAT:
LINKEDIN
FACEBOOK
CONNECT WITH BRIDGIT:BRIDGIT CARE
UPSTREAM HEALTH
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In Episode 30, Max Goldman, a startup entrepreneur and tech industry veteran, has a message: "To the 45 million of you caring, coordinating and contributing to a loved one’s daily money matters: you are not alone."
The ProblemTo understand why we are here, call a bank and ask literally any question that would help you understand or protect your parents’ financial activity.
If making this call sounds awful and unproductive, we agree. The reality is, today's banking systems weren’t built for caregiving.
The StoryTodd Rovak spent the first part of his career helping financial services firms find new and innovative ways to better serve their customers. For years, he imagined a new kind of financial company that could focus specifically on the caregiving life stage (and he’ll be glad to show you his sketches).
He brought the idea to his friend Max Goldman, who’d recently sold his company to Google. At first, Max just didn’t get it. But then, like so many in the sandwich generation, he began providing care to a loved one and started to experience the challenges of the financial caregiving journey for himself.
A Better ToolkitThey are building Carefull because taking care of aging parents is about more than health and safety. It’s also about making sure money issues are under control.
Your own children, job and everyday life require so much energy, but you somehow still make time to support the ones who supported you. You make sure bills get paid, watch for fraud or mistakes, and ask siblings to contribute — yet the best the world can offer to help you is paper, spreadsheets, and hold music.
Creating safer, smarter tools for financial caregiving isn’t only about money. It’s about relentlessly simplifying the awkward tangle that happens when money and family come together.
They see what’s truly possible when it’s easier to manage loved ones’ daily money matters.
CAREFULL WEBSITE
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Episode 29: If you have parents, you need to listen to the week's episode with Cameron Huddleston, who shares how caregivers - or anybody - can learn to confidently face the "F" word... FINANCE!!!
Cameron Huddleston is an award-winning journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing about personal finance. Her work has appeared in Forbes, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, MSN, Yahoo and many more print and online publications.
She is also the author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations With Your Parents About Their Finances. This book draws on her experience as both a financial expert and a daughter who has had those essential money talks with a parent. Full of practical advice from her life, from others who’ve had the “talk,” and from financial, legal and elder care experts.
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Episode 28: Senator Monique Limón was elected to the Senate in November 2020 and represents the 19th Senate district, which includes the County of Santa Barbara. Her election makes her the second woman and first Latina to be elected to represent Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties in the State Senate. Her focuses include health, women, consumer protection, natural disasters, and Alzheimer’s Awareness.
As Assemblymember, the Senator had the opportunity in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 to put forward a bill every year related to Alzheimer's. Her work advancing healthcare access earned her the 2017 Legislator of the Year recognition by the Alzheimer’s Association of California.
And in 2019, she was successful in putting the Healthy Brains Initiative forward, which allowed for funding to go to our continuums of cares in the counties to be able to do more outreach in relation to early prevention and early detection, which she feels is a top priority for those with Alzheimer’s and their families.
The Senator is a Superstar Advocate driven by her own experience with her beloved grandmother.
How you can contact the Senator:
District Phone: (805) 965-0862
Email: senator.limon@senate.ca.gov
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Episode 27: Rick Lauber is a professional freelance writer with a sizable portfolio. He began his writing career after pursuing radio broadcasting, bartending, and marketing/public relations. Outside of writing, he continues to work part-time, travel to the mountains as often as possible, and cheer on the Edmonton Eskimos.
Rick is also a former co-caregiver for both of his aging parents (his mother had Parkinson’s Disease and Leukemia and his father had Alzheimer’s disease) turned book author. With help from his two sisters, Rick assumed many new-found caregiving responsibilities. Rick learned that caregiving can impact a person physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially and managed his own health and well-being by writing. Rick’s initially published stories became the platforms for two published caregiving guidebooks – Caregiver’s Guide for Canadians and The Successful Caregiver’s Guide. Rick continues to reach out to prospective new, and current caregivers through different means including presenting webinars and active writing about caregiving and caregiving-related issues for printed and on-line publications.
