Eye on the Caregiver

Caregiving with Confidence: Take the Guesswork out of Caregiving with Author Pam Reynolds

After experiencing the challenges of caring for her ailing grandmother as a teenager, Pam Reynolds became a passionate advocate for older adults. Pam is a Certified Aging Life Care Manager, a Certified Professional Gerontologist, and a Certified Dementia Practitioner with a diverse vocational background that includes assisted living facilities and nursing home management as well as owning a company that helps older adults age in place at home. She is also the author of Caregiving with Confidence: Take the Guesswork Out of Caregiving, a book designed to prepare caregivers for a better caregiving experience.   Pam joins us today to share her experience as a teenager caring for her grandmother with Alzheimer’s and how it inspired her to start her career in senior care, assisted living, and memory care. We discuss what motivated Pam to write her book and how it helps family caregivers find the tools, options, and resources they need as they navigate the caregiving journey. We discuss the importance of planning for the future and thinking proactively and how it can be a valuable gift for your loved ones. We discuss the importance of recognizing that cognitive decline is not a normal part of aging and what you need to consider if you notice your loved one struggling with cognitive impairment. We also discuss why many caregivers struggle to take a proactive approach to caring for their loved one and the value of building a team around you to help care for an aging parent.   “It takes a village to care for an aging parent.” - Pam Reynolds   This week on the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast:   ●     Pam’s personal journey as a caregiver ●     What inspired Pam to start a home health organization ●     How Pam’s book helps family caregivers find the tools and resources they need to prepare and care for their aging loved one ●     The benefits of thinking proactively as a family caregiver ●     The importance of planning for the future ●     Understanding that cognitive decline is not a normal part of aging ●     Why it’s often challenging for caregivers to take a proactive approach to caring for their loved one ●     The number one obstacle most family caregivers face ●     Building a team to help care for an aging loved one   Connect with Pam Reynolds:   ●     Book: Caregiving with Confidence: Take the Guesswork Out of Caregiving [https://www.amazon.com/CAREGIVING-CONFIDENCE-TAKE-GUESSWORK-OUT/dp/B0BFTYFP4J]   Keeping Our Eye on the Caregiver   Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.   Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eye-on-the-caregiver/id1677421801] | TuneIn [https://tunein.com/podcasts/p3133576/?topicId=252764585] | GooglePlay [https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDczMjcxLnhtbA] | Stitcher [https://www.stitcher.com/show/1061774] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/608oxCxy5SGglrxpnNABUC] | Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3b0f94bb-4720-4ce6-bb45-a41dc6f9ffb6]   Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more caregivers, families, and listeners, like you.   Join us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/windwardconsulting], Twitter [https://twitter.com/windwardcg] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/windward-it-solutions/?trk=nav_account_sub_nav_company_admin]. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website [https://windwardfoundation.org/eye-on-the-caregiver-podcast/].

Give Yourself Permission to Laugh with Dayna Steele Author of 'Surviving Alzheimer's With Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine' Part 2

Former U.S. Congressional Candidate, Rock Radio Hall of Famer, keynote speaker and author, Dayna Steele has a deep understanding of the challenges and emotional rollercoasters that caregivers endure. She is the author of multiple books, including Surviving Alzheimer’s With Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine and the playwright and actor of The Woman In The Mirror Play, where she details her experiences as a caregiver through unfiltered observations, raw emotion, a bit of dark humor, and, of course, wine. Dayna is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Drama, Dramatics and Theatre Arts and is a staunch advocate for Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones.   Dayna joins us again today to share some of the funny stories and memories she has of caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s and the things she considered when searching for a long-term memory care facility. We discuss how our loved ones moods and behaviors change as their disease progresses, the importance of sharing your thoughts and feelings with others, and how caregivers can find additional support through local therapy groups. We discuss how reminiscing on the way our loved ones used to be before their Dementia and Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be joyful and healing and share some of our own happy memories of our parents. We also discuss how Dayna turned her book into a one-woman play and Dayna shares a sneak peek into what’s next for The Woman In The Mirror Play.   “It is an awful, awful disease. And it is okay to admit you have these feelings.” - Dayna Steele   This week on the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast:   ●     What Dayna considered when finding a memory care facility for her mother ●     Dayna’s hilarious ‘cow-tipping’ story at Chick-Fil-A on the company’s anniversary ●     Dealing with the anger and ‘violent’ side of Alzheimer’s ●     The value of joining therapy groups ●     Reminiscing on the way our loved ones used to be before Alzheimer’s ●     Turning Dayna’s book into The Woman In The Mirror Play and what’s next for the one-woman play   Connect with Dayna Steele:   ●     Play: The Woman In The Mirror [https://www.thewomaninthemirrorplay.com/] ●     Book: Surviving Alzheimer’s With Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine: A Caregiver’s Guide to Love, Humor, Patience, Confusion, Anger, and Wine [https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Alzheimers-Friends-Facebook-Really/dp/1519370849] ●     The Woman In The Mirror Play on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/thewomaninthemirrorplay] ●     Dayna Steele on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynasteele/] ●     Dayna Steele on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/daynasteele] ●     Dayna Steele on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/daynasteele/] ●     Dayna Steele on Twitter [https://twitter.com/daynasteele]   Keeping Our Eye on the Caregiver   Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.   Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eye-on-the-caregiver/id1677421801] | TuneIn [https://tunein.com/podcasts/p3133576/?topicId=252764585] | GooglePlay [https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDczMjcxLnhtbA] | Stitcher [https://www.stitcher.com/show/1061774] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/608oxCxy5SGglrxpnNABUC] | Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3b0f94bb-4720-4ce6-bb45-a41dc6f9ffb6]   Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more caregivers, families, and listeners like you.   Join us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/windwardconsulting], Twitter [https://twitter.com/windwardcg], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/windward-it-solutions/?trk=nav_account_sub_nav_company_admin]. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website [https://windwardfoundation.org/eye-on-the-caregiver-podcast/].

