Truth, Lies & Alzheimer's

Lisa has invited a very special guest onto her Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer’s Show Today. His name is Lance A. Slatton, CSCM. Lance is a Certified Senior Case Manager at Enriched Life Home Care Services and the Host of the Award Winning Podcast, All Home Care Matters. Lisa and Lance discuss what shifts they are seeing in this post-COVID world in terms of the way our loved ones, especially those li...

Lisa shares a narrative she wrote about a caregiver named Sarah who found herself in the position of being the primary caregiver for her mother, who was living with dementia. The story focuses on Sarah’s struggles and the challenges she faced taking care of her mom as she progressed through the disease to illustrate what most caregivers experience and what they can do to best cope with taking on t...

Paranoia in the context of dementia can take various forms and may manifest differently in individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. It’s a very typical occurrence with dementia, so Lisa shares some of what the more common signs are that one can expect to see, and what the best practices are to responding to paranoia.  Lisa describes examples of paranoid behaviors such...

Can Alzheimer’s disease be diagnosed properly today? Lisa discusses this age-old question and shares the most recent and updated answers in order to vanquish the confusion. She discusses: Why it is so difficult to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease? The current medical and neurological evaluations available today. How doctors currently approach the diagnostic process of Alzheimer’s disease. What advance...

Lisa explains how repeating questions and stories is a very common behavior in people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, but one that can be a huge source of frustration for loved ones and caregivers. Why Do They Do This? Lisa shares with her audience some of the factors related to repetitive behaviors and why it occurs. Some examples that she discusses are: How memory impairment plays...

Lisa explains how Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia progresses through its various stages and how that impacts the cognitive functions of people who live with it and will therefore greatly affect how they will be able to live their lives. In this episode you will discover: How and why short-term memory is altered. Signs of language and communication impairments. How loss of visual perceptio...

Because there are so many aspects of living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia that are completely unpredictable, Lisa shares some of the behavioral triggers that family members and caregivers should be aware of so they can then be more prepared to resolve these situations before they escalate. Not only does Lisa identify possible triggers, but also discusses key tips and strategies for...

Nostalgia is particularly helpful for those who enjoy conversing or hearing about 'simpler times' or the 'good old days' without reference to personal photos or keepsakes, but still offer a calming familiarity, which is clinically proven to help those with memory loss to cope and often to thrive. Her books and stories reminisce about important milestones of our lives through visual and auditory cu...

In the most recent installment of Truth, Lies & Alzheimer's, host Lisa Skinner delves into the unexpected facets of brain disease that can seemingly emerge unexpectedly. Many listeners may find themselves unaware of these elements, prompting Lisa to coin them as the "hidden or secret faces" of brain disease. Through poignant narration, she shares two profoundly personal stories, using each nar...

Lisa Skinner kicks off her show today with a talk on the importance of implementing a routine for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. She also defines “catastrophic reactions” and explains why they happen. Next, she shares common triggers for behavioral and personality changes in people with dementia, as well as what to look for and some of the most challenging behaviors. In her new...

It is important to understand that as Alzheimer’s disease continues to destroy memory and mental skills, it also begins to alter emotions and behaviors. Approximately 70 to 90 percent of Alzheimer’s patients eventually develop behavioral symptoms; therefore, Lisa can't emphasize enough the importance of being able to recognize these behavioral symptoms and what might have triggered them. Agitation...

In today's episode, Lisa narrates her very personal story about her beloved dog, Oliver, who was diagnosed with Doggie Dementia when he was about 13 years old. Yes, unbeknownst to Lisa at the time, dogs actually do develop dementia, just like humans. She started noticing some very peculiar behaviors in her dog, but at first, not knowing that dogs really do get dementia, she thought that maybe she...

In today's episode of The Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer's Show, Lisa opens a window into the world of what living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia is realistically like for those who are living with it. She shares her experience of taking The Virtual Dementia Tour, which simulates for people what it's like to live with dementia. The Virtual Dementia Tour is a scientifically proven meth...

On today's episode of the Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer's Show, Lisa interviews Alexis Baker, who is a board-certified music therapist of 10 years and the founder and owner of Bridgetown Music Therapy, which she founded in 2017. Alexis is passionate about serving older adults, especially those who are living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. Alexis says that she views using music to ma...

On today's episode of The Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer's Show, Lisa pays tribute to all the caregivers and family members who work so hard to care for our loved ones who live with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. She acknowledges how hard it is to care for those who are cognitively impaired and discusses some of the challenges that these caregivers face every day. She gives many examples...

On today's episode of the Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer's Show, Lisa shares the advice of Dr. Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH, author of the book, "When Your Aging Parent Needs Help" about paranoid symptoms, delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thoughts or speech, also known as psychosis. Dr. Kernisan is a gerontologist who specializes in the aged. Lisa explains Dr. Kernisan's definitions and sympto...

On today's episode, Lisa brings attention to the fact that seniors who suffer from dementia are more vulnerable to elder abuse than those who are not cognitively impaired. She identifies the various categories of actions towards seniors that are considered by law to fall under the definition of elder abuse, the warning signs to look for, and the resources available to report any suspicions of elde...

Because there are so many aspects of living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia that are completely unpredictable, Lisa shares some of the behavioral triggers that family members and caregivers should be aware of so they can then be more prepared to resolve these situations before they escalate. Not only does Lisa identify possible triggers, but also discusses key tips and strategies for...

On today's episode of the Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer's Show, Lisa sheds light on the topic of our aging politicians, leaders, and political candidates that are consistently trending in the news. Given that age is the number one risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, Lisa offers extensively researched facts to support why the time has possibly come to ask ourselves i...

On today's episode of The Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer's Show, host Lisa Skinner sheds light on how to tell if a person suffering from dementia might be in pain. She explains why pain in dementia isn't always obvious or easy to diagnose, especially when that person can no longer let you know that they are experiencing pain. Often, they no longer possess the ability to recognize what's going on in...

Lisa pays tribute to the late Tony Bennett by reminding everyone just how miraculous and powerful music has proven to be for people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. She shares with her audience a true story from her book, Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer's - It's Secret Faces, about a man named Sam, who hadn't spoken a word for over a year, and as soon as he heard the song, "Auld...

In today's episode 18 of the Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer's show, Lisa goes into depth about how effective communication is key to working with Alzheimer's disease and dementia sufferers. Probably the most difficult challenge for family members and caregivers to overcome is the ability to understand what people who are living with dementia are trying to tell them, especially when they can no longe...

On today's episode 20 - of The Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer's Show, Lisa talks about why caregiver preparedness will be critical to have more positive outcomes in caregiving for those living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Lisa shares one of her own true, personal stories to illustrate how possessing the power of knowledge can make such a tremendous difference to caregivers, family members,...

Have you ever heard the term ‘Type 3 Diabetes’