Rick has written two non-fiction books, both published by Self-Counsel Press (North Vancouver). Caregiver’s Guide for Canadians was initially published in September 2010, and has subsequently been updated to a second edition. The second book, The Successful Caregiver’s Guide, published in September 2015, focuses on the American market. Both books are valuable resources for prospective, new, and current caregivers (those helping and supporting aging seniors or preparing to do so). In both books, Rick discusses caregiving as a timely and topical issue, shares his own caregiving story, discusses issues relevant to caregivers, and provides website resources where caregivers can find help at many levels.
In addition to his caregiver’s guides, Rick Lauber contributed to Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Very Good, Very Bad Cat—101 Heartwarming Stories about Our Happy, Heroic & Hilarious Pets and Chicken Soup for the Soul: It’s Christmas—101 Joyful Stories about the Love, Fun, and Wonder of the Holidays.OFFICIAL WEBSITE
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Episode 26: In 2002, Trish Laub was told that her father was being treated for Alzheimer’s. Trish and her husband moved from suburban Chicago to the Denver area in 2012 not only to enjoy the beautiful mountains but also to be closer to her parents.
With her abundant expertise, Trish has created Comfort in their Journey. Her award winning Comfort in Their Journey book series (A Most Meaningful Life, Peaceful Endings, and Through the Rabbit Hole) provides the clear, concise and easily accessible information that she wishes had been available to her. Trish offers readers her story and experience, and the opportunity to thrive during the caregiving process. These nuts-and-bolts books enable caregivers to be quick studies, think and then act by making informed decisions. After spending 18 years developing computer systems, Trish went on to cofound both a national dance education company and a national nonprofit prevention theater company focused on helping at-risk teens. She is a Black Belt instructor of The Nia Technique and has been licensed since 1999. Using her previous computer and teaching experience in combination with her most recent caregiving experience, Trish provides practical guidance for dignified care through end of life through her book series, speaking engagements and workshops, and consulting.
For info: wwwTrishLaub.com.
You can also hear Trish on her new radio broadcast, A Cup of Comfort, LIVE the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 12PT/3ET on the #1 Positive Talk Radio Network.
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Episode 25
Don't wait to advocate!
Nancy Daly is a successful Actor/Playwright/Voice Over Artist, but she says her greatest achievement is as the Founder and National Team Captain of Actors & Artists Unite to End Alz, a National Team for the Walk to end Alzheimer’s sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association. Actors & Artists Unite is the only non-corporate, grass roots National Team and has raised over $300,000 since 2011.
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Episode 24: The Power of the Human - Horse Connection.
Connected Horse offers human-animal connection, engagement and understanding through its innovative workshops and research which encourage and support individuals living with dementia diagnoses, care partners and professionals.
Our work is solely focused on the relationship between people and horses. Through our equine-guided workshops, we are supporting people affected by dementia and their caregivers. www.connectedhorse.com
Nancy is a co-founder and Educational Director of Connected Horse and is a widely known, highly regarded gerontologist and Alzheimerʼs/dementia care specialist, consultant, speaker and trainer. As principal and founder of Alzheimerʼs Care Associates LLC, she strives to enable her clients to achieve excellence in dementia care. Whether the environment is assisted living, adult day programs, skilled nursing or home care, Nancy is dedicated to promoting “person-centered” care that offers those with dementia opportunities to grow socially and spiritually and to enjoy enriched and satisfying lives.
Paula is a co-founder and President of Connected Horse, and she has spent the last 25 years focused on improving service delivery systems for elders in need of care and services through consulting projects and executive management positions. She has broad experience in senior housing and assisted living operations, staff training, regulatory compliance, new program development and family and community needs. She is the founder of Senior Living Consult and co-founder of The ElderHub and provides consulting services to organizations and individuals in need of operational and strategic direction regarding elder care
services and program development.
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Episode 23: Staying healthy means staying ACTIVE! This is especially true for seniors. And Shememe Williams has created a portal with all the resources you need to help yourself or your loved one maintain a quality of life. Don’t miss this episode!
Shememe Williams (pronounced Shu mem) is the CEO and Founder of My Active Senior LLC (MAS). My Active Senior is an online senior service marketplace listing housing, technology, products, events, trips, home health care and more all in one place.
myactivesenior.com
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Episode 22: Susan J. Farese joins us this week to share her poetry, stories of her grandmother and a discussion on the power of art.