Give Yourself Permission to Laugh with Dayna Steele Author of 'Surviving Alzheimer's With Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine' Part 1

Dayna Steele is a Rock Radio Hall of Famer, a keynote speaker, and the author of Surviving Alzheimer’s With Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine: A caregiver’s guide to love, humor, patience, confusion, anger, and wine. She is also an actor and the playwright of the one-woman play, The Woman In The Mirror Play. In her book and play, Dayna shares her experiences as a caregiver through unfiltered observations, raw emotion, and a touch of dark humor as she chronicled her mother’s journey with Alzheimer’s on Facebook.   Dayna joins us today to share what it was like to care for her mother with Alzheimer’s and her mission to educate others about the disease. We discuss how Dayna used laughter and social media as a therapeutic tool to get her though the tough times, the value of embracing humor and laughter when faced with challenging and emotional circumstances, and why it’s okay to give yourself permission to laugh. We share stories of some of the funny moments we experienced while taking care of our parents with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. We also discuss why Dayna decided to share her story about her mother’s journey with Alzheimer’s through her book and play.   “We’ve got to laugh… or you will cry.” - Dayna Steele   This week on the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast:   ●     Dayna’s experience with caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s ●     Embracing laughter in the face of chaos, anger, and confusion ●     The importance of giving yourself permission to laugh ●     Leveraging social media as a therapeutic tool to find support ●     Dayna’s mission to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s through her book and play   Connect with Dayna Steele:   ●     Play: The Woman In The Mirror [https://www.thewomaninthemirrorplay.com/] ●     Book: Surviving Alzheimer’s With Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine: A caregiver’s guide to love, humor, patience, confusion, anger, and wine [https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Alzheimers-Friends-Facebook-Really/dp/1519370849] ●     The Woman In The Mirror Play on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/thewomaninthemirrorplay] ●     Dayna Steele on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynasteele/] ●     Dayna Steele on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/daynasteele] ●     Dayna Steele on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/daynasteele/] ●     Dayna Steele on Twitter [https://twitter.com/daynasteele]   Keeping Our Eye on the Caregiver   Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.   Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eye-on-the-caregiver/id1677421801] | TuneIn [https://tunein.com/podcasts/p3133576/?topicId=252764585] | GooglePlay [https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDczMjcxLnhtbA] | Stitcher [https://www.stitcher.com/show/1061774] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/608oxCxy5SGglrxpnNABUC] | Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3b0f94bb-4720-4ce6-bb45-a41dc6f9ffb6]   Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more caregivers, families, and listeners like you.   Join us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/windwardconsulting], Twitter [https://twitter.com/windwardcg], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/windward-it-solutions/?trk=nav_account_sub_nav_company_admin]. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website [https://windwardfoundation.org/eye-on-the-caregiver-podcast/].

