I had the pleasure of sitting down with clinical psychologist Dr. Genifer Goldsmith to discuss the immense stress and guilt that comes with being a caregiver. Our collaboration in co-facilitating a caregiver support group at ...
In today’s episode, I speak with another member of my support group, Beth Lanie, a devoted caregiver to her husband Howard, who has been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies. Beth shares her heartfelt experience, providin...
My special guest this week is Valerie Rennert, who opens up about her father's journey with dementia. She shares how their family first became aware of his condition and the ways they tried to support him. Despite the challen...
Today I'm joined by Noma Kaz, a seasoned caregiving professional specializing in dementia care. Throughout our conversation, Noma shares her extensive knowledge and experience in the field, helping us explore the intricate dy...
Franne Golde opens up about her journey with her husband, Paul, who was diagnosed with a disease they knew very little about. Our conversation covers the challenges of finding care for Paul, the timing and benefits of hospice...
Finding strength in a community of other caregivers, in this powerful episode, I’ll speak to Amy Kent, a member of my support group who is caring for both of her parents with dementia. Amy shares her personal story of the day...
It’s amazing how much music comes up in these conversations where we delve into the experiences of those caring for loved ones with dementia. In this episode, James Savage shares his personal journey caring for his wife as her ability to converse fades, he finds himself feeling increasingly isolate…
Today Barbara is joined by her friend and colleague Bunni Dybnis. A licensed marriage and family therapist, Bunni worked as an Aging Life Care Manager for years and is now a mediator, helping families of the aging and termina...
Today Barbara’s guest is Sandra Hunnicutt. Sandra shares her story of taking care of her husband, Don, a brilliant UCLA professor who was a “man on fire” until 2018, when he began to show signs of memory impairment and was di...
Today Barbara is pleased to welcome David Hart, a professor and clinical psychologist who specializes in dementia and caregiving. David is a faculty member in the Department of Counseling at California State University, Fulle...
Nancy Tahara joins Barbara to talk about caring for her friend of 40 years. Now 81, he suffers from Lewy body dementia , Parkinson's disease , and REM sleep behavior disorder . He asked her to come take care of him a year-and...
Today Barbara is joined by Evelyn Garcia, who cares for her mother who has younger-onset dementia . Evelyn was living in Virginia when she got a call from her mother’s doctor, saying she couldn’t live alone any longer. When E...
Dani Klein Modisett is the founder and CEO of Laughter On Call which pairs comedians with Alzheimer’s patients. She’ll reveal the story behind the formation of this brilliant idea and explain why laughter really is the best m...
Katie is a new caregiver, taking care of her mother who is in the early stages of “advanced cognitive decline.“ She’s also caregiving from a distance. She’ll discuss trying to navigate through this new experience and how she’...
Today Barbara is joined by her friend and colleague Natalie Stanger. Twenty years ago, Natalie started a company to “help seniors do the things they could no longer do or didn’t want to do,” and it’s kept her busy ever since....
Today Barbara is joined by Heidi Artman, who is caring for her husband, Lee. Heidi first noticed Lee’s memory problems in 2015, but it wasn’t until recently that he received a diagnosis. Because Lee has struggled with bipolar...
Today Barbara welcomes Denise to the podcast. An only child, Denise says she never saw herself as a caregiver, but when her mother was diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s, everything changed. She and Barbara discuss the c...
Barbara and her guest, colleague & friend discuss ethnic and cultural disparities and how money is consistently the biggest barrier to adequate resources and support....
Today Ed Mount joins Barbara to talk about his ongoing journey as a caregiver. Ed’s father died from Alzheimer’s in 2012 and his mother Judy is now suffering from the disease. He and Barbara discuss the different phases of Al...
When Adam Steinman’s mother-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four years ago, his kids were two and six. Adam joins Barbara to share his experience caring for younger children and aging parents, a phenomenon known as the ...
Today Barbara is joined by Gary Zembow and Marcy Lebovitz to discuss Gary’s mother, Esther. Now 94, Esther was born in Poland, and was the only member of her family to survive the Holocaust. Gary and Marcy describe Esther as ...
Paul Spiegelman joins Barbara to talk about caregiving for his mother, Lila, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2015. At first, Paul’s father did all the caregiving while Paul, who lives in Dallas, did what he could to sup...
Steve Johnson joins Barbara to talk about caring for his wife of 22 years, Bonnie. In September of 2020, Bonnie was diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. He says the onset was radical – they’d taken a family trip in Ju...
Are you a caregiver with a story to share? Please call Barbara at 310-362-8232. Today Barbara is joined by Kimberly Cruelle, whose husband was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s six years ago at the age of 47. She tells ...