Twitter: @sjfcommo https://twitter.com/sjfcommo
Instagram : @sjfcommo https://www.instagram.com/sjfcommo/?hl=en
Facebook: @sjfcommunications : https://www.facebook.com/sjfcommunications
Facebook personal: https://www.facebook.com/susan.farese/
Website: sjfcommunications.comor https://sjfcommunications.com
BIO
Susan J. Farese, MSN, RN, a native of New Jersey, is the owner/ president of SJF Communications, San Diego, CA.
SJF Communications, originally established in 2002 in San Jose, CA, provides communications services including Marketing, Public Relations, Publicity, Websites, Social Media, Writing and Public Speaking, Photography, Mentoring/Coaching and Legal Nurse Consulting services.
Ms. Farese has diversified experience in health care/communications, including clinical nursing practice, management, education/training, research and consulting. Previously, after active duty as a military nurse (’78 -‘90), Susan was owner/president of Prosper Development Systems, a health care consulting/medical-legal consulting firm from 1990-1998.
Susan has presented numerous continuing education classes, seminars, and keynotes. She is the author of the book “Poetic Expressions in Nursing…Sharing the Caring” (1993, Vista Publishing, Inc.) and has written poetry and articles on a variety of topics.
Susan is a member SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild (SAG) & The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists: AFTRA), the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants(AALNC), American Legion Post 43, Veterans in Media & Entertainment, San Diego Writers Ink the San Diego Press Club.
Ms. Farese has a Masters Degree in Nursing in Adult Health from Seton Hall University (NJ) and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Widener University (PA). Susan is a Volunteer Mentor in the San Diego State University Aztec Mentor Program.
From 2001 – 2016, Ms. Farese provided Community Service as a volunteer parent at several schools in the San Jose, Boston and San Diego areas: Mandala Children’s House (Preschool), Stratford School, Silver Oak Elementary School, Bridge Elementary School, Clark Middle School, Carmel Valley Middle School, and Canyon Crest Academy(CCA).
Ms. Farese was previously Director Public Relations & Communications and Board Member for San Diego Musical Theatre, from 2011-2016. She served as Lead Publicity Parent from 2012-2014 for Canyon Crest Academy Envision Theatre.
Complete list of clients at https://sjfcommunications.com/list-of-clients/
Contact SJF Communications at: 408-398-5940 or sjfcommunications@gmail.com.
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Episode 21: Today we are speaking with Leigh Cashman, Vice-Chair of the Central Coast Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association Board to discuss her advocacy work and how anyone can make a difference.
Leigh has been on the Board of the Central Coast Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association for 5 yrs. She serves as the Ambassador to her Congress Member in the 24th District, Central California Chapter, and State Champion for her Assembly member in the 37th District of the Central Coast. She travels to Washington D.C. and Sacramento advocating for research funding, education and awareness, care and support issues. She is on the Alzheimer’s Women’s Initiative Committee and a proud member of AIM (Alzheimer’s Impact Movement). Leigh has been an elite Champion for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in her community. Last year Leigh, along with her advocacy team, went to Sacramento to accept the award for NonProfit of the year in advocacy with the State of California for the Central Coast Chapter.
Leigh was born and raised on the East Coast and moved to Southern California in high school and then got her BA at San Diego State University. She has lived in Santa Barbara and been married to her husband Paul for 38 yrs., Leigh has two daughters, Katie and Molly, and feels blessed to have two awesome son in-laws and a granddaughter, Carleigh. They actually have two more grandchildren on the way this fall!
Leigh and Paul have had a State Farm Insurance agency in Santa Barbara for 38 yrs. and just opened another office in Montecito a year ago.
Leigh has also been very active in the community with several other nonprofits - Assistance League of Santa Barbara, South Coast Business Network, Past Board member of the Santa Barbara Zoo, Past Board member of the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors, and currently on the Education Committee, Advisory Board for the Alpha Resource Center and Vice-Chair of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club women’s group.
Leigh loves to travel and hike whenever and wherever she can.
