AlzAuthors: Untangling Alzheimer's & Dementia

By: AlzAuthors Featured on The Whole Care Network
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  • Summary

  • Welcome to the AlzAuthors podcast! We’re so glad you found us. We're the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer's and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Join us as one of our authors shares their dementia journey, revealing intimate details and painfully obtained knowledge to help others currently on this path. We hope our stories offer comfort and support as we strive to break the silence and stigma surrounding a dementia diagnosis. May one of our authors speak to your experience. For more info please visit https://alzauthors.com.

    Featuring Marianne Sciucco, RN

    Podcast producer and host Marianne Sciucco is a co-founder and director at AlzAuthors and a registered nurse who cared for hundreds of dementia patients over a 20-year career. She provided care to her stepfather during his dementia journey and witnessed the painful decline of four beloved aunts to the disease. 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.

    Learn more about Marianne at AlzAuthors.com.

    Purchase "Blue Hydrangeas"

    Featuring Christy Byrne Yates, M.S., LEP

    Christy is a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP), retired school psychologist, author, speaker and coach/consultant. Her book, “Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving in the Sandwich Generation” recounts her journey as a working mother of two who also managed the care of her parents, both of whom had some form of dementia. Combining her lived experience with her professional expertise in human development, wellness and a strengths based approach to finding solutions, Christy develops content, workshops and coaching to support Sandwiched families. She incorporates meditation, mindfulness and other evidence based mind/body practices into her work. She’s worked with care communities, financial professionals, estate planners and employers. Christy has a master’s degree in counseling psychology, and graduate credentials in both education and school psychology.

    Learn more about Christy at AlzAuthors.com.

    AlzAuthors is an Amazon Affiliate and may receive a small commission on book sales at no cost to you.
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Episodes
  • Dual Diagnosis: When Both Parents Have Dementia at the Same Time

    Dual Diagnosis: When Both Parents Have Dementia at the Same Time
    Jan 14 2025
    We’re excited to share a powerful new episode: "Dual Diagnosis: When Both Parents Have Dementia at the Same Time,” a replay of a live panel discussion held on November 19, 2024. Host Marianne Sciucco guides us through a powerful conversation with guests Vicki Tapia, Frank Silverstein, and Jean Lee, along with podcast co-host Christy Byrne Yates. Highlights: Vicki Tapia recounts her deeply personal experience of navigating her parents' aging and dementia, which included her father’s Parkinson’s Disease and her mother’s Alzheimer’s. She delves into the challenging decisions regarding her mother’s resistance to accepting help, overseeing their care without the help of her only sibling, and her parent’s eventual move to assisted living. She’s the author of Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia. Filmmaker Frank Silverstein shares the profound narrative of documenting his parents' dementia journey, initially through cell phone recordings, which eventually transformed into a powerful film project, Lousy: Love in the Time of Dementia. He opens up about the emotional challenges, capturing moments of humor amidst the pain, and the ethical considerations involved in their care. Jean Lee, author of the memoir Alzheimer’s Daughter, discusses the guilt and emotional turmoil of turning her private family journey into a published book. She shares how writing became a transformative healing process, which has also brought hope and understanding to many others facing similar challenges. Christy Byrne Yates, author of Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving in the Sandwich Generation, provides insightful tips on managing family dynamics and maintaining communication as the primary caregiver. Drawing from her personal experience and professional knowledge, she emphasizes the importance of creating memories and the lasting impact caregiving has on younger generations. In this episode, you will: Discover effective strategies for caring for parents with dementia that enhance their quality of life.Learn how to foster better communication and cooperation among siblings in the challenging role of caregiving for a parent with dementia.Explore the importance of documenting the dementia journey and learn how to create a meaningful record of your caregiving experience. Buy the books: Somebody Stole My Iron Alzheimer’s Daughter Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving in the Sandwich Generation Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission from book sales. Watch Lousy: Love in the Time of Dementia About the Podcast We are the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer’s and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Our podcast introduces you to our authors who share their stories and insights to provide knowledge, comfort, and support. Please subscribe so you don’t miss a word. If our authors’ stories move you, please leave a review. And don’t forget to share our podcast with family and friends on their own dementia journeys. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please donate here. Ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the speakers and not AlzAuthors. Always consult your healthcare provider and legal and financial consultants for advice on any of the topics covered here. Thanks for listening. We are a Whole Care Network Featured Podcast Proud to be on The Health Podcast Network Find us on The World Podcast Network and babyboomer.org Want to be on the podcast? Here’s what you need to know We’ve got merch! Shop our Store
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Supporting Caregivers Through Uncertainty: A Clinical Psychologist's Journey

