Living With Alzheimer's

In this episode of the Living with Alzheimer's podcast, Christoph interviews Dr. Catherine Madison, a Bay Area neurologist who founded the Ray Dolby Brain Health Center and recently authored Navigating Memory Loss: Essential Questions and Answers on Alzheimer's and Dementia.As Christoph and Catherine discuss the book, Catherine shares several insights about dementia diagnosis and care. Catherine provides an overview of different dementia types and their common symptoms. They discuss the phenomenon of anosognosia, where individuals with dementia are unable to recognize changes in their own cognitive abilities. And they discuss how "therapeutic fibbing" can help avoid agitation for the person living with dementia.Catherine emphasizes the importance of early evaluation and neuropsychological testing for individuals with memory concerns, and highlights recent advancements in dementia treatments that can significantly slow progression of the disease.Catherine describes how her visit to the Hogeweyk® Dementia Village in the Netherlands influenced the section of her book comparing a "medical model" of care, which is focused on diagnosis and treatment, to a "social model" of care, which prioritizes quality of life and comfort.Catherine wraps up by emphasizing the importance of individuals documenting their wishes for end-of-life care in an advanced directive. She shares the tools in her book designed to help people communicate their priorities regarding interventions like CPR, feeding tubes, and antibiotics, especially as it relates to care choices if they have become cognitively impaired by dementia.You can find Catherine’s book at Copperfield’s Books and on Amazon.

In this episode of Living with Alzheimer's, Christoph interviews Martin Schreiber, former governor of Wisconsin, about his book My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver. Marty and Christoph discuss the caregiving insights in Marty’s book and how his mindset had to shift as he transitioned from his role as a husband to that of a caregiver. They also talk about the real health risks for caregivers, and what Marty wished he had known early on in the role.Marty goes on to describe how he endured the loss of his First Elaine as she was diminished by dementia, and eventually learned to share moments of joy with his Second Elaine.Christoph highly recommends the book for any family member of a person living with dementia. Even family member who aren’t primary caregivers will gain many insights on how to support those who are.You can learn more about Marty and his book at mytwoelaines.com.

In this episode on the Living with Alzheimer's podcast, Christoph interviews Michael Loughman, Director of Sales for Holland Home, a nonprofit senior living and care organization in Grand Rapids, MI.Michael and Christoph discuss how the Holland Home team helps families navigate the choice of staying at home versus moving to a senior living community. And they cover typical senior living options and how they differ.They continue with Michael’s insights on how families can prepare for caring for aging parents, and recommendations for the first steps families should consider when there is evidence one or both parents no longer seems safe at home.As they wrap up by discussing the dreaded question, “How can we pay for this?” Michael describes the main methods families use to cover the costs of senior living.You can find more information about senior living options at Holland Home’s Resources page. On that page, you can also find their guide called Questions to Ask When Evaluating Assisted Living Options. In addition, you can find their downloadable Dementia Care Handbook.

In this episode on the Living with Alzheimer's podcast, Christoph interviews Amanda Bulgarelli, Chief Operations Officer and Master Trainer for Positive Approach to Care, an organization focused on creating a more positive dementia care culture.Amanda is the daughter of Teepa Snow, a nationally known dementia care specialist who founded the Positive Approach to Care (PAC) organization to help caregivers be more successful by using Teepa's therapeutic approaches and care techniques.Christoph and Amanda discuss the issues that PAC is focused on solving for families facing dementia and dementia care needs. They talk about some care techniques PAC teaches, how caregivers can be more successful when they better understand how to enter the world of the person living with dementia, and how families can engage PAC to help them navigate the caregiving landscape.They also discuss signs that may indicate cognitive decline versus normal aging, as well as two cognitive screening tests that individuals can use to help detect cognitive changes early. Those two tests are the Animal Fluency Test and the Trail Making Test.For more information about Positive Approach to Care and the resources they offer caregivers and families dealing with the impacts of dementia, please visit teepasnow.com or call 877.877.1671.

In this episode on the Living with Alzheimer's podcast, Christoph interviews social worker Deb Langer and advisor Julie Capra of Hospice of Michigan. They discuss what hospice is and dispel common myths about it. Deb and Julie describe who is eligible for hospice, how it’s paid for, and the many resources available to support people living with dementia and their caregivers. They also discuss the importance of medical and financial legal documents like advance directives, wills, trusts and power of attorney designations.A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original and largest not-for-profit hospice in the state. For more than 40 years, the organization has served patients and their families across Michigan providing palliative and end-of-life care to patients wherever they call “home” – nursing homes, assisted living facilities, family residences, hospitals and more. As a founding member of the NorthStar Care Community, Hospice of Michigan also offers grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, pediatric hospice care and support, and educational programs for physicians and health care professionals. Hospice of Michigan is there for patients and their families, respecting their wishes, preserving their dignity, and providing the highest level of compassionate and personalized care. For more information about Hospice of Michigan, please visit hom.org or call 888.247.5701.If you want to learn more about other hospice providers, please contact Alzheimer’s Association at 800.272.3900. They can help you identify hospice providers that serve your area.