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Episode 20: Alzheimer’s is a complex disease. Although we have yet to discover a cure, we have discovered that there is not one single cause of Alzheimer's disease. For a long time, researchers thought the disease was caused by the abnormal build-up of amyloid proteins around brain cells. Now, they believe that another protein, tau, is equally responsible by forming tangles within brain cells. And there may be others as well. If this sounds confusing, join us as we speak to Tanya Lewis, associate editor for health and medicine at Scientific American, who explains - in simple terms - all of this and much, much more.
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EPISODE 19: Join us for a very special episode of Love Conquers Alz, when actress Cerina Vincent (Disney’s Stuck in the Middle, Power Rangers Los Galaxy, Cabin Fever, Not Another Teen Movie) and her aunt, Mary Vincent, share a beautiful caregiver’s story of LOVE.
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Episode 18: Shawn Perry is the Founder, Executive Producer and Host of The Senior Zone; DC’s #1 radio program for seniors. The Senior Zone’s weekly radio program is dedicated to serving the needs of the older adult community and now in its eight year, has become a forum of connection and inspiring possibilities for older adults seeking tips and directions to senior programs, services, tools, resources, events, advice as well as cultural tidbits. Since 2012, Shawn has worked tirelessly to promote the well-being of older adults and to champion their causes. He attributes his reverence for older adults to his late grandmother, Rosa Lee Perry, whom instilled a profound sense of empathy for the vulnerable, frail and elderly.
Shawn is a retired military officer; serving nearly 22 years in the U.S. Air Force, has a B.S. from the University of Maryland, and has resided in the Washington, DC area since 1985.
Shawn and his wife, Nancy, have four children; Danielle (23), Jared (19), Kayla (17) & Alyssa (15).
The Senior Zonewas founded in 2012 with the intention of being a “(one stop shop) virtual haven” devoted to senior citizens, their caregivers and families who support and encourage them, and all of who face challenges and opportunities in the day-to-day roller coaster ride we know as life. Our mission is to provide a forum of connection and possibilities -tools, resources, programs and services for this rapidly increasing sector of our population right here in the Washington DC metro area.
Radio: WYCB, 1340AM, Monday's @ 10am EST
Online: www.MySpiritDC.com
Social Media Handles:
-
Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/shawn.leon.perry
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Facebook (TheSeniorZone): https://www.facebook.com/TheSeniorZone/
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-perry-340991a8/
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Twitter: @TheSeniorZone
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Website: www.TheSeniorZone.com
Shawn can be reached at (202) 810-5940
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Episode 17: Published author, philanthropist, and founder of Mindful Living, Arielle Caputo, learned first hand the importance of loving herself and putting herself first before she could successfully take care of somebody else... no matter how much she loved them.
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*This episode is lovingly dedicated to our guest, Susan DeMarois's mother, Hope Harney Brewer. Episode 16: Susan DeMarois, California Government Affairs Director of Alzheimer’s Association, learned first-hand the importance of education when it comes to Alzheimer's after her own Mother, Hope, was diagnosed. She talks about the many programs the Alzheimer's Association offers and and how they are targeting not only Caregivers, but Doctors, First Responders, and, of course, the Public. The Alzheimer's Association is on a mission to educate the nuances of the disease and the many ways it manifests, and then give people the best tools for dealing with those afflicted with the disease.
Since 2013, Susan has directed state government affairs for the national Alzheimer’s Association. As a registered lobbyist in Sacramento, Susan advocates for legislative, budget and regulatory changes at the state capitol on behalf of the 2.3 million Californians directly impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. At the state level, the Alzheimer’s Association has secured key legislative victories in dementia training, physician education and Alzheimer’s research, raising more than $26 million to-date thorough the voluntary tax check-off fund. This year, the organization led the effort to implement the Healthy Brain Initiative in California, resulting in a $5 million investment in the state’s public health infrastructure. The Alzheimer’s Association led development of California’s State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease: An Action Plan for 2011 – 2021 and served on the California Task Force on Family Caregiving in 2017/2018. Currently, Susan serves on the California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary’s Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Committee as well as the state’s Olmstead Advisory Committee. The Association actively participates in the California Aging and Disability Alliance (CADA) and the California Collaborative for Long-term Services and Supports. Prior to joining the Alzheimer’s Association, Susan led government and community relations for the University of California health and clinical affairs supporting the work of academic medical centers, schools of medicine/nursing and physician groups. A graduate of CSU Chico, Susan started her career working for the U.S. Congress and California State Assembly. Susan resides in Sacramento, CA and draws inspiration for her work from her own family’s experience with dementia.
Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline 1.800.272.3900Email: info@alz.orgAlzheimer's Association Website
TwitterFacebook
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Episode 15: Heather Cooper Ortner, President & CEO Alzheimer’s Los Angeles
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia present significant challenges to those living with the disease, their caregivers, and our entire community. All too often, families are stretched to the breaking point as they endeavor to provide care for their loved one with little to no outside help or support. Heather Cooper Ortner joined Alzheimer’s Los Angeles as President & CEO in Fall 2017 and brought along a strong mission: to change the status quo for caregivers. And in three short years that’s just what she has done.
Heather is a highly respected nonprofit leader, recognized for bringing an entrepreneurial spirit to the healthcare arena. Heather’s proactive approach and passion for her work have contributed a wealth of experience for healthcare-based organizations. Previously, she served as chief executive officer of Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, whose mission is to achieve a future without breast cancer. Prior to Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, Heather served as executive vice president at the International Myeloma Foundation.
Contact Alzheimer's Los Angeles
844.HELP.ALZ (844.435.7259)
help@alzheimersla.org
4221 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 400
Los Angeles, CA 90010
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Episode14: Nancy McPherson, State Director for AARP California, visits with Susie and Kassi on Love Conquers Alz to share the many services AARP has established specifically for Caregivers - of ANY age - and their loved ones during the Covid-19 crisis. She leads a team of staff and volunteers in tackling issues that help people 50+ in California live their best lives.
These are the resources/LINKS Nancy shared with us:
- AARP WEBSITE
- ELDER ABUSE OR NEGLECT CONCERNS
- ALL RESOURCE CARD or email: CAAARP@AARP.ORG
- COMMUNITY CONNECTION
- FRAUD WATCH or call: 1-877-908-3360
- CALL 1-844-266-7967 to reach your Representative and say "NO" to blanket immunity for Nursing Homes
- AARP SOCIAL MEDIA
NANCY MCPHERSON BIO
Nancy started with AARP in 2007 in Louisiana to work on livable communities and health care reform in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In New Orleans, she developed a partnership with Hollygrove, a neighborhood that was devastated by flooding and crime and a lack of critical services. In 2011, with AARP, residents, and partners working together, the project received a national award from the MetLife Foundation for its positive impact on the well-being of older adults and a 67% reduction in violent crime.
Before coming to AARP, Nancy worked for over 20 years on police reforms and community policing initiatives as a senior leader with the San Diego Police Department, the Seattle Police Department, and the Portland Police Bureau.
In San Diego as part of a federal project, she was embedded for 18 months with a team of uniformed narcotics officers to provide technical assistance in identifying and solving major drug problems in high crime neighborhoods. Within a year, the project was recognized by the National League of Cities as one of the nation’s top three drug enforcement programs for improving community livability.
Nancy has been a consultant and advisor to police departments and government leaders throughout the U.S., in Albania, the Netherlands, and Canada.
In 2007, she completed a five-year appointment as a Special Master appointed by the federal court to monitor police reform in the City of Cincinnati, a project which emanated from the 2001 race riots in that city.
Nancy was one of two Americans to serve as an expert advisor to the British Columbia Royal Commission of Inquiry on Policing and served as the problem oriented policing advisor to the LAPD following the Rodney King incident.
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Episode 13: **Kristen Hicks' life has been severely impacted by Alzheimer's. Although both Grandmothers and both of her parents had Alzheimer's, Kristen cherishes the time she spent as a caregiver and shares a very candid, refreshing perspective that is filled with love, joy, laughter and an abundance of gratitude. You don't want to miss this episode!
