The Alzheimer's Caregiver Podcast

When a person receives a diagnosis, the doctor typically explains the condition and how to care for themselves. However, this is not the same when diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This episode discusses a common question: should I try to get my loved one to understand their Alzheimer's diagnosis?

Caregivers often feel frustrated because they are unsure what to do to better help their loved one with Alzheimer's. This episode looks at several key areas where caregivers can improve their quality of care and provide a safer, happier time for their loved ones.

When taking a loved one with Alzheimer's to a doctor's visit, it is important to make the most of the time you have with the doctor. This episode will provide tips to help you prepare for the visit and how to provide the doctor with the information they need for a successful diagnosis.

Just as there are safety issues and concerns for hot summer months, there are also specific concerns for cold winter months. This episode looks at several areas of concern that caregivers need to be aware of when the weather turns chilly.

Happy New Year! January 1st means new year's resolutions. This episode focuses on new year's resolutions for caregivers and provides some ways to be a better caregiver and have a happy new year.

In past episodes of this podcast, I have shared three important goals for caregivers that relate to managing your loved one's health, safety and quality of life. In this episode, I expand these goals to include important goals for YOU, the caregiver.  

Safety is very important when taking care of someone with Alzheimer's. It's easy to assume your loved one can still remember how to do things safely. In this episode, we discuss important safety tips to help you avoid potential safety problems.  

Alzheimer's causes many changes in your loved one that affect their communication and comprehension abilities. Because of this, caregivers must change how they communicate and engage with their loved ones. This episode explores the changes and how caregivers can better communicate.

Delusions are a common symptom of Alzheimer's and typically occur in the middle or late stages. This episode will give you a better understanding of what a delusion is, and will provide you with tips for responding.

Over the years, I have learned much from caregivers. This episode is a way to ask YOU, the caregiver, for your input, experiences, and lessons learned in your journey. I would love to hear from you. Please email me at: epoiley@usf.edu

It is common for a loved one with Alzheimer's to be more and more resistant to showering as the disease progresses. This episode focuses on the reasons behind this resistance and provides you with tips and strategies to help maintain proper hygiene.

Holidays are a time of year that should be happy and joyful. For a loved one with Alzheimer's, holidays can be stressful, confusing, and fearful. This episode looks at holidays and provides tips and strategies to help you have a safer and happier holiday.

The loss of short-term memory is a common concern for caregivers. It has a profound impact on many aspects of daily life. This episode focuses on how short-term memory affects safety issues and provides specific examples and tips for caregivers.

Alzheimer's disease is often thought of as the disease that causes a person to lose their memory. The loss of memory can be pretty upsetting to a caregiver. In this episode, we look at short-term memory loss and give you a better understanding of how it affects your loved one.

One of the most important things a caregiver can do for themselves and their loved one is to attend a support group. In this episode, we look at the benefits of support groups and how you might find one for yourself.

It is not uncommon for persons with Alzheimer's to experience hallucinations. This episode will explain hallucinations, help you understand what they are, what might be causing them, and how to best respond to your loved one as they hallucinate.

As Alzheimer's disease progresses, your loved one may have more difficulty finding the things they need or remembering where things are kept.  This episode will show ways to make your home more memory-friendly and more accessible for your loved one.

Caregivers often mistakenly assume their loved one with Alzheimer's is in the angry or agitation stage, and that this is part of the disease. This episode focuses on how the environment and communications can cause anger and agitation.

Caregivers often express frustration for how little friends and family understand the challenges of being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer's. This episode will provide some insight and suggestions to help others better understand your situation and hopefully provide you with help.

As Alzheimer's progresses, your loved one's interest in activities will change. Sometimes, these changes can be quite surprising. In this episode, we hope to give you a better understanding of how to modify activities to keep your loved one occupied.

Adjusting to living in an assisted living or memory care facility can be challenging for both the caregiver and their loved one with Alzheimer's. This episode focuses on ways caregivers can decide whether taking their loved one out for meals, visits, holidays, or general activities is beneficial.  

When a loved one with Alzheimer's lives at home, there are several things caregivers can do to address safety concerns. In this episode, we look at several ways to prevent potential problems, make tasks easier, and ensure the safety of your loved one.

As your loved one's Alzheimer's progresses, going to the store, to dinner, or any activity outside the home can become difficult. In this episode, we look at ways to prevent safety issues and make the outing enjoyable.

In a previous episode, we looked at having patience with your loved one with Alzheimer's. In this episode, we focus on the need for caregivers to be more understanding of the situation and have patience with THEMSELVES.

We typically answer questions and respond to conversations immediately. But when caring for someone with Alzheimer's, the usual quick answer or response is not always the best. In this episode, we discuss the concept of "Halt Before You Talk" and how this can help your communication with your loved one.