Make Dementia Your B*tch!

It can be hard to tell the difference between depression (feeling sad) and apathy (loss of interest in things). In this episode, learn what causes apathy in people living with dementia and how to deal with it. Interested in one of my caregiver studies? Email the team at CURBIT@uab.edu Have a question? Want more information about my programs? Email me: dr.rita.jablonski@gmail.com #frontotemporal #a...

Family caregivers are often unsure of how much to tell a person living with dementia about future plans. In this episode, I provide guidance for how much information to share with someone living with dementia, depending on whether they are in the mild, moderate, or severe stage. Other resources: Interested in one of my caregiver studies? Email the team at CURBIT@uab.edu Have a question? Want more...

In this episode, I help you make the most of the upcoming holidays while caring for someone with dementia. Listen to helpful tips, from involving the person living with dementia to handling the pain in the ass relative who criticizes your care. Make Dementia Your B*tch podcast has been selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 25 Dementia Podcasts for 2023—check it out: https://blog.feedspot.com/deme...

In this episode, I provide you with a resource: law enforcement who have received crisis intervention training that includes helping caregivers and people with dementia. This is a critical resource, especially for families of people living with behavioral variant FTD. I also discuss genetic testing. Here is the website for free genetic testing, if you qualify: www. probablygenetic .com Other resou...

Caregivers often ask me for ways to manage crying behaviors. These crying behaviors can happen multiple times a day for a short time, or once a day but for hours. Learn what may be causing those behaviors and how to respond in a loving way. Make Dementia Your B*tch podcast has been selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 25 Dementia Podcasts for 2023—check it out: https://blog.feedspot.com/dementia...

Learn my formula for developing and tweaking strategies when faced with dementia behaviors: neurodegeneration plus personality plus values plus cohort. Sounds complicated, but it is not. When you know how a particular type of dementia is affecting behavior, you can select a strategy and then personalize it by knowing your family member's personality, value system, and time period when they wer...

Pre-dementia family relationships can make caregiving even more challenging. In this episode, I discuss different ways family dynamics cause dementia caregiving to be even more stressful and some approaches to dealing with these dynamics. Whether you are dealing with a super-critical parent who complains nonstop, non-caregiving family members who criticize your care, or sibling fighting that just...

Join me for a replay of March 6's webinar, "Four Ways to Avoid Arguing with a Person Living with Dementia." During the second half of the podcast, I answer a question posed by a listener regarding when to step in and provide more care without overdoing it.  Make Dementia Your B*tch podcast has been selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 25 Dementia Podcasts for 2023—check it out: https://blog...

This is the time of year for #vacation and #travel planning. If you are thinking of doing any type of travel with your loved one with dementia, this podcast will help you plan for an optimal experience.  Check out a great #TSA resource, TSA Cares . Make Dementia Your B*tch podcast has been selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 25 Dementia Podcasts for 2023—check it out: https://blog.feedspot...

In Episode 72, I tackle 3 topics that were not lengthy enough for their own podcast. Those topics include what to do when people who live in Memory Care Units have conflicts with each other; the importance of getting an early dementia diagnosis so that you can receive one of the new drugs (if you meet the criteria); and Bruce Willis’ FTD diagnosis. His family is very brave sharing this information...

Vascular dementia is considered a preventable dementia, much like heart disease is considered preventable. In this episode, I explain how to prevent vascular dementia. I also share my annual Valentine's Day Message to Dementia Care Partners. Make Dementia Your B*tch podcast has been selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 25 Dementia Podcasts for 2023—check it out: https://blog.feedspot.com/dementi...

You see the ads on TV. You see claims on social media of a revolutionary Alzheimer "cure" (and I'm not talking about the FDA-approved disease modifying drugs). People make claims supposedly backed by research. In today's podcast, I discuss a popular book that has been around for several years and claims to have a program that reverses Alzheimer's disease. I also talk about some common supplements...