BIO
Kristen's experience working with Alzheimer's patients goes back to 1992 working at a small rest home in Florence, Massachusetts. Her position was Food Service Director, but also worked on the floor doing direct care on occasion with the residents. She was a caregiver for her Mother in her final days home on hospice with cancer while also taking care of her boyfriend's mother for a couple years until she passed with IBM, a muscle disease similar to ALS. Three months later, she went on a 10 day visit to see her father in Washington and stayed for 10 months after discovering his memory had really declined. "*It was this experience as caregiver 24/7 with my Dad that has had such a profound impact on me as I navigated this crazy, unpredictable, and insidious disease. I think that all my experiences somewhat prepared me for that role, but what I wasn't prepared for was losing so many people so close to me along the way."*
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DEDICATION: We dedicate this episode to the First Responders & Medical Workers with our 7PM Salute! We thank you, we appreciate you and we LOVE you all!
Episode 12: LISA CORTEZ has worked in the medical field for over 30 years. She has been employed as a Licensed Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) working at various skilled rehabilitation facilities in the metro-Toledo area for the past 20 years. Lisa works under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist to treat patients with difficulty performing daily living and work activities due to illness and disabilities.
As an Occupational Therapist Assistant, Lisa Cortez plays an important role in working directly with patients with Alzheimer’s by providing solutions to the patient, family and caregivers in developing a safe and supportive environment for the Alzheimer patient far beyond the framework of traditional physical therapy.
Education: Lourdes College – Sylvania, Ohio
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Episode 11: There's no doubt about it. Caregiving is stressful. In the best of situations, it can try the most even keeled. That said, every cultural has its own distinct values and norms that can add a whole new set of physical and emotional effects on the health of caregivers and the loved ones they care for.
Sunny Lee Eom shares the unique challenges she has faced caregiving for her extremely traditional Korean parents.
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Episode 10:
"When you move muscle, you move emotion... it's that simple."- Doreen Rivera
Doreen Rivera shares the value of her Bodyful Mind Process® geared towards evolving the emotional intelligence of every phase and experience of life. A process that has helped her greatly while caregiving for her parents for over a decade.
BIO
In 1979, Doreen Rivera experienced a life-changing automobile incident, ending her flourishing dance career. Doreen transformed this debilitating event into a life-affirming experience.
Enter, Doreen Rivera’s The Bodyful Mind, where seeking the value of each life experience is the lesson, the opportunity, the gift. This gift is the source of self-empowerment that creates a ripple effect of change in every aspect of your life.
Doreen has been called “The Godmother of Stretch”. She brought her original stretch program to Jane Fonda’s Workout, (which included the original exercise Barré Class) and introduced Jane Fonda and the world to the idea and importance of stretching. People began to quickly understand what Doreen was always expressing “when you move muscle, you move emotion… it’s that simple.” As a result, Stretch classes have become a staple in the exercise world today, which also made room for yoga to take hold. Her work is the inspiration for many exercise programs, videos and books, which paved the way for the yoga movement.
- Taught at UCLA, Dept. of Biological Sciences Extension Division
- Taught at Dr. Leroy Perry’s International Sportscience Institute
- Health Editor for the original Latina magazine
- Board of Directors for Femmy DeLyser’s ground-breaking pregnancy, birth and recovery program
- Through Denny Terrio’s involvement, Doreen was John Travolta’s stretch coach for his role in “Saturday Night Fever”
- Her stretch video, “Stretch for Life,” was Shape Magazine’s #1 Stretch Video in the U.S. & Canada & recommended in Cher’s book, Forever Fit
- Hosted her own exercise cable show, “RSVP,” in Los Angeles
Doreen and her staff continue to teach this cutting-edge, life-changing work through movement classes, workshops, seminars, individual sessions and her pregnancy program.
The Bodyful Mind Process® is geared toward evolving the emotional intelligence of every phase and each experience of life ~ from birth to death and everything in between.
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Episode 9: With their signature upbeat and positive perspectives, hosts Susie Singer Carter and Kassi Crews share the top tips for Caregivers who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease and dementia during the Coronavirus pandemic.
The song "Far Apart Together" - written and released to encourage social distancing and to #flattenthecurve, is courtesy of acclaimed songwriter, Gary Burr, as well as Ian Parker and Randy Hart; MEGATRAX - The Sound of Entertainment. @megatrax
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Episode 8: After studying Quantum Energy Healing and becoming certified in the Emotion Code and Body Code, RESSEL YU unpacked all her emotional baggage that was created when she was younger and shifted her life from scarcity and fear to abundance and bliss. She got her smile back on her soul. Now her life’s purpose is to help others (especially caregivers) to do the same.
