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In this replay of an Aging & Amazing Book Club discussion, we engage in a deep and emotional conversation with Carolyn Birrell, discussing her personal experience as a caregiver for her mother, wh…

In this replay of an…

In this replay of an Aging & Amazing Book Club discussion, we engage in a deep and emotional conversation with Carolyn Birrell, discussing her personal experience as a caregiver for her mother, who had dementia.Carolyn, author of Walking with Fay: My Mother’s Uncharted Path into Dementia, shares her story of coping with the challenges of Caregiving, its emotional toll, and the need to find humor and love in the face of difficult and unlovable behavior from her mother. She also shares the emotional story of the last days of her mother’s life during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown.…

Unexpectedly, a physician's journey of caring for her father with Alzheimer's disease leads to groundbreaking insights. From reversing cognitive decline to the impact of emotional Trauma, Dr. Helena P…

Unexpectedly, a phys…

Unexpectedly, a physician's journey of caring for her father with Alzheimer's disease leads to groundbreaking insights. From reversing cognitive decline to the impact of emotional trauma, Dr. Helena Popovic shares a wealth of evidence-based strategies for caregivers. Her unique blend of personal experience and scientific knowledge sheds light on effective coping strategies and self-care techniques for those caring for individuals with Alzheimer's. Get ready to dive into a treasure trove of information, humor, and Wisdom, as Dr. Popovic reveals the power of joy, gratitude, and holistic well-bei…

Have you heard these myths about faith's role in caregiving?Myth 1: Faith won't make a difference in the practical challenges.Myth 2: Caregivers must be perfect in their faith to make a difference.M…

Have you heard these…

Have you heard these myths about faith's role in caregiving?Myth 1: Faith won't make a difference in the practical challenges.Myth 2: Caregivers must be perfect in their faith to make a difference.Myth 3: Faith won't alleviate the emotional toll of caregiving.Let's unravel them with our guest Dorothy Horne in this replay of Books & Chit Chat with Aging & Amazing. We touch on everything from clinical trials to the role of faith, and the power of community and positive narratives on the dementia journey.Dorothy, a retired first-grade teacher and former columnist for a local newspap…

Caring for a spouse with dementia is a deeply challenging and emotional journey. In this episode, hosts Marianne Sciucco and Christy Byrne Yates bring together three extraordinary guests: Richard Crei…

Caring for a spouse …

Caring for a spouse with dementia is a deeply challenging and emotional journey. In this episode, hosts Marianne Sciucco and Christy Byrne Yates bring together three extraordinary guests: Richard Creighton (aka Frank Brown), Scott Rose, and Tio Stib (aka Stephen Miller), who share their personal experiences and hard-earned insights.Richard Creighton shares his journey caring for his wife Kate, who is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's. He discusses the daily routines that bring them joy and emphasizes the profound impact of kindness and community support. Richard blogs about their Alzheim…

Marianne and Christy engage in a heartfelt conversation with Allene Symons, devoted caregiver to her late husband Allen, who battled Lewy Body dementia. She’s the author of Love in a Time of Caterp…

Marianne and Christy…

Marianne and Christy engage in a heartfelt conversation with Allene Symons, devoted caregiver to her late husband Allen, who battled Lewy Body dementia. She’s the author of Love in a Time of Caterpillars: A Memoir of Monarchs and Caregiving. Her unique perspective on utilizing butterfly Gardening as a source of Therapy and joy, along with her insights on managing personal health crises during caregiving, make her a compelling and relatable guest. Allene shares how their hobby of tending to a butterfly garden became a source of therapy and hope, offering moments of respite and joy amidst the…

One parent with dementia is challenging enough, but when you have TWO parents with dementia while raising young children it’s easy to fall into despair and chaos. When Christy Byrne Yates, a license…

One parent with deme…

One parent with dementia is challenging enough, but when you have TWO parents with dementia while raising young children it’s easy to fall into despair and chaos. When Christy Byrne Yates, a licensed educational psychologist, writer, and speaker, found herself in this situation she learned the necessary skills she needed to not only provide care to her parents and children but also to herself.In this replay of the AlzAuthors Aging & Amazing Books & Chit Chat discussion, she shares her insights, offering practical tips on navigating family dynamics, building a Legacy of love in care…

