In this episode, we embrace the gray areas of dementia care with help from Dr. Catherine Madison, author of Navigating Memory Loss: Essential Questions And Answers On Alzheimer's And Dementia. Dr Madison introduces us to anosognosia - when we don't remember what we don't remember - and how to cope with it. We discuss the challenge and necessity of unlearning things we were taught as children, and how Hogeweyk - an innovative dementia village in the Netherlands is letting things happen. There’s a bittersweet update on Mom’s new penchant for solo musical numbers and tips for the tough work of crafting end of life instructions while you still can.

Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Navigating-Memory-Loss-Essential-Alzheimers/dp/B0FMGR232F

https://www.mdmemorycare.com/

https://hogeweyk.dementiavillage.com/

• (00:00:00) - Interview
• (00:02:58) - Dementia Care: Unreasonably Irrational Events
• (00:04:27) - Mom's Singing Ditties
• (00:06:16) - Dr. Katherine Madison on Alzheimer's and Dementia
• (00:07:40) - Dr. Remington Dolby on Alzheimer's and dementia
• (00:09:58) - Dementia and the Alzheimer's Association
• (00:12:39) - Anosognosia and the evaluation of it
• (00:15:02) - Dementia: Different Realities
• (00:21:18) - How to Deal with Behavioural Dementia
• (00:27:13) - Is There a Premonition of Death in the Final Months of
• (00:30:41) - Decisions about end of life for people with dementia
• (00:39:00) - Talking About Death and Dying
• (00:39:58) - The social model for dementia care
• (00:48:50) - Dr. Catherine Madison on Alzheimer's and Dementia
• (00:50:10) - A caregiver's concerns about her dementia village
• (00:53:56) - How to Care for a Parent With Dementia
• (00:58:09) - Joanna: Thanks for listening to our podcast. You're already listening, so we appreciate you

Closing our series on Senior Tech, we are joined by Juliet Holt Klinger, a gerontologist and dementia care expert with 40 years of experience, including leadership at the nation's largest senior care network. Juliet brings a wealth of knowledge from her successful career and pivot to emerging technologies. In this fascinating discussion, we explore how AI and other tech tools are shaping the future of dementia care and aging in place. She shares insights on practical tech applications, privacy considerations and retrofitting tips to improve safety and quality of life for seniors. We also dive into the larger questions about what impact this tech may have on the healthcare system and how we can shape it for the better.

Resources Mentioned:

Ask Elbi – Ai-powered guidance app for dementia caregivers.

SafelyYou – AI-enabled fall detection for senior care.

Brookdale – Senior living and memory care solutions.

• (00:00:00) - In the Elevator With Talking Heads
• (00:02:05) - Jill Schumacher's Mother Passes Away
• (00:04:17) - This Week's Guest: Juliet Holt Klinger on Technology for Sen
• (00:07:10) - Juliet Holker on Tech and Dementia
• (00:10:30) - The Future of AI in dementia Caregiving
• (00:18:34) - Seniors and the AI of their care
• (00:26:23) - Questions about the Training of the AI in dementia care
• (00:32:14) - How to Get in the Bathroom With a Paralyzed Mom
• (00:33:45) - How to help someone with dementia cross a threshold
• (00:38:35) - How to Prepare a Mother's Bathroom for Alzheimer's
• (00:42:16) - Gardent Living: The Future of Senior Living
• (00:50:26) - Should Seniors Buy an ADU?
• (00:54:26) - Seniors and the Tech of Caregiving
• (00:59:11) - 3 Takeaways From Juliet's Conversation About AI in Senior Care
• (01:06:17) - Oh, My Pretty Face

How much tech is too much tech when monitoring a senior? After the siblings share how they navigated this balance with Joanna, they are joined by the team at Nomo Smart Care—an innovative monitoring system designed to help seniors maintain independence while giving caregivers much-needed peace of mind. President David Baer and Vice President of Marketing Lindsay Park stop by to discuss their unique approach to safety, which utilizes physical tags, motion detection, and proprietary software to ensure a safety net that respects privacy. Tune in to learn about Nomo’s features and how this technology is fundamentally transforming the caregiving experience. AND...use code Joanna10 for $10 off the Nomo Smart Care Essential Care Kit at nomosmartcare.com.

• (00:00:10) - Keeping the Home Safe for My Daughter
• (00:04:25) - Do Caregiving Cameras Hurt Your Mom's Privacy?
• (00:08:25) - Nomo Smart Care: Opening a Package
• (00:08:55) - Where Nomo Smart Care Goes From Here
• (00:12:48) - How To Protect Your Home
• (00:14:11) - Anomal Home Safety System: Essential Care Kit
• (00:18:55) - Nomo for Alzheimer's: The Home Companion
• (00:24:07) - Nomo Alert for Fall Detection
• (00:30:59) - The Caregiving App for the elderly
• (00:33:58) - Personal Data and Security
• (00:40:44) - Three Takeaways From Nomo Smart Care
• (00:46:52) - HSA/FSA and Flexible Savings Account
• (00:47:42) - PODCAST wrap up

Join us for an insightful conversation with Rabbi Josh Bennett from Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan. We explore the role of spirituality, the impact of Jewish traditions, and how faith and community support us through life's challenges, including caring for a loved one with dementia. Don't miss the Rabbi's deep dive into Karin's spiritual perspective and his thoughts on what 'religious' really means. Note: We recorded the Rabbi the day before the tragic events at Temple Israel - we are incredibly grateful to the first responders and community members who kept our Temple safe.