In this episode, Ressel takes host, Susie Singer Carter, through her first-ever healing session. As a SPECIAL BONUS for our listeners, while Ressel performs this session on Susie, anyone listening to this podcast will be receiving the healing as well. Ressel explains that because of a phenomenon called QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT, particles of different origins come together in one container, (be it a room or this podcast), and those particles become one and work in unison.
Ressel Yu is a quantum healer that incorporates the Akashic Records into her practice to heal not only the present, but also the past which in turns changes all future events. Certified in NLP and the Emotion Code, she has helped entrepreneurs, corporations and children release emotional baggage that keep them stuck in the blackhole of despair and fear. She hosts monthly Money Mindset Retreats and Im-Possible Workshops, in which she not only removes the blocks around money, but also teaches her clients how to heal themselves and manifest anything they desire.
ResselYu.com
www.facebook.com/resselyu
www.instagram.com/resselyu
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Episode 7: We can all learn a lot from our courageous guest, TERESA VALKO. Teresa took care of her mother for 15 years after she was diagnosed with AD, which. unfortunately, wasn't unexpected. On her mother’s side of the family, there is a 100% occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease. Two generations of Teresa’s family have died from Alzheimer’s and Teresa, herself, has tested positive for the APOE4 gene. the most prevalent genetic risk factor of AD.
The impact of Alzheimer's on Teresa is nothing less than inspirational. She made a difficult decision to leave her career as a scientist working in embryology to become a full time Advocate for Alzheimer's. She is now heavily involved with the Alzheimer's Association and the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) the advocacy arm of the Alzheimer’s Association. As chairwoman of the board for the California Central Coast chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, Teresa raises funds for Alzheimer's research, tells her family's story to community groups, and and travels to the nation's capitol to talk about fighting the disease with members of Congress.
Teresa's passion for knitting helps her focus on the positive aspect of life. And like the Alzheimer's Association, Teresa envisions a world without Alzheimer's Disease.
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Episode 6: DEBBI DACHINGER is a Media Personality and Media Visibility expert who has been interviewed on over 1,000 media outlets.
She is the syndicated, award-winning podcast host of Dare to Dream and has been nominated for two People’s Choice Podcast Awards. In addition, Debbi is a keynote speaker, a certified coach and the author of three international bestselling books.
As a Media Visibility Authority, Debbi coaches her clients on how to write a book and take it to international bestseller status. And, in the Ultimate Visibility Formula, Debbi teaches clients how to be interviewed on radio and podcasts in 60 days or less.
Awards and Accolades: Editor’s Pick: Featured Intriguing Creator, Broadcasting Industry Lifetime Achievement Award, inducted into the Who’s Who Hall of Fame for Entertainment, winner of Successful Achievements from Voices of Women Worldwide, and recipient of Heart and Spirit Award from the Evolutionary Business Council.
In this episode, Debbi shares her personal journey of caregiving for her mother who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's despite their previously tenuous relationship and the "gift of grace" which made way for the loving relationship the now share.
WebsiteTwitterInstagramFacebookYouTubeLinkedInGoogle Plus
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Episode 5: Emmy Award Winner Leeza Gibbons is a self-proclaimed, FCTA (Former Caregiver Turned Advocate)who has taken her experiences hosting, producing and reporting for shows such as Entertainment Tonight, The PBS show My Generation and her own talk show, LEEZA, to become an instrumental advocate for healthcare, wellness and caregiving; and is the founder of the non-profit Leeza's Care Connection, a supportive safe place to cry, a room for worry and a community of care.is an instrumental advocate for healthcare, wellness, and caregiving.
Leeza talks about the toll caregiving can take on the caregiver. She details important concepts all caregivers should be aware such as "Compassion Fatigue", "Radical Resistance", "the Worried Well", and how to "Take Your Oxygen First", amongst many other profound insights on this episode of Love Conquers Alz.
Leeza is currently seen on-camera as co-host of The Rose Parade and host of The Three Week Yoga Retreat She is also a wife, mother, businesswoman and a New York Times bestselling author.
