Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers

In Episode 111 of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards welcomes Dr. Rie Aihara from Revitalize for an eye-opening conversation about one of today's fastest-growing areas of Alzheimer's research, the gut-brain connection. Researchers are discovering that the trillions of bacteria living inside our digestive system, known as the microbiome, may play a much bigger role in...

In Episode 110 of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards takes a closer look at one of the most important questions facing caregivers today: What Alzheimer's research is actually helping patients, and what may be getting oversold? With new studies, treatments, and headlines appearing almost daily, it can be difficult to separate genuine progress from unrealistic promises....

In this episode, host Jeff Edwards reminds us of one of the most important caregiving lessons: you can't do this alone. Whether in-person or online, caregiver support groups can provide encouragement, education, and a sense of community during one of life's most challenging journeys. This week, we explore exciting developments in Alzheimer's research, including a simple blood test that may help de...

In this episode of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards returns to the conversation with Dr. Lauren P. Brown from The Alzheimer’s Experience for Part 2 of an insightful and engaging interview that caregivers won’t want to miss. Part 1 originally aired back in Episode 102, and yes, Jeff admits the delay getting to Part 2 is on him. Between recording interview...

In this episode of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards tackles one of the most important and often overlooked parts of the caregiving journey: legal planning and protection. Jeff sits down with Elder Law Attorney Ehren Frey from Zacharia Frey PLLC for an informative and practical conversation about: • Power of Attorney • Medical Power of Attorney • Trust...

Episode 106 of GutPunched continues the honest conversation about caregiving, brain health, and the realities families face while navigating Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. Host Jeff Edwards opens the show by encouraging caregivers to stay connected and involved, especially through support groups and caregiver meetings, where education, encouragement, and understanding can make a major...

On this episode of GutPunched, host Jeff Edwards opens the show with a heartfelt Memorial Day reflection, honoring the sacrifices made by service members while also recognizing the importance of slowing down, recharging, and taking care of ourselves in today’s demanding world. This week’s episode explores several important topics affecting seniors and caregivers right now, including: H...

This week on GutPunched Podcast, we welcome Dr. Deborah Coe Silver from the Neuropsychiatric Research Center for an informed, inspiring, and deeply important conversation about brain health, memory care, and the future of Alzheimer’s research. The Neuropsychiatric Research Center has become a true hidden gem in our community—offering groundbreaking clinical research, cognitive testing,...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards sits down with author and caregiver advocate Glenna Hecht for one of the most engaging and practical conversations the podcast has featured to date. What happens when dementia begins changing memories, personalities, and relationships, but a mother and daughter refuse to let it destroy...

In this episode, host Jeff Edwards begins with a powerful fact from information shared by the Alzheimer’s Association: 99% of people say they value brain health as much as, or more than, physical health, but only 9% say they know a lot about ways to maintain brain health. That gap is the focus of this episode. We connect that fact to information from the article “Most Americans Don&rsq...

In this episode of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, Host Jeff Edwards opens the episode by thanking listeners for the overwhelming response to the original song “GutPunched: I Still Choose You!” featured in Episode 100, a heartfelt tribute to caregivers and loved ones navigating this difficult journey. Then, the conversation takes a turn. Do you like controversy? What abo...

In Episode 100 of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards explores a powerful and often unspoken question: What is the true goal of caregiving? Jeff shares insights from The Savvy Caregiver Course manual, offering perspective, validation, and encouragement for those navigating the emotional and physical demands of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or other...

In Episode 99 of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host  Jeff Edwards  shares a personal, relatable perspective on how people react when they hear about the podcast and why its mission matters now more than ever.  From there, the episode explores practical guidance for caregivers, focusing on how to choose meaningful activities for loved ones living with Alzheimer&rsquo...

On episode 98 of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards talks about one of the most challenging and emotional realities of caregiving: changing roles. Jeff reflects on how responsibilities shift over time in the Alzheimer’s journey, and how those shifts impact identity, relationships, and emotional well-being. Jeff shares a personal moment of stepping away for needed...

In this episode of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards opens with a candid and emotional reflection on how stigma impacts not only those living with the disease but also the caregivers who support them. While Alzheimer’s itself is not contagious, the reactions it provokes, awkwardness, distance, silence, and misunderstanding, can create a profound sense of isolat...

This isn’t just about memory loss. It’s about watching someone fade while you’re still holding on. It’s about the confusion, the grief, the quiet moments that hit the hardest… and the person you’re forced to become in the middle of it all. Episode 96 of GutPunched features a deeply moving and candid conversation with Suzy McNamara, whose story unfolds with raw...

Caregiving is many things: rewarding, exhausting, emotional, and often expensive. In Episode 95 of GutPunched, host Jeff Edwards tackles a topic many caregivers overlook but that they absolutely need to understand: tax deductions and tax credits that may help them financially. With tax season approaching faster than most of us would like, Jeff discusses several potential tax benefits caregivers ma...

Caregiving for someone with Alzheimer’s rarely happens in neat, manageable steps. Challenges pile up, crises overlap, and caregivers often find themselves pushing through exhaustion, confusion, and difficult decisions, sometimes all in the same week. In this episode of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, the conversation turns to a question many families eventually hear from doctor...

In Episode 93 of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards dives into questions that many caregivers and families quietly struggle with: “Why can’t I remember?” Is it normal aging, stress, or something more? Jeff unpacks the emotional weight behind memory lapses and how fear can sometimes speak louder than facts. We also revisit the age-old debate: “...

In Episode 92, host Jeff Edwards brings you a powerful and heartfelt conversation that reminds us why this podcast exists. After attending the inspiring McGregor Dementia Seminar hosted by McGregor Baptist Church, Jeff reflects on the incredible energy, resources, and support shared with caregivers. The event was filled with meaningful connections and practical information designed to help those n...

In Episode 91 of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards continues his interview with Dr. John Huffaker of the Neuropsychiatric Research Center (NPRC), discussing how clinical research centers help advance Alzheimer’s treatment and provide opportunities for families. This episode also shares caregiver adjustment strategies from the Alzheimer’s Association, focus...

Edwards welcomes listeners to Part 1 of an important conversation with Dr. John Huffaker of the Neuropsychiatric Research Center (NPRC). Together, they dive into why doing something matters, because when it comes to Alzheimer’s and dementia, doing nothing is not an option. This episode also features another listener question in the ongoing segment “What’s New in Alzheimer’s...

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards explores the extraordinary role music plays in the lives of people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia and the caregivers who support them. Despite cold snaps across the country (and Florida’s version of “cold”), Jeff sets the stage for an engaging and hopeful conversa...

In Episode 88 of GutPunched, host Jeff Edwards takes on one of the most difficult and least discussed aspects of Alzheimer’s and dementia: the silence that surrounds it. Jeff opens with a deeply personal reflection on how families often hide diagnoses out of fear, embarrassment, or misunderstanding. From memories of his grandmother being labeled “senile” to the unspoken rule of d...

In episode 87, Jeff Edwards wraps up his discussion with Dr. John Huffaker from the Neuropsychiatric Research Center (NPRC).  Fresh from his first men’s caregiver group meeting of the year, standing-room-only and filled with new faces, Jeff reflects on the power of shared experience and why no caregiver should ever try to do this alone. Together with Dr. Huffaker, the episode dives into...