It is hard enough to care for someone living with dementia. It is even tougher when that person fires mean, hurtful, and nasty words and comments in your direction. In this episode, I explain why this behavior may occur and what to do about it. Make Dementia Your B*tch podcast has been selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 25 Dementia Podcasts for 2023—check it out: https://blog.feedspot.com/deme...

It is really frustrating when the person living with dementia refuses to accept care or tells you that he or she already performed the task. You know the drill. “Take a shower,” you say. “I just did,” they say…even though you know it has been days, weeks, maybe months since they have had a shower. Bathing isn’t the only challenging behavior. Convincing a person with dementia to remove soiled cloth...

Weight loss in people living with dementia can stem from a variety of causes: the need for more help or supervision; being too sedated to properly eat; pacing and unable to sit still to consume a meal; or refusing to eat. In this episode, I provide approaches for all of these causes and provide strategies if your family member is refusing to eat. If you live in the Birmingham, AL area, Vestavia Hi...

Behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia is one of the most misunderstood of the dementias. Today’s podcast is focused exclusively on this dementia. Learn why it is misdiagnosed and how to handle many of this dementia’s specific challenges. If you live in the Birmingham, AL area, Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church will be hosting a gathering for caregivers of people living with FTD to assess...

Holiday season is busy. Even busier if you care for someone living with dementia. In this episode, you will learn helpful strategies for navigating holiday parties and religious celebrations. I provide all purpose "scripts" for dealing with long-distance relatives and uninvolved family members who criticize your care in the form of "concern." Whether you spin the #dreidel, dance around the #Yule l...

One of the most frustrating aspects of dementia is when the person living with dementia has no motivation to do anything. This extreme lack of motivation is called apathy. Apathy has different causes in people living with bvFTD than people with other dementias. In today’s podcast, I’m going to explain what causes apathy depending on the type of dementia and, as I always do, will provide some appro...

Why does my family member’s dementia look differently from others with the same diagnosis, or even at the same stages? I get this question multiple times a week. Sometimes, caregivers are confused because this is the second, or third, person they are caring for…and their experience this time is very different from earlier experiences. Or, a caregiver is going to a support group and realizes that t...

In episode 55, “Frontotemporal Dementia and Speech Problems,” I introduced something known as primary progressive aphasias. Primary, because the speech problems happen first in the disease. “Progressive,” because the speech problems get worse over time. “Aphasia” is a medical word for difficulty speaking. Primary progressive aphasias affect 200,000 people in the United States and are considered “r...

Family caregivers often share that they have lost their connection with people living with dementia. Some limit their communication with the person living with dementia because of constant arguments. Others feel sad when their efforts go unappreciated. In today's episode, you will learn why the disconnect happens and how to handle it. You will learn a handy tip for side-stepping arguments.  M...

People living with Down syndrome are at greater risk of developing early-onset Alzheimer’s Dementia compared to people without Down syndrome. In this podcast, I provide information about why people living with Down syndrome are at greater risk for developing early-onset dementia, how dementia looks like in this population, the use of dementia medications in this population, and some strategies to...

Procedural memories are memories of how to do things—like how to brush your teeth or program your remote. People living with dementia start to lose these memories in the reverse order that they learned them. Procedural memories created in childhood are the last to go. In this podcast, learn how to slow down the loss of procedural memories by allowing as much self-care as possible. Make Dementia Yo...

I wrote a blog post in 2018 titled the "10 Commandments of Dementia Care." This was followed by "What People with bvFTD Want You to Know." In this episode, I combined both--and updated the information--into a 10-item "Framework for Dementia Care" and added a few more items specific to bvFTD. This podcast episode summarizes a lot of the principles and strategies I encourage caregivers to use with s...

In this episode, I explain the many meanings behind requests to go home. I also provide various approaches you can take when faced with a person living with dementia who tells you that they want to go home...but they already ARE home. I also clarify the "entering their reality" approach. New! 5 Ways to help People living with dementia who refuse help: https://dementiacentricsolutions.com/caring-fo...