The Resilient Caregiver: Empowering Those Who Serve People Diagnosed with Dementia

Please enjoy this episode of The Resilient Caregiver Podcast where we empower those who serve people diagnosed with dementia by providing unbiased information and the encouragement necessary to maintain caregiver wellness. This podcast is brought to you by the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Southwest Wisconsin.

Today our guest is Suzanne Bottum-Jones. Suzanne is a registered nurse with more than 15 years of experience working with the management of behaviors and psychological symptoms associated with dementia, brain injury, and other forms of cognitive impairment. She is a nationally recognized speaker, behavioral consultant, educator, and advocate who works to encourage health professionals and caregivers to include behavioral strategies designed to move beyond pharmacologic-only interventions. She is currently involved in developing and piloting ABAIT (Agitated Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Tools), a software platform designed to merge with electronic medical records that assist healthcare professionals and caregivers to improve quality of life and health outcomes for dementia patients. Suzanne, thank you for joining me on the Resilient Caregiver podcast!

If you'd like our Brain Health Bulletin, email us at bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Music: Star Night by Wonderland, New City by Josh Leake, Forest by the Sea by Beneath the Mountain

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Please enjoy this episode of The Resilient Caregiver Podcast where we empower those who serve people diagnosed with dementia by providing unbiased information and the encouragement necessary to maintain caregiver wellness. This podcast is brought to you by the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Southwest Wisconsin.

Today our guest is Carla Berscheit. She’s a Dementia Care Specialist for the Aging & Disability Resource Centers serving Chippewa and Dunn Counties in Wisconsin. Prior to joining the ADRC Carla worked as an Occupational Therapist for over 25 years, primarily working with older adults in a short-term rehabilitation setting, when they were recovering from an injury or surgery. Often, the people she worked with had varying stages of dementia too, which required additional evaluation and coordination to ensure a safe return to their prior living environment.

Carla also cared for her mother that lived with dementia for 6 years. Carla understands the challenges, concerns, and isolation that can accompany being a caregiver of someone living with dementia. She has a passion for reaching caregivers and empowering them with education and resources to do their personal best as they serve as care partners. Carla, thank you for joining me on the Resilient Caregiver podcast!

If you'd like our Brain Health Bulletin, email us at bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Music: Star Night by Wonderland, New City by Josh Leake, Forest by the Sea by Beneath the Mountain

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Happy New Year!

If you'd like our Brain Health Bulletin, email us at bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Music: New City by Josh Leake, Last Leaf on the Tree by Hans Johnson

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Please enjoy this episode of The Resilient Caregiver Podcast where we empower those who serve people diagnosed with dementia by providing unbiased information and the encouragement necessary to maintain caregiver wellness. This podcast is brought to you by the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Southwest Wisconsin.

Today our guest is Dr. Kalisha Bonds-Johnson. She is an Assistant Professor, Tenure Track, at Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt specializing as a Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in 2012 and more recently graduated with a PhD from Oregon Health & Science University. During her PhD studies, she focused on quality of life for African Americans diagnosed with dementia and their caregivers and how interpersonal factors such as decision-making affected quality of life. I’m excited to learn today from Dr. Bonds-Johnson how culturally tailored clinical interventions can help us improve health outcomes for African-Americans living with dementia and their families. Doctor, welcome to the show!

If you'd like our Brain Health Bulletin, email us at bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Music: Star Night by Wonderland, New City by Josh Leake, Forest by the Sea by Beneath the Mountain

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Please enjoy this episode of The Resilient Caregiver Podcast where we empower those who serve people diagnosed with dementia by providing unbiased information and the encouragement necessary to maintain caregiver wellness. This podcast is brought to you by the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Southwest Wisconsin.

Today our guest is Alban Maino. Alban is the CEO of Memory Lane TV, a streaming platform for people living with dementia. Memory Lane TV is a tool care partners can use to help manage the many moods and behaviors often caused by or associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. This therapeutically designed audio-visual content is delivered by being streamed into your home or healthcare organization via the internet. Many of the content modules are designed to be used in tandem with specifically paired aromas to stimulate the sense of smell in addition to audio and visual stimulation. When you’re looking for a non-pharmacological option to help reduce conflict, orient your care receiver to calming stimuli, and access decades of science based research in your caregiving process, consider learning more about Memory Lane TV during this episode of The Resilient Caregiver Podcast.

If you'd like our Brain Health Bulletin, email us at bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Music: Star Night by Wonderland, New City by Josh Leake, Forest by the Sea by Beneath the Mountain

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Please enjoy this reflection on resilience after seeing the play called Grandpa & Lucy by Climb Theater!