• (00:00:05) - "On the Street Where I Live"
• (00:00:43) - The Longest-Standing Congregation Member at Temple Israel
• (00:02:23) - A Caregiving Perspective on Temple Israel
• (00:06:52) - The Blind Talk
• (00:09:22) - Rabbi, From a Rabbinical Perspective
• (00:11:18) - Rabbi Josh Bennett's Introduction
• (00:12:01) - Rabbi Adam Levine on Becoming a Rabbi
• (00:17:17) - How spirituality can help you care for ailing loved one
• (00:22:47) - The importance of prayer in our lives
• (00:25:55) - What Do You Don't Believe In?
• (00:28:30) - Rabbi Ashkenazi on God and Community
• (00:33:10) - How to Care for a Dementia Patient
• (00:37:43) - Rabbi Josh on the Temple Israel Incident
• (00:39:44) - Do You Still Believe in God? With Rabbi Josh

Continuing our status chats about Mom's journey since moving back home, we welcome back to the pod the amazing Latrice, one of our Dream Team care members. She gives us her take on what she has seen looking after Joanna over these past 20 months. Before Latrice's feedback, Karin shares community notes about two of our favorite local resources - Durst-Ace Lumber in Berkley Michigan (acehardware.com/store-details/04257) and Barkside in Southfield Michigan (barksidedogbar.com). The former is a longtime lifesaver who still treats you like family, and the latter is a dog party planet on earth where Joanna has been flourishing on the weekends. In the betweens, to usher in spring Jojo offers some valiant falsettos for your listening pleasure.

Karin and Andrew are joined by their sister, Julie, to share firsthand observations from over a year of caring for their mom in her home. The siblings highlight surprising signs of some gentle decline, along with incredible steadiness. They discuss subtle behavior changes like increased walking around the house, fluctuating memory and mild escape attempts! These are all signals worth noticing, as they continue on Joanna’s caregiving journey.

• (00:00:04) - Singing Through a Real Headphone
• (00:01:07) - Happy Birthday to Julie Halpert!
• (00:02:21) - Decoding Mom's Changes Since Moving her Home
• (00:09:50) - Senor Dorothy Still Plays the Piano
• (00:14:34) - A chair for her wheelchair in the living room
• (00:19:07) - A Taste of Caregiving with Alzheimer's
• (00:23:08) - If It's Not One Thing, It's JoJo

In this conversation, Stacey McCandlish shares her family's journey, focusing on the dynamics between siblings as they navigate rapid changes in their parents’ care and, ultimately, a cross country move. The discussion highlights the importance of communication, planning, and the roles each family member plays in ensuring the well-being of their parents. Through personal anecdotes, Stacey illustrates the impact of dementia, the struggles and triumphs of managing care, and the need for siblings to come together in these challenging times.

• (00:00:06) - 耀 Lucky 13
• (00:02:05) - A Taste of Dementia on the Podcast
• (00:07:22) - Stacy on Her Parents' Drama
• (00:09:57) - Stacey McCandlish on Caregiving
• (00:16:52) - The Alzheimer's Care Transition
• (00:24:01) - A moment of silence for the chronically ill
• (00:24:42) - The Pain of Grieving Your Parents' Death
• (00:29:35) - What Advice Would You Have for People Going Through a Senior Care Transition
• (00:34:37) - The Dignity of Alzheimer's
• (00:38:11) - This Cross Country Move for a Senior Citizen
• (00:42:08) - A Silent Retreat for Caregivers

In the final episode of our three-part series on under-utilized resources, we chat with Hope Dudek of Michigan Palliative and Hospice Care. Hope walks us through the medical aspects of hospice care, exploring its holistic approach to patient care, the role of caregivers, eligibility misconceptions, and the importance of comfort and quality of life. Hope shares insights on navigating medical decisions, the emotional support provided to families, and the financial aspects of hospice care. The discussion emphasizes that hospice is a choice, focused on enhancing life quality rather than hastening death, and it aims to dispel common myths surrounding hospice services.

Michigan Palliative and Hospice Care Website

• (00:00:03) - What You Need to Know About Hospice Care
• (00:01:57) - Thanksgiving at Mom's House
• (00:03:05) - How to Have a Thanksgiving With Split Families
• (00:08:17) - What Do We Do About Hospice Care?
• (00:09:45) - Medical aspects of hospice
• (00:11:32) - What Is Hospice? (Social) Care
• (00:20:07) - The Importance of Hospice
• (00:24:08) - Does Hospice Matter?
• (00:32:09) - What's the longest you've ever heard of anybody staying at hosp
• (00:36:14) - When to call hospice? Advice from professionals
• (00:42:35) - A Minute With Hospice: What's Included in the Care?
• (00:47:06) - Is It Time to Talk About Hospice?