Dementia Careblazers

Most dementia caregivers already know the one thing that could make a difference. They've heard it over and over again. But knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things. In this episode, I share a story from a recent talk where a caregiver told me she'd tried everything to get her husband to stop driving. What happened once we started talking it through is something I want every caregiver to hear, especially when you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed. I'll also explain how the thought "I've tried everything" can keep us from seeing other possibilities, and share a few small ways you can start making room for yourself, even when your time and energy are limited. If you'd like to see this episode on video, you can hop on over to my YouTube channel here. My new book, The Dementia Care Toolkit, shares my essential strategies for challenging dementia behaviors and caregiving overwhelm, including how to adapt those strategies to your own situation when generic advice doesn't work. When you preorder, you'll also get a free 200+ page workbook to help you track what works and become your own best resource. ➡️ Preorder The Dementia Care Toolkit: https://careblazers.com/toolkit → Learn about the Care Collective: https://tinyurl.com/podcast-cc  ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 - The advice caregivers already know 0:42 - When the usual dementia driving advice doesn't work 2:31 - Why "I've tried everything" can keep you stuck 3:38 - The one thing caregivers keep putting off 5:41 - Why generic dementia advice doesn't always work #dementia #dementiacaregiver #caregiverselfcare #dementiacare   --- Hi, I'm Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist specializing in dementia care. Whether your loved one has Alzheimer's, frontotemporal, Lewy body, vascular, or mixed dementia, we believe that to create a dementia-friendly world, we must first create a caregiver-friendly world. This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical guidance.

Helping someone with dementia stay engaged and independent can be challenging, especially when the activities you've tried don't seem to work. But sometimes, small changes in how we set up activities or organize the home can make a meaningful difference. In this episode, I'm joined by Ju Tu, founder of Aegeliss, who turned her family's dementia caregiving experience into thoughtfully designed products that help people with cognitive impairment continue doing more for themselves. ➡️ Shop Aegeliss: https://www.aegeliss.com/nataliedmonds Use code Lovecareblazers for 10% off your first three orders. We talk about why familiar activities like puzzles or folding towels don't always work the way they're usually set up, how visual cues and labels can make everyday tasks easier, and how Montessori-inspired approaches can help people with dementia maintain a sense of independence and purpose. You'll also learn simple things you can try at home, even without buying anything, to make activities more accessible and give your loved one more opportunities to participate on their own terms. If you'd like to see this episode on video, you can hop on over to my YouTube channel here.   📙 Preorder The Dementia Care Toolkit: https://careblazers.com/toolkit → Learn about the Care Collective: https://tinyurl.com/podcast-cc    ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 0:58 - Ju's story of caring for her grandparents 1:56 - What Montessori means in dementia care 3:29 - How losing independence can show up as behaviors 7:01 - Room signs and labels that make home easier 10:14 - Why traditional puzzles can be frustrating in dementia 14:44 - Simple Montessori activities you can try at home 18:12 - Where to place signs so they get noticed 25:20 - The email that keeps Ju going --- Hi, I'm Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist specializing in dementia care. Whether your loved one has Alzheimer's, frontotemporal, Lewy body, vascular, or mixed dementia, we believe that to create a dementia-friendly world, we must first create a caregiver-friendly world. This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical guidance.

When your loved one with dementia seems fine to everyone else, it can leave you feeling like no one believes what you're living with. A sibling says, "Dad seemed great today." A doctor says, "They're doing so well." And you're left wondering if they think you're exaggerating. In this episode, I'm sharing what I told a caregiver who came up to me after a talk with this exact frustration, and what helped me when my own siblings said these things about my dad. I'll walk you through two ways to handle these comments so they don't upset you as much, and explain why someone with dementia can seem perfectly fine during short visits and appointments. If you'd like to see this episode on video, you can hop on over to my YouTube channel here. 📘 My new book, The Dementia Care Toolkit, is available for preorder. It includes an entire section devoted to you, the caregiver, and how to handle the frustration, emotions, and grief that can come with dementia care. ➡️ Preorder The Dementia Care Toolkit: https://careblazers.com/toolkit ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 0:28 - When family says "Dad seems fine" 2:00 - Option 1: Sharing how their comments affect you 3:45 - Option 2: Changing how you think about their comments 6:40 - Why dementia can look so different to others   → Learn about the Care Collective: https://tinyurl.com/podcast-cc  --- Hi, I'm Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist specializing in dementia care. Whether your loved one has Alzheimer's, frontotemporal, Lewy body, vascular, or mixed dementia, we believe that to create a dementia-friendly world, we must first create a caregiver-friendly world. This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical guidance.

When someone with dementia insists they're still safe to drive, describes a visit that never happened, or swears someone is stealing from them, it can look a lot like lying. Or like they're refusing to see what's right in front of them. But a lie means knowing the truth and choosing to say something different, and that's not what's happening here. In this episode, I'm walking through three common dementia symptoms that can look like lying from the outside: anosognosia, confabulation, and delusions. I'll explain what's going on in the brain with each one, how to tell them apart, and the one response that tends to make all three harder. If you'd like to see this episode on video, you can hop on over to my YouTube channel here. If you're left thinking, "Okay, but what do I actually do when this is happening?", my book, The Dementia Care Toolkit, is filled with strategies you can try in situations just like this. It's available for preorder here: ➡️ https://careblazers.com/toolkit  → Learn about the Care Collective: https://tinyurl.com/podcast-cc    ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 1:21 - Anosognosia: when they don't know anything is wrong 3:12 - Confabulation: when the brain fills in a memory gap 4:59 - Delusions: false beliefs that keep coming back 6:01 - What to ask yourself instead of "why are they lying?"   --- Hi, I'm Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist specializing in dementia care. Whether your loved one has Alzheimer's, frontotemporal, Lewy body, vascular, or mixed dementia, we believe that to create a dementia-friendly world, we must first create a caregiver-friendly world. This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical guidance.

Sometimes the strangest dementia behaviors have a pattern or explanation that isn't obvious at first. Maybe your loved one seems fine earlier in the day but becomes restless every evening. Maybe they follow you everywhere, hide or collect unusual things, believe they're living in a different time of their life, or suddenly seem perfectly fine when the doctor walks into the room. After the first strange behaviors episode, so many of you told me your loved one does these things too, or that the explanation finally helped it make sense. So in this episode, I'm breaking down 5 MORE: sundowning, shadowing, hiding and hoarding, time shifting, and show timing. For each one, I explain what may be happening underneath the behavior and what you can try when it happens. If you'd like to see this episode on video, you can hop on over to my YouTube channel here. Because once you see what the brain may be trying to do, a lot of these behaviors start to make sense. And if you want more ideas for what to do when these moments happen, I have two resources that can help: → Preorder the Dementia Care Toolkit Here: https://careblazers.com/toolkit  → Learn about the Care Collective: https://tinyurl.com/podcast-cc    ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 1:39 - #1 Sundowning 6:22 - #2 Shadowing 9:01 - #3 Hiding, hoarding and collecting 13:06 - #4 Time shifting 15:11 - #5 Show timing 18:42 - How all 5 behaviors connect 20:03 - Where to get help with what to try --- Hi, I'm Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist specializing in dementia care. Whether your loved one has Alzheimer's, frontotemporal, Lewy body, vascular, or mixed dementia, we believe that to create a dementia-friendly world, we must first create a caregiver-friendly world. This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical guidance.