If you'd like our Brain Health Bulletin, email us at bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Music: I Do by Balloon Planet

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Here is a grounding meditation for care partners of people diagnosed with dementia. Use it as needed to help ground and center yourself during your process of providing care! It was created by Ben Biddick, the host of this podcast, and one of the Dementia Care Specialists from the ADRC of Southwest Wisconsin! If you'd like to schedule a talk, training, or meditation session for care partners, reach out today to bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Today we have two guests on The Resilient Caregiver Podcast! Edie Weinstein and Climb Theater’s Anton Jones join us!

As a ninth grade student, Edie wrote a book called Grandpa and Lucy for a Girl Scout Silver Award Project to help more people learn about dementia. It was published October 16, 2017, and has gone on to contribute to building strong intergenerational relationships while raising awareness about dementia globally. Anton is a Minneapolis based Playwright, Director, Composer, and Theatre Educator. He earned his MFA from the University of Iowa and has directed for Pillsbury House Theatre, The Illusion Theatre, Great American History Theatre, and is a 2 time recipient of the Playwright’s Center Jerome Many Voices Fellowship. The music he has composed has been featured at Pillsbury House Theatre and Illusion. As a teaching artist he has worked with North High School to develop a hip-hop adaptation of Lord of The Flies as well as teaching classes with a focus on ensemble created work through theatres at Children’s Theatre’s Company, Pangea World Theatre, Penumbra, and The Guthrie Theatre. As a part of Climb Theater, whose mission is to inspire and propel young people toward acts that benefit themselves, each other, and their community, Anton and his team brings Edie’s book to life! Thank you both for joining me on The Resilient Caregiver Podcast!

If you'd like our Brain Health Bulletin, email us at bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Music: Star Night by Wonderland, Forest by the Sea by Beneath the Mountain, and New City by Josh Leake

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Make sure you subscribe and share to help anyone else who may benefit from this information!

Please enjoy the opening remarks of Former Governor of Wisconsin and Author of My Two Elaine's Marty Schreiber from the Male Caregiver Panel on 8.4.2022. 

If you'd like our Brain Health Bulletin, email us at bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Welcome everyone! Usually we're bringing you The Resilient Caregiver Podcast designed to empower care partners to be resilient during their journey of caregiving! Today we’re offering you something different. Recently the amazing Bonnie Beam-Stratz, who is a Dementia Care Specialist in Southwest Wisconsin, organized a Male Caregiver Panel where four current and prior care partners shared details, insights, and encouragement stemming from their experiences caring for a loved one diagnosed with dementia. We offer you the audio from this event in case you were unable to be there in person on August 4, 2022. We hope it may be of value to any listeners who may also be care partners of someone diagnosed with dementia. Please share with anyone who would benefit from it! Please be aware that there are Dementia Care Specialists available in every county in Wisconsin if you need to reach out! If you're listening from a location beyond Wisconsin please reach out to the local resources available to you in your area! You are not alone!

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Welcome to the Resilient Caregiver Podcast where we empower those who serve people diagnosed with dementia by providing unbiased information and the encouragement necessary to maintain caregiver wellness. This podcast is brought to you by the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Southwest Wisconsin. Today our guest is the legendary Marty Schreiber. He served as Governor of Wisconsin after being elected three times to the state Senate. He served two terms as Lieutenant Governor and has become one of the nation’s most visible spokespersons on behalf of care partners who serve those diagnosed with dementia. He’s the author of My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver. I linked up with Marty on August 3, 2022, after he spoke at the Men’s Caregiver Panel organized by the amazing Bonnie Beam-Stratz at the Kelch Aviation Center in Brodhead, Wisconsin. Marty, thank you for joining me on The Resilient Caregiver Podcast!

Music: New City by Josh Leake. Star Night by Wonderland. Forest By the Sea by Beneath the Mountain. 

If you'd like a copy of the latest volume of our Brain Health Bulletin, send us an email at bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.

Lynn Gall joins Ben Biddick to discuss how worker shortages in Wisconsin compound the challenges caregivers and care partners face as they serve others with dementia. Lynn is the Family Caregiver Support Program Manager at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and shares her insights into how employers can work together with caregivers to ensure both work and caregiving objectives can be fulfilled without excessive stress and anxiety. If you're an employer seeking to retain staff at your company during the Great Resignation, this episode offers you some valuable insight into how you can earn the trust and loyalty of the caregivers who work at your company during these very challenging times.

Also, if you'd like a copy of the latest volume of our Brain Health Bulletin, send us an email at bbiddick@gchsd.org!

Disclaimer

Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ADRC, or its officers, employees or agents.