    Supporting Caregivers Through Uncertainty: A Clinical Psychologist's Journey
    Jan 7 2025
    Allison Applebaum, PhD, is a clinical psychologist with 15 years of experience in psycho-oncology and a pioneer in caregiver support services. She discovered the critical role family caregivers play in healthcare while during her work with terminally ill cancer patients, where she witnessed the immense impact of caregiving on families. Struck by the lack of targeted support services for caregivers, Allison founded the Caregivers Clinic at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 2011, the first targeted psychosocial care program for family caregivers in a cancer center, to address this crucial need. Soon after, her understanding of the challenges faced by caregivers became deeply personal when she took on the role of caregiver for her father, world-renowned musician Stanley Applebaum, who had Lewy Body Disease. This dual experience, both professionally and personally, sparked her motivation to advocate for improved support and validation for caregivers, leading her to author "Stand by Me,” which aims to make caregiver support accessible to the millions of caregivers across the country. Her expertise and passion for this critical issue make her a valuable resource for anyone navigating the complexities of caregiving. In this episode, you will: Uncover the psychological effects of caregiving and understand how to address and manage them for overall well-being.Discover effective strategies for supporting caregivers in healthcare settings to enhance the quality of care and support provided.Learn the importance of effective communication in providing quality care for loved ones. The resources mentioned in this episode are: The book, Stand by Me, by Allison Applebaum can be found on Amazon, the Simon and Schuster website, and AlzAuthors.com. Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission from book sales.To learn more about the book and keep up to date with any events, visit Allison Applebaum's website at allisonapplebaum.com.Listen to audio of all the songs referenced in the book on Allison’s website.Read Allison's blog post to learn more about her story.Access Allison's Tool Kit “Developing Caregiver Clinical Services: A Toolkit for Cancer Centers and Staff” for the American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/cancer-control/en/toolkits/caregiver-clinic-toolkit.pdf About the Podcast AlzAuthors is the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer’s and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Our podcast introduces you to our authors who share their stories and insights to provide knowledge, comfort, and support. Please subscribe so you don’t miss a word. If our authors’ stories move you, please leave a review. And don’t forget to share our podcast with family and friends on their own dementia journeys. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please donate here. Ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the speakers and not AlzAuthors. Always consult your healthcare provider and legal and financial consultants for advice on any of the topics covered here. Thanks for listening. We are a Whole Care Network Featured Podcast Proud to be on The Health Podcast Network Find us on The World Podcast Network and babyboomer.org Want to be on the podcast? Here’s what you need to know We’ve got merch! Shop our Store
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    56 mins
  • Sisterly Shove: Navigating Family Conflicts in Dementia Care with Malia Kline

    Sisterly Shove: Navigating Family Conflicts in Dementia Care with Malia Kline
    Dec 17 2024
    Family caregiving is a profound and complex journey, particularly when faced with dementia or terminal illnesses. In this podcast episode, a replay of a Books & Chit Chat discussion, we delve into the experiences of Malia Kline, co-author of "Sisterly Shove." She shares her heartfelt story of caring for her aging parents and the intricate dynamics encountered with her physician sister and co-author Diane Stinson. Malia’s caregiving journey begins with her family grappling with the twin burdens of her father’s dementia and her mother’s pancreatic cancer. Malia and Diane had differing views on their care, which involved moving each parent cross-country from one sister’s care to the other’s. Diane, a pathologist, believed different medical decisions could extend their lives. Malia wished them relief from suffering even if it resulted in death. However, these differing perspectives did not create a chasm between them; instead, they brought the sisters closer in their shared mission. Writing a book with alternating chapters from each perspective helped in this process. For Malia, writing "Sisterly Shove" with Diane was not just a story-telling endeavor but a therapeutic journey. The collaborative process allowed them to alternate writing and editing chapters, facilitating understanding and maintaining their relationship. Their book provides an intimate perspective on caregiving challenges, sibling dynamics, and their fight against the medical establishment. Through excerpts read during the podcast, we gain insights into how the sisters' different approaches reflected their childhood personalities and shaped their caregiving strategies. Malia emphasizes the importance of journaling and writing as tools for preserving memories and coping with the complex emotions of caregiving. In this episode, you will: Understand the impact of dementia on the entire family dynamic, not just the individual.Learn how to navigate complex sibling dynamics in elder care to foster a more cohesive and collaborative caregiving approach.Discover effective coping strategies when caring for a loved one with dementia, creating a more harmonious caregiving environment.See how writing is a powerful tool for processing and managing the emotional complexities of caregiving. After the Podcast Purchase Sisterly Shove Learn more about Malia at AlzAuthors.co Learn more about the Moderators Marianne Sciucco Christy Byrne Yates Learn more about Aging & Amazing Sign up for the book club About the Podcast AlzAuthors is the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer’s and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Our podcast introduces you to our authors who share their stories and insights to provide knowledge, comfort, and support. Please subscribe so you don’t miss a word. If our authors’ stories move you, please leave a review. And don’t forget to share our podcast with family and friends on their own dementia journeys. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please donate here. Ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the speakers and not AlzAuthors. Always consult your healthcare provider and legal and financial consultants for advice on any of the topics covered here. Thanks for listening. We are a Whole Care Network Featured Podcast Proud to be on The Health Podcast Network Find us on The World Podcast Network and babyboomer.org Want to be on the podcast? Here’s what you need to know We’ve got merch! Shop our Store
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    59 mins

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