Caregiver support

Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying

I would love to introduce you to two of my favorite people, my friend Mike Belleville and his wife Cheryl Belleville (in the picture above). Mike was diagnosed 8 years ago at the age of 52 with Lewy Body Dementia. Now, at 60 years old, he explains how he lives by his favorite quote, “get busy living or get busy dying.” Mike is a national speaker, advocate and serves on the Advisory Board for the Dementia Action Alliance. His resume of his advocacy efforts is long enough for an additional blog article. Lewy Body Dementia or LBD is often misdiagnosed

September 8, 2021
The A-to-Z Alzheimer’s Caregiver’s Handbook, Written by One Caregiver for Another
Alzheimer's Care

Written by One Caregiver for Another

I received an email after providing an educational program entitled The Journey of Dementia: What the Family Members are Experiencing. This was so meaningful to me that I asked the author if I could use this as a testimonial on my website and here is what he had to say: “I would just like to say it was a very new and refreshing perspective. Over the past six months I have attended many online classes/courses/sessions on Alzheimer’s/Dementia/Caregiving in order to keep current, refreshed, and in tune so I can provide better caregiving support. When you take a lot of classes,

April 21, 2021
Alzheimer's Care

What is Alternatives in Alzheimer’s Care?

This month, I would like to explain what Alternatives in Alzheimer’s Care is and what I do as a Dementia Specialist.  Please see the video interview with Jon Younger, Owner of Assisted Living Locators below.  I speak to what services I provide as a Dementia Specialist. My professional journey over the last 24 years in healthcare allowed me to work with people living with dementia, their families, and healthcare professionals.  My personal journey began with my grandmother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. During the early years of my profession, my maternal grandmother Ruth began to display symptoms of dementia.  Her memory

July 22, 2020
#dementia and COVID-19

Recommendations to Improve the Quality of your Day during Social Isolation

Are you a care partner for your loved one who has dementia?  This is an incredibly difficult time for all of us, but only you know how challenging this time of social distancing has been for you and your loved one.  Adult Day programs are closed, and we do not know when they will open.  Although there are home care agencies who are equipped and educated to provide care in the home, you may resist having anyone enter your home.  This is due to fear of exposing you and your loved one to COVID-19.  This crisis has spawned increased fear,

May 21, 2020
Denying the Human Element
Alzheimer’s Care

Denying the Human Element

I recently interviewed Dr. Michele Ricard, Gerontologist. Dr. Ricard is a specialist in Geriatric and Internal Medicine. She is a Certified Medical Director serving patients living in skilled nursing and rehab facilities. Throughout most of her career, Dr. Ricard was a Clinical Instructor for medical students until retirement 2 years ago. She frequently lectures, sharing her years and wealth of knowledge, to inspire and educate medical professionals. I have had the pleasure of knowing and collaborating with Dr. Ricard for many years. She was the founder of the Elder Community Collaborative, originally started to improve communication and outcomes for patients

April 24, 2020
The Art of Utilizing a Fiblet
#Alzheimer's

The Art of Utilizing a Fiblet

What is a fiblet? In the world of dementia, you may understand the term fiblet as a “lie” or “white lie.”  In order to increase the quality of day for the person living with dementia, the caregiver must create moments of peace and reassurance.  I would like you to reframe the term fiblet as a “therapeutic non-truth.”  In general, caregivers prefer to tell the truth.  In the world of dementia, it is referred to as reality orientation.  This choice may not be in the best interest of the person with dementia. If we think of a fiblet as a therapeutic

October 15, 2019
Bettering Your Service Outcomes
Caregiver support

Bettering Your Service Outcomes Through Dementia Education

The investment of educating professional healthcare providers will improve the results of the services you deliver to your clients living with dementia.  The Workforce Development Workgroup researched and wrote Workforce Gaps in Dementia Education and Training in 2017, as part of the National Research Summit: Building Evidence for Services and Supports on Dementia Care, supports this.  The number of people living with dementia continue to grow despite all the research and treatment trials.  We are facing an epidemic that is forcing families to make hard decisions regarding care for their loved one.  In most cases, institutionalization is the last option

May 21, 2019

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