In this heartfelt episode of AlzAuthors, we dive into the emotional and practical aspects of caring for loved ones with dementia, with a special focus on family memories and intergenerational bonds. J…

In this heartfelt ep…

In this heartfelt episode of AlzAuthors, we dive into the emotional and practical aspects of caring for loved ones with dementia, with a special focus on family memories and intergenerational bonds. Jeannette Fazzari Jones shares a particularly touching story about her experiences with her grandparents’ dementia, detailing both the struggles and joys she encountered along the way. She is the author of the beautifully illustrated children's book, Meatballs for Grandpa.We talk about how the many senses like touch and smell impact memory, and how to use sensory activities to connect not just …

Christy Byrne Yates moderates an Aging & Amazing book club discussion with co-host Marianne Sciucco on the value of fiction in dementia caregiving.Marianne, a founder and manager of AlzAuthors, …

Christy Byrne Yates …

Christy Byrne Yates moderates an Aging & Amazing book club discussion with co-host Marianne Sciucco on the value of fiction in dementia caregiving.Marianne, a founder and manager of AlzAuthors, and also board president, podcast producer and host, draws from her experiences as a nurse and personal caregiver to share her journey and the inspiration behind her novel, "Blue Hydrangeas: An Alzheimer's Love Story."A registered nurse, she was drawn into the world of Alzheimer's and dementia care through personal experiences with family members affected by the disease. Working in the dementia …

Welcome to the AlzAuthors podcast, where we explore the power of collaboration and unity within the dementia community. In this episode, we're joined by Gina Awad from the U.K, who has channeled her p…

Welcome to the AlzAu…

Welcome to the AlzAuthors podcast, where we explore the power of collaboration and unity within the dementia community. In this episode, we're joined by Gina Awad from the U.K, who has channeled her passion for dementia care into valuable insights for caregivers. Her journey began at a young age, witnessing the impact of dementia on individuals in care homes, which fueled her dedication to the cause. Her background in health and social care, combined with her personal experiences, has led her to author the illustrated book "United: Caring for Our Loved Ones with Dementia," providing caregivers…

In this podcast, host Marianne Sciucco is joined by an ensemble of talented poets to officially launch our anthology, Poetry for the Dementia Journey. This collection brings together caregivers who ha…

In this podcast, hos…

In this podcast, host Marianne Sciucco is joined by an ensemble of talented poets to officially launch our anthology, Poetry for the Dementia Journey. This collection brings together caregivers who have personally navigated the complexities of caregiving, diagnosis, and emotional upheavals tied to Alzheimer's and dementia.They write about many of the situations common to caregivers: the impact of the initial diagnosis, moving into assisted living or memory care, saying goodbye. From touching moments with loved ones to the nuanced challenges of caregiving, these poems offer solace, understand…

How would you navigate the complication of having your spouse display Dissociative Identity Disorder - previously called Multiple Personality Disorder - alongside symptoms of Alzheimer’s? Today, we …

How would you naviga…

How would you navigate the complication of having your spouse display Dissociative Identity Disorder - previously called Multiple Personality Disorder - alongside symptoms of Alzheimer’s? Today, we delve into the memoir "Don't Forget to Dance" with Marc Alderdice for our June Books & Chit Chat with Aging and Amazing. Marc takes us on a poignant journey through his wife Mary's battle with early-onset Alzheimer's, starting at age 59, and the extraordinary challenges they faced together, including her struggles with dissociative identity disorder.We explore the deeply personal experiences…

Welcome back to the podcast where we share the powerful stories of those who have been impacted by Alzheimer's and dementia. In this episode, Christy and Marianne sit down with Sue Fagalde Lick, a rem…

Welcome back to the …

Welcome back to the podcast where we share the powerful stories of those who have been impacted by Alzheimer's and dementia. In this episode, Christy and Marianne sit down with Sue Fagalde Lick, a remarkable poet, author, musician, and dog lover from the Oregon coast. Sue shares her deeply moving story of caring for her husband, Fred, throughout their Alzheimer’s journey until his passing.We dive into Sue's earlier work, Childless by Marriage, and explore her latest writings on widowhood and life after dementia, including her poetry anthologies and newly published memoir,  No Way Out o…

