Kathy Smith Shoaf, RN, is a Travel Expert with 30+ years of clinical and management experience in Geriatric, Rehabilitation, and senior housing as an RN and ATP. She realized after years of counseling families that the quest to enjoy life after a dementia diagnosis “Should Never Have to Stop.” Kathy has created a way for this to happen by offering “Dementia Cruises” for those living with dementia, their family members, and their caregivers, by creating perfect moments of joy for everyone. Don’t miss this very important episode! Some of the highlights include:

• How and why Kathy created travel opportunities in a wide range of exclusive cruises for anyone living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.
• Kathy goes into great detail describing a typical dementia cruise that includes the cruise, land tours, and topical social itineraries, along with custom-created activities, and how she and her staff successfully make that all happen.
• Kathy shares her passion for making and delivering “Amazing Memories” for those even when accessibility challenges and clinical issues exist. She is dedicated to making sure everyone, including those afflicted with limiting conditions, are able to enjoy their lives to the fullest.
• And much, much, more.  

Mentioned Resources: www.elitecruisesandvacationstravel.com

About the Guest:

Kathy Smith Shoaf, RN, is a Travel Expert with 30+ years of clinical and management experience in Geriatric, Rehabilitation, and senior housing as an RN and ATP. She realized after years of counseling families that the quest to enjoy life after a dementia diagnosis “Should Never Have to Stop.” Kathy has created a way for this to happen by offering “Dementia Cruises” for those living with dementia, their family members, and their caregivers.

About the Host:

Author Lisa Skinner is a behavioral specialist with expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. In her 30+year career working with family members and caregivers, Lisa has taught them how to successfully navigate the many challenges that accompany this heartbreaking disease. Lisa is both a Certified Dementia Practitioner and is also a certified dementia care trainer through the Alzheimer’s Association. She also holds a degree in Human Behavior.

Her latest book, “Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s – Its Secret Faces” continues Lisa’s quest of working with dementia-related illnesses and teaching families and caregivers how to better understand the daunting challenges of brain disease. Her #1 Best-seller book “Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost,” was written at their urging. As someone who has had eight family members diagnosed with dementia, Lisa Skinner has found her calling in helping others through the struggle so they can have a better-quality relationship with their loved ones through education and through her workshops on counter-intuitive solutions and tools to help people effectively manage the symptoms of brain disease. Lisa Skinner has appeared on many national and regional media broadcasts. Lisa helps explain behaviors caused by dementia, encourages those who feel burdened, and gives practical advice for how to respond.

So many people today are heavily impacted by Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. The Alzheimer's Association and the World Health Organization have projected that the number of people who will develop Alzheimer's disease by the year 2050 worldwide will triple if a treatment or cure is not found. Society is not prepared to care for the projected increase of people who will develop this devastating disease. In her 30 years of working with family members and caregivers who suffer from dementia, Lisa has recognized how little people really understand the complexities of what living with this disease is really like. For Lisa, it starts with knowledge, education, and training.

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