The Culture of Senior Living Communities with Peggy Breda

Peggy Breda is the Founder and President of A Family Tie, LLC, an organization on a mission to assist seniors and their loved ones in making more informed decisions when choosing a senior living facility. With over 25 years of leadership and advocacy experience in the senior living industry, Peggy understands that families and residents each have very diverse needs and expectations. Through her experience, Peggy has developed an abiding respect for each family’s unique journey and the contributions of the senior population, which has become the foundation of her mission. Peggy is a Certified Director of Assisted Living and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Salisbury University - Purdue School of Business.   Peggy joins us today to discuss the importance of a senior living community’s culture. We discuss the common similarities and differences between most senior care communities and how to find the best fit for your loved one’s specific needs. We discuss the various senior living community options currently available and the questions caregivers should ask when selecting a facility for their loved ones. We discuss why caregivers need to consider the culture of a senior living community and how the culture of a community can help keep their loved ones engaged and happy. We discuss the importance of matching your loved one’s existing interests, hobbies, and personality to the activities offered, how to identify when a facility is no longer a good fit, and the value of hiring a senior living advisor and financial planner. We also debunk some of the myths and misconceptions around the quality of life offered by most senior living communities and how most senior living communities truly want to bring joy to your loved one.   “Living in an environment where you have other people, where you have things to do every day, you have places to go brings so much joy to most of us.” - Peggy Breda   This week on the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast:   ●     Comparing senior care communities and how to find the best fit for your loved one ●     The different senior living options currently available ●     What to consider when choosing a senior living facility ●     Why the culture of a senior living community is important ●     Identifying when a community is no longer a good fit for your loved one ●     The importance of hiring a financial planner ●     Debunking misconceptions about the quality of life offer to seniors in senior living communities   Resources Mentioned:   ●     Podcast: The Benefits of Working with a Senior Care Advisor with Tanya Schoenhoff [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-benefits-of-working-with-a-senior/id1677421801?i=1000604390593]   Connect with Peggy Breda:   ●     A Family Tie, LLC [https://afamilytie.com/] ●     A Family Tie, LLC on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/afamilytie/] ●     A Family Tie, LLC on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/afamilytie/] ●     Peggy Breda on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggy-rowell-breda-cdal-95a21a15/]   Keeping Our Eye on the Caregiver   Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.   Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eye-on-the-caregiver/id1677421801] | TuneIn [https://tunein.com/podcasts/p3133576/?topicId=252764585] | GooglePlay [https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDczMjcxLnhtbA] | Stitcher [https://www.stitcher.com/show/1061774] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/608oxCxy5SGglrxpnNABUC] | Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3b0f94bb-4720-4ce6-bb45-a41dc6f9ffb6]   Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more caregivers, families, and listeners like you.   Join us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/windwardconsulting], Twitter [https://twitter.com/windwardcg], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/windward-it-solutions/?trk=nav_account_sub_nav_company_admin]. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website [https://windwardfoundation.org/eye-on-the-caregiver-podcast/].

How Cognitive Assessment Help You Provide Better Care with Nicole McMonigle Knight

Nicole McMonigle Knight is the Founder of Dementia Care Connections, LLC. This organization offers resources and support services to family caregivers and healthcare professionals through education, consultations, in-home activity visits, virtual activity visits, and training. Since 2017, Dementia Care Connections’ approach has focused on cognitive engagement, promoting social interactions, advocacy, and empowering families to make the best choices possible for their loved ones. With over two decades of experience in healthcare, primarily focusing on the field of aging, Nicole has worked in a variety of fields, including pharmacy care and hospice care. Today, Nicole is a Certified Dementia Practitioner, memory cafe facilitator, and support group facilitator for the Alzheimer’s Association. She also serves as the Community Ambassador for the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging 50+ program, the Senior Ambassador for Senior Services of Alexandria, a Dementia Champion, and serves on the action teams for Dementia Friendly Herndon and Dementia Friendly Alexandria.   Nicole joins us today to discuss how cognitive assessments, particularly the BCAT® Test System, can help healthcare professionals and caregivers provide better care to people with dementia or cognitive impairments. We discuss what the BCAT® Assessment is and how it helps healthcare professionals and family caregivers assess a loved one’s cognitive ability, brain function, and memory. We discuss the common misconceptions around the early signs of cognitive impairment and why early assessments and diagnosis is key to providing better care to your loved one. We explain why assessing a loved one’s executive functioning is important and how it impacts their daily life. We also discuss how socialization plays a key role in cognitive care and the services available at Dementia Care Connections for healthcare professionals, family caregivers, and their loved ones.   “We can use these assessments to kind of build the picture – paint the picture of what’s going on in the brain and take that to the physician so they can try to rule everything else out.” - Nicole McMonigle Knight   This week on the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast:   ●     Understanding the BCAT® Test System and other cognitive assessments that can be used to assess a loved one’s cognitive abilities ●     Common misconceptions and stigmas around the early signs of cognitive impairment ●     What the BCAT® Assessment evaluates and why each area is important ●     Examples of recommendations caregivers may receive after a BCAT® Assessment ●     How often can a loved one be reassessed using the BCAT® Assessment System ●     The role that socialization plays in cognitive care   Resources Mentioned:   ●     The BCAT® Approach [https://www.thebcat.com/]   Connect with Nicole McMonigle Knight:   ●     Dementia Care Connections, LLC [https://www.dementiacareconnections.com/] ●     Dementia Care Connections, LLC on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-care-connections/] ●     Dementia Care Connections, LLC on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/DementiaCareConnections] ●     Nicole McMonigle Knight on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemcmonigleknight/]   Keeping Our Eye on the Caregiver   Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.   Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eye-on-the-caregiver/id1677421801] | TuneIn [https://tunein.com/podcasts/p3133576/?topicId=252764585] | GooglePlay [https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy8xNDczMjcxLnhtbA] | Stitcher [https://www.stitcher.com/show/1061774] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/608oxCxy5SGglrxpnNABUC] | Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3b0f94bb-4720-4ce6-bb45-a41dc6f9ffb6]   Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more caregivers, families, and listeners like you.   Join us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/windwardconsulting], Twitter [https://twitter.com/windwardcg], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/windward-it-solutions/?trk=nav_account_sub_nav_company_admin]. For more exclusive content and information, visit our website [https://windwardfoundation.org/eye-on-the-caregiver-podcast/]