This podcast is a replay of our recent panel discussion on LGBTQ+ caregiver concerns, hosted by Sue Evans of Kensington Senior Living and AlzAuthors. Authors Laura Davis, Christopher MacLellan, Vincen…

This podcast is a re…

This podcast is a replay of our recent panel discussion on LGBTQ+ caregiver concerns, hosted by Sue Evans of Kensington Senior Living and AlzAuthors. Authors Laura Davis, Christopher MacLellan, Vincent Zappacosta, and Douglass Christensen joined Sue, Christy and I as we delved into the complexities of caregiving within the LGBTQ+ community. They shared personal stories, insightful advice, and meaningful discussions about their caregiving journeys, offering knowledge and support to others currently caring for a loved one.Empathy emerged as a recurring theme during the discussion. The group ex…

Vicki Tapia is a founder of AlzAuthors and the author of Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia. In this replay of a recent Aging and Amazing book club discussion, Vicki shares profound i…

Vicki Tapia is a fou…

Vicki Tapia is a founder of AlzAuthors and the author of Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia. In this replay of a recent Aging and Amazing book club discussion, Vicki shares profound insights from her personal experiences. She discusses how caring for two parents with dementia placed a considerable strain on her personal support system. A long-distance caregiver, she found the challenges of managing her parent's concerning behaviors and medical needs from 200 miles away daunting. Their rural community and limited medical resources confounded the situation as well. Her only sibl…

Welcome to another insightful episode of Untangling Alzheimer's and Dementia, and a replay of our recent book club with Aging and Amazing. In this episode, we bring together a panel of poets who share…

Welcome to another i…

Welcome to another insightful episode of Untangling Alzheimer's and Dementia, and a replay of our recent book club with Aging and Amazing. In this episode, we bring together a panel of poets who share a common thread—each has navigated the challenges of caring for a loved one with dementia. Your hosts, Marianne Sciucco and Ann Campanella, along with guest authors Daniel Potts, MD, Sue Fagalde Lick, Sherri Levine, and Margaret Stawowy delve into the world of poetry as a powerful outlet for expressing the complex emotions tied to Alzheimer's and dementia care.Listen as these courageous careg…

Perhaps you can’t cure or even prevent Alzheimer’s, but what if you could slow the disease progression? Want to unlock the secrets to living in the moment with Alzheimer's? Get ready to embrace pr…

Perhaps you can’t …

Perhaps you can’t cure or even prevent Alzheimer’s, but what if you could slow the disease progression? Want to unlock the secrets to living in the moment with Alzheimer's? Get ready to embrace practical advice and actionable insights for a positive journey with Alzheimer's and dementia in this podcast with Danel Gibbs, MD. He’s a retired neurologist with extensive knowledge in the anatomy of the brain and the disease process of Alzheimer's and dementia. His personal experience living with Alzheimer's provides a unique perspective, enhancing his credibility in discussing practical app…

Delight in the surprising journey of Ruth Stevens, from crafting a stage play to penning a heartfelt novel about Alzheimer's. Delve into the unexpected twists and turns as Ruth shares her personal exp…

Delight in the surpr…

Delight in the surprising journey of Ruth Stevens, from crafting a stage play to penning a heartfelt novel about Alzheimer's. Delve into the unexpected twists and turns as Ruth shares her personal experiences and the emotional impact of her work. Stay tuned for eye-opening insights on turning personal stories into fiction and a sneak peek into her upcoming duology. Get ready to be captivated by Ruth's incredible journey, as she shares the highs and lows of her creative process.For our March installment of Books & Chit Chat, our monthly Book Club collaboration with Aging & Amazing, we…

When you’re caregiving, it can often feel like you are out there on your own without direction or resources. Sometimes, it can even feel like your healthcare providers aren’t able to meet your nee…

When you’re caregi…

When you’re caregiving, it can often feel like you are out there on your own without direction or resources. Sometimes, it can even feel like your healthcare providers aren’t able to meet your needs. If any of this sounds familiar, this episode will be of comfort.Our special guest is Lance A. Slatton.Lance A. Slatton, the founder of a prominent home care company in southeastern Michigan, brings a wealth of personal experience and professional expertise to the table. His caregiving journey, rooted in profound connections with his grandparents and later involving the care of his grandmot…