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Many other health issues can mimic what appears to be Alzheimer's making Alzheimer's very difficult to diagnose. Neuropsychologist, Dr. Ted Etling, takes us through the process he uses to make that determination. He and his staff, including three other neuropsychologists, perform close to 200 evaluations a month.
BIO
Dr. Etling is the director of neuropsychology and cognitive rehabilitation at Arizona Neurology Associates in Sun City, Arizona. He has a doctorate (PsyD) in clinical psychology from Illinois School of Professional Psychology/Argosy University, was a neuropsychology intern through the Wright State University pre-doctoral internship program in Dayton, Ohio and completed a 2 year post-doctorate neuropsychology residency JFK Medical Center/Center for Head Injuries in Edison, NJ. under the supervision of neuropsychologist Keith Cicerone PhD with a focus on cognitive rehabilitation.HIs proudest achievement is being a single father who raised 2 children, Grace (19) and Sam (21).--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast.
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Whitney B. Glandon is a senior living program director, as well as a versatile New York City based dance artist, instructor, producer, and choreographer. Whitney was literally born into the senior living community and by the age of nine, she was leading movement classes to the seniors at her grandmother’s long term care communities in N.C. In 2009 Whitney founded Tuesdays@4, an innovative intergenerational program with a mission to bring generations - including seniors living with dementia and Alzheimer's - together through various forms of dance, art, poetry, theatre, improvisation and music inspired by stories and personal experiences.
Whitney's latest project, CAUGHT (Between Two Worlds), is a beautiful collaboration between Whitney, Jodie Berman and Martha Brim that came together through their extensive work in the Senior Living/Dementia Alzheimer's and Dance world. CAUGHT Dance Project is bringing awareness to the disease through dance and personal connections.
Whitney brings a refreshing - important - perspective on seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. Her dance programs are proof positive that seniors who have a sense of purpose are happier and healthier. And while they may have Alzheimer's, they don't have to, and shouldn't be, defined by their affliction. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast.
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"To perceive this [caregiving for someone with Alzheimer's] as a loss in any way, is to really lose the gift of the opportunity."
This is just one of the many candid insights from Neeyah Lynn Rose Stephens, aBodyful Mind Educator, Nichiren Buddhist Practioner, Singer/Songwriter, and Personal Assistant for Conservation Photographer Robert Glenn Ketchum. Neeyah is also the daughter and caregiver to her 92 year-old mother,Annabelle, who has Alzheimer's. But unlike many families, Neeyah is blessed with a supportive and empathetic village who share the caregiving responsibilities.
Meet Neeyah, her mother, Annabelle, her brother, Charlie, and professional caregiver, Melody who openly share their evolving perspectives on being a caregiver that include gratitude, loving, healing, and what the experience represents to them. (You might want to have a tissue at the ready!)
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/love-conquers-alz/support
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Tis the season and we KNOW this time of year can be stressful in the best of times, but it can shoot your cortisol levels through the roof when you're caregiving for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia. A lot of struggle with whether we should buy our loved one a gift or not. Will they even care? And if you do, just what kind of gift should you get??
Enter our first guest on our first episode of LOVE CONQUERS ALZ... Connie Chow, founder of DailyCaring.com, a FABULOUS website and email newsletter that provides free, practical senior care tips that solve everyday challenges. Connie shares some of the top Alzheimer’s Holiday Tips for a more enjoyable season, some of the best gifts for Seniors with Alzheimer’s and Dementia, as well as some great suggestions for Caregivers. (They deserve it!)
Connie shares how her personal relationship with Alzheimer's motivated her to launch her website and finishes up with some basic holiday tips that we think are invaluable. You're welcome! :)
Happy Holidays!
Susie & Kassie--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast.
https://anchor.fm/app--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/love-conquers-alz/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/love-conquers-alz/support
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LOVE CONQUERS ALZ is a podcast that provides a candid, informative, supportive, and interactive platform for everything Alzheimer’s. With our uniquely positive perspectives, Kassi and I are creating a safe place for sharing feelings, fears, resources, cutting news, as well as the often misunderstood basics. The good, the bad, and everything in between. We hope you will join us! We want to know what you’d like to know, so please message us with questions and topics you’d like to discuss. Remember. You’re know you’re not alone. Let’s face it together. xoxo Susie
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sscarter)