Aging Angst and Alleluias Podcast

This live, on-location New Year's Eve party at the Veranda is a heart-warming reminder that even those with dementia know how to cut the rug and celebrate! The dialogue, the joy and the excitement are some of the best gifts these wonderful friends can share with each other. Their stories live forever. For contributions to this exceptional respit program, get on www.verandaministries.org.

You can't imagine the prep and detail it takes to pull off an amazing gala event and concert like "A Christmas To Remember" - The Veranda Ministries Benefit every year. The staff, board and volunteers were ready to roll on that December 2nd night. This episode is on location from the women's rest room, because we ALL know, some of the greatest coversations start when women get together, readying t...

This enjoyable and spontaneous episode tells the ages-long story of how three very different women can be blessed to share the same bond, banter and beliefs. Debra Talley, Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly and Sue Duffield understand the meaning of significance and purpose in their mature years, but none of that happens without humor and the joy of not taking themselves seriously! The one commonality tha...

This ENCORE episode features host Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly and Teepa Snow, discussing honestly about hospice and dementia. Teepa's "The Positive Approach to Care" (PAC) is by far the greatest influence for Mary Anne's vision and work-ethic, otherwise known as "The Veranda Ministries." www.verandaministries.org

This is part two continuing with the true story about a remarkable man Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly cared for, for almost two years. She briefly discussed him in episode 62, finishing the story today. Randy's sad journey and experience into a geriatric psych unit is not rare. Mary Anne has a large box of files documented with stories just like Randy's. Some geri psych units have good outcomes, but "...

Nadine will be long remembered as a faithful volunteer and servant. She was a true friend of Veranda Ministries and a true treasure to everyone who knew her. The best part of this story is listening to Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly share her bond with Nadine as her advocate, EOLD/Dementia Doula. Relationship-based care was in full operation, and there's no doubt that we all can learn from this exampl...

Research tells us how people think about aging, the elderly, and abuse - finds that people very quickly and unconsciously draw a line between older people and the "rest of us." This mindset isn't restricted to how we think about the elderly and the problems it creates; it contributes to a range of social issues, including racial and economic discrimination. But why does it seem more prevalent in t...

The Veranda Ministries truly knows that every caregiver is desperate for any single sign of hope and joy regarding their loved one's dismal future of a dementia diagnosis. Telling their stories is one way to ensure a message of optimism and encouragement is paramount to everyone. For a loved one whose world is collapsing, this is the best therapy — telling the truth about the disease but loving th...

Host Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly and producer, Sue Duffield revisit the amazing and healing story of one of Mary Anne's exceptional clients, Martha. It was Martha's dignity that was challenged with incontinence, but to the quick thinking of those around her, she was spared the horror of the embarrassment of losing bodily functions in a public place. One day you may find that someone you care about...

This episode starts out chaotic, fun, frivolous and hilarious - talking carrot cake and nudist camps - all in the same breath! Host Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly and producer Sue Duffield, take the rabbit trail down that crazy path of spilled medicine caplets, Mark Lowry's giant custom pill box container, to even talking (as friends do) about the dilemma of knowing whether or not you're taking the ri...

Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly and her sidekick-producer Sue Duffield, take this episode down a memory lane right from the start. The one thing that stands out the most is not only their reminiscent ways reliving the corner drug store experience, but also the difficulty of navigating the larger box store pharmacies, especially for the elderly.  With an average of 11,000 people turning 65-years-old eve...

Episode 56 is a continuation from previous episode 55 (Unmerited Favor: A Daughter's Love Caring for Both Parents with Dementia) with Mary Gail Anderson, an adult child of two parents suffering with dementia and Parkinson's. This is caregiving to the absolute ultimate. Her exact words, when dealing with the medical professionals are, "question everything." Seriously, question everything. As someon...

People with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are usually cared for by family members or friends. The majority of people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias receive care in their homes. Each year, more than 16 million Americans provide more than 17 billion hours of unpaid care for family and friends with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.  In 2023, these caregivers provi...

An exceptional and informative episode with guest, Anna Marie Adams (Certified End-of-Life Doula and founder of the International Doula Life Movement) will encourage all caregivers to realize the value of the extensive care a doula can bring to every member of a family. Host Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly and Anna understand the impact of helping thousands of families during their most critical times...

Sue Duffield, producer of the Aging Angst and Alleuias Podcast as well as newly appointed board member of the Veranda Ministries, takes her frivolity on-location broadcasting to one of the biggest days on the Veranda Calendar - Derby Day! Imagine staff and volunteers using wheeled walkers with inflated horses' heads attached, racing on the parking lot, creating howling applause and laughter by all...

Host Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly is definitely "The Keeper of Their Stories". This realm and reality of her clients and the family of caregivers with dementia, enhances the dignity of physical hygiene and bathing to the understanding of routine. Dementia care is never an excuse for mistreatment or disrespect. Mary Anne is also a clinician on the road, taking her workshops and speaking to places lik...

Sometimes dealing with dementia and the end-of-life process can be as clear as mud. But today's guest, Helen Bauer, comes as an expert in hospice care with exceptional detail that every care-partner needs. You'll hear phrases like "senile degeneration of the brain" and "the difficulty in assessing someone with dementia at end-of-life with only a snap chat" and "the importance of education and mutu...

It's not unusual to have difficulty finding the right word or remembering where you put things. But persistent problems with memory or the ability to perform everyday tasks might be signs of something more serious. An "Early Onset of Dementia" or "Mild Cognitive Impairment" diagnosis can be a sudden blow to any family. In this case and on this episode, gospel musician, Josh Singletary, shares abou...

This episode with guest, Gay Gingrich, RN, BSN, and host Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly, shares how both women met through their studies with Teepa Snow's "Positive Approach to Care." The discussion begins with two new friends with shared interests and passion for those with dementia as well as Gay's obvious love of her work as a Geriatric Psych Nurse.   Gay's approach to caring for those living with...

Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly's mother's homegoing happened on a Leap Year. As with any family losing a loved one, the anniversary of that loved one's death comes in a tsunami-like wave of great proportion each year. But February 29th only happens every four years, and obviously, it can make the intensity of the weight of grief even more difficult.  Take a drive "across that Memphis Bridge" with Mary...

Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly's guest is Brenda Powers, a registered nurse specializing in geriatric care, with a strong focus on supporting the aging population, especially those with dementia. Brenda has actively contributed enhancing geriatric care through workforce development panels, aiding in devloping dementia education programs like the Vanderbilt Nurse Practitioner School and participating o...

Episode 46 from the #agingangstandalleluiaspodcast , featuring host Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly and Teepa Snow, is a candid and vulnerably honest dialogue about hospice and dementia. The hunger for knowledge to help others began with Mary Anne's desire to experience Teepa and The Positive Approach to Care (PAC) Team, bringing it to fruition, for without this team, there would be no Veranda Ministri...

With relationship-based approach for individuals with dementia, human touch plays an important role in promoting overall well-being. There's nothing quite like a hug or holding hands to promote a physical relaxation response. It's known to reduce levels of cortisol, a hormone released during times of stress. And there's no difference between those with or without dementia in that response. The Ver...

Even in congnitive decline, the neural processes of dreaming bring important benefits for regulating the emotions and creativity. One certain client named Martha of the Veranda in Gallatin, TN, is mentioned both in this episode and Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly's book. Depicting a story in grandiose detail, Martha describes her loved one coming home on Christmas Eve. She eloquently shares the sound o...

Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly, the visionary Founder and Executive Director of Veranda Ministries, has added a new dimension to her impactful work in senior care with the release of her latest book, A Proactive Perspective in Dementia Care: A Relationship-Based Approach, on November 2, 2023. The book is now available in paperback and ebook version on Amazon. In her book, Oglesby-Sutherly draws upon h...