In this episode on the Living with Alzheimer's podcast, Christoph interviews Steve Mullen, co-host with his wife Jennifer on Caregiving Gen X Style, a podcast by Gen Xers for Gen Xers who are taking care of their aging parents.Steve describes many of the unique caregiving challenges faced by Gen Xers. As the current Sandwich Generation, they are often raising children while simultaneously caring for aging parents.Steve shares how draining caregiving can be and some of the practical ways families and friends can help. We also discuss some of the key caregiving insights and resources you can find on their podcast.And, although neither of us can recall the name of a book we mention in the episode, the title is The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias. Now in its 7th edition, the book is full of practical advice for caregivers.

In this episode on the Living with Alzheimer's podcast, Christoph interviews Nicole Brackett, Director of Care Delivery and Quality for Homewatch CareGivers. They discuss the many services Homewatch CareGivers provides to families, especially those caring for a family member with dementia. Nicole describes the importance of personalized care plans, as well as the culture-shift her organization is embracing by focusing on the person and not their disability. Nicole and Christoph discuss examples of a person-centered approach to care partnerships.They go on to discuss how families can distinguish between care that can be provided in the individual’s home, and when a care community may be the better fit. And Nicole outlines the Five Rs of Caregiving (Remain calm, Respond to feelings, Reassure, Remove yourself to gain composure, and Return fully when the person you’re caring for has calmed) to help caregivers sustain quality care without burning out.The episode wraps up with conversation about a free resource for caregivers, called Pathways To Well-Being With Dementia from Dementia Action Alliance, as well as a caregiver certification program that Homewatch CareGivers is developing with Dr. Al Power.

In this episode on the Living with Alzheimer's podcast, Christoph interviews Mary Moreland, author of The Gap Between: Loving and Supporting Someone with Alzheimer’s.They discuss Mary’s experience as a full-time lawyer and single mother of two boys suddenly becoming the caregiver for her mother with Alzheimer’s. They also talk about the book, how Mary approached the grieving process as her mother succumbed to the impacts of dementia, and how caregivers can refuel.The insights Mary gained from her mother’s journey with dementia became a book full of the things she would have found helpful as a caregiver from diagnosis to end of life.You can find Mary’s book and other resources at www.marymoreland.com.

In this episode, Ginger and I speak with Beth Mastel-Smith, professor of nursing at The University of Texas at Tyler, about the Life Story project she is conducting with Michelle Kimzey, professor of nursing at Texas Christian University.The Life Story project pairs nursing students with people living with dementia (called mentors) who share life stories that will help healthcare students better understand how to provide dignified care.We discuss details about the project and share a personal story about Ginger’s recent hospital experience that may have been improved if more of the emergency room staff had participated as students in the Life Story project.If you know a person living with dementia who would like to participate in the Life Story project, call or text Beth at 713.416.5690 or email her at bmastelsmith@uttyler.edu.

In this episode on the Living with Alzheimer's podcast, Christoph discusses sundowning with Claudia Schwenzer, a Care Counselor for Alzheimer’s Association Michigan Chapter. Care counselors help families develop individualized caregiving plans that fit the specific needs of their family member impacted by dementia. Their help can be requested at Alzheimer’s Association’s 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.Sundowning is a state of confusion that occurs for people with dementia, typically in the late afternoon. It can cause a number of behaviors such as confusion, anxiety, aggression or wandering. We discuss the impact, causes and resources for dealing with the phenomenon of sundowning.Claudia also talks about safety considerations and research projects related to dementia and sundowning.Then I speak with my friend Jordan Gilliam who describes his experiences as a caregiver in long-term care facilities. He shares his insights about and approaches to increasing personal dignity and reducing agitation for people living with dementia.Finally, I speak with Ginger about her perceptions and awareness of sundowning as well as how I can help her when she’s dealing with the confusion that occurs when sundowning happens for her.

In this episode of Living with Alzheimer’s, I speak with Caitlin Goyer, Helpline Program Coordinator for Alzheimer’s Association Michigan Chapter, about Alzheimer’s Association’s call-in helpline and the resources it provides families and caregivers. The Alzheimer's Association provides a 24-hour dementia helpline is available at (800) 272-3900 and provides:Local referrals for medical professionals familiar with dementiaLiving communities for people with dementiaInformation about respite for caregiversInformation about respite scholarshipsInformational pamphlets about dementia and caregiving best practicesAdvice for dealing with issues related to caring for someone with dementiaCare consultation to create individualized caregiving plansSupport groups for families and caregiversThen we celebrate a special birthday and speak with Ginger about turning 80.

In this episode of Living with Alzheimer’s, I speak with Neuropsychologist Dr. Michael Lawrence, who is a board certified clinical neuropsychologist operating as the section chief and director of training in clinical neuropsychology and specializing in conducting evaluations of people with potential epilepsy, dementia and concussions.Dr. Lawrence describes three major types of dementia, their typical symptoms and how they differ from each other. We also discuss the science of dementia diagnosis and how it has developed over recent decades. Afterwards, I speak with Ginger about her battle with recurrent urinary tract infections, how they have impacted her dementia symptoms and what we are doing to help prevent future UTIs.