Dementia By Day

If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you’ll probably know the answer to this one… YOU DON’T TELL THEM. Your loved one may be pretty attached to that house and to the feeling of home that it holds for them, so you can imagine how traumatic it can be to tell them that you sold that house. Stay for the entirety of this episode for some tips and advice on how to deal with this subject as it will inevitably come up! Visit https://rachaelwonderlin.com/products/ for more in Dementia Care.

This is a raw question that I hear pretty often... how do I tell my loved one that somebody in their lives has passed away? The short answer? YOU DON’T. I know you may feel like you have to tell them, but think about it for a second: Is it really a good idea to bring your loved one into that whole situation? Join me while I explore this difficult but common scenario in this brand-new episode! Visit https://rachaelwonderlin.com/products/ for more in Dementia Care.

What do you do when a loved one has received the diagnosis of dementia? Who and where do you turn to? Honestly, most people figure it out on their own… And if you are listening to this podcast, it’s probably because you are looking for a place to start. Stay for the entirety of the episode for some tips and advice on this issue! Visit https://rachaelwonderlin.com/products/ for more in Dementia Care. 

This is a question I get asked pretty frequently. Note: If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode about embracing somebody’s reality, I recommend you do; because it all ties together today. Plenty of people go through the entire course of the disease and are able to place all of their loved ones on their timelines – but sometimes, this doesn’t happen. This is where it seems that they “don’t recognize us anymore.” Find out more about the ins and outs of Timeline Confusion™ in today’s episode! Visit https://rachaelwonderlin.com/products/ for more in Dementia Care

Today we are covering an issue that’s a real challenge for people, even those who have been living with a loved one with dementia for a long time. So, what do you do when someone you are caring for asks a direct question? Do you tell them the truth? Or do you just make something up?My Embrace Their Reality™ approach can really help you answer these questions. Tune in and find out more! Visit https://rachaelwonderlin.com/products/ for more in Dementia Care.

We're back for season 4 of the Dementia By Day podcast!  Today, I’m talking all about how to know if the person I’m caring for actually has dementia. It’s a question I get a lot because there’s a lot of conflicting information out there on what dementia really is. Dementia is a group of symptoms that is caused by different types of diseases. However, there are nearly a hundred diseases that can cause dementia – this makes it really hard to diagnose!  If your loved one is indeed living with dementia, it is much better to catch it early because there are lifestyle changes that can be made to slow the progression of the disease.  So, how do you know? Tune in to find out!  Visit https://rachaelwonderlin.com/products/ for more in Dementia Care.

This is my last episode for a bit! I'm switching back to blogging after 3 seasons of audio, so I hope to see you over on my blog come March! In this final episode of season 3, we talk about dementia care transitions. What's it like to bring in a home caregiver? What about moving someone to a care community? What's the difference and how can you make these changes as LOW DRAMA as possible? Use my code DBD10 to get 10% off your purchase at www.alertafamily.com

How we talk about a thing defines that thing. When we use words like "fiblets" or "lies" or even, "therapeutic lying," we undermine the good that we're trying to do as dementia care partners. Why does it matter how we talk about dementia communication? Why is tossing out the word "lying" so important to me, even when it has something nice-sounding like "therapy" in front of it? Tune in to find out. Use my code DBD10 on your next purchase from www.alertafamily.com

Jump in to this episode on MINI-REORIENTATION and what that all means. To put it simply, I just made that term up. In fact, I made it up back in season one of my podcast, and in today's episode, I tell you WHY. Learn why it's so important to Embrace Their Reality(TM) instead of leaning on reorientation or other poor nomenclature in dementia caregiving. Check out my sponsor and use the code DBD10 for 10% off at www.alertafamily.com

I've been doing improv comedy for over TEN YEARS (woah) and I absolutely love performing. I've also found that my experience doing improv has made me a better dementia care partner: I'm super fast on my feet and able to adjust to someone else's reality with ease, wherever that reality is. Tune in to find out why skills we learn for stage are applicable in dementia care, as well.  This is also the first episode recorded in my new audio studio! Thanks to my sponsor, Alerta, who can be found on alertafamily.com and use my code, DBD10 for 10% off.

Hallucinations and Delusions are some of the most difficult situations for families to deal with. People often misconstrue the terms Hallucination and Delusion. On today's podcast I will dissect the difference and guide you on how best to help if a loved one is struggling with one (or both!) Listen for some great insight! My audiobook is a great companion tool to have after this podcast You can purchase it here rachelwonderlin.com/products   Be sure to visit my sponsor, Alerta, at www.alertafamily.com and use the code DBD for 10%  off your purchase with them.

In this episode I revisit another difficult situation in Dementia Caregiving. "I want to go home" is the prefect time to Embrace Their Reality (tm). There are some pretty good do's and don't(s) when dealing with this topic and I will share some of the tricks to getting your loved one though their difficult time. Join me on this journey today! My audiobook is a great companion tool to have after this podcast. You can purchase it here rachaelwonderlin.com/products   Be sure to visit my sponsor, Alerta, at www.alertafamily.com and use the code DBD for 10% off your purchase with them.

Did you know that Dementia and Depression are positively correlated? In this week's episode I will explain how Dementia and Depression typically go hand in hand, the importance of not sidelining Depression symptoms when it comes to a loved one with Dementia, and physician guidance and support in diagnosing Depression. I will also explain how closely related Depression and Dementia are in the elderly. Listen in to learn more. My audiobook is a great companion tool to have after this podcast. You can purchase it here at rachaelwonderlin.com/products   Be sure to visit my sponsor, Alerta, at www.alertafamily.com and use the code DBD for 10% off your purchase with them. 

Todays episode focuses on what to do when a loved one with Dementia thinks that they still need to go to work. Keeping in mind the Embrace Their Reality (TM) mantra, let them work! Lean into their reality and line it up for them.  My audiobook is a great companion tool to have after this podcast. You can purchase it here, rachaelwonderlin.com/products   Be Sure to visit my sponsor, Alerta, at www.alertafamily.com and use the code DBD for 10% off your purchase with them.

What do you do when the person living with dementia clearly needs help, and says, "I don't need your help"! Yet, it is quite clear they do need help to be able to live safely and with the dignity they deserve. What do you do? How do you convince them? Do we really want or need to do that? Is this the best way to manage this situation? It can be so frustrating! Hurtful words can be said on both sides of this issue and I'll share with you ways to provide the care they need without offending your loved one.  Let's work with them and not work against ourselves. Tune in and learn more.  After this session you may still find yourself needing help. My audiobook can be on your standby to help. You can purchase it here at Rachaelwonderlin.com/Products.   Be sure to use the code DBD10 with my sponsor to receive 10% off your purchase from Alertafamily.com 

When it comes to dementia care, so much is up in the air this time of year. Corona Virus has certainly added a unique twist and added dimension for us to all live with, and manage. When it comes to the holidays, what will this year's festivities and traditions look like? We want things to be perfect. Right? But is this even realistic? We will address guilt and feelings that the holidays can bring upon us. After this podcast episode, I hope you will feel empowered to say NO. I will cover three ways to help and provide tools you will need to help manage the stress and emotions of our holiday season. Sometimes our expectations don't live up to our reality. What now? Listen in and will walk through this dementia care topic.  My audiobook is a great addition to have in your journey with dementia care. You can purchase it here at Rachaelwonderlin.com/products.  Be sure to visit my sponsor, Alerta, at www.alertafamily.com and use the code word DBD10 to receive 10% off your purchase. 

This episode addresses what happens after you move your family member or loved one into a dementia care community. Oh those emotions! What happens after the move? What is next? How will you be feeling? Transitioning into a care community decision is a stressful decision. This is often the very last thing you want to do. We will take a look at what emotions and what we can expect to feel after we are no longer the fulltime caregiver and the community is "in charge" now. Listen in and we will take this journey together. My audiobook is a great companion tool to have after this podcast. You can purchase it here, rachaelwonderlin.com/products.    Be sure to visit my sponsor, Alerta, at www.alertafamily.com and use the code DBD for 10% off your purchase with them. 

In this episode we dive into a a very timely topic to address, yet a very difficult and hard to discuss one: Ambiguous Loss. What is it? Why are you feeling it? How do we manage it? This is a remix of an episode from Season 2 where I discuss what is this type of loss, and why it's important to understand this term.  Be sure to check out my sponsor, Alerta, at alertafamily.com and use the code DBD10 for 10% off your next order!

As a care partner to someone living with dementia, the "stuff you need to know" can feel pretty overwhelming. In this episode, I dive into some SUPER EASY activities and programs that you can bring into your caregiving! The last thing that you need as a caregiver is more work and more challenges to tackle, so I'm going to try and make it as easy as possible. Use my Memorable Pets code to get a discount on your next order! Also use the code DEMENTIABYDAY on relish-life.com for 10% off your Relish purchases, formerly known as Active Minds! Learn more about what I offer at rachaelwonderlin.com and check out my sponsor, Alerta, at alertafamily.com

Sometimes, caregiving is too much. What happens if you're feeling sick, or worse, chronically ill? How can you handle the burden of caregiving? We'll discuss the challenges and stresses that come with caregiving, particularly if you're the only one doing the job. Learn more about me at rachaelwonderlin.com and check out my audiobook here. You can help to support my content creation using the "buy me a coffee" link here. Learn more about my sponsor, Alerta, at alertafamily.com and use the code DBD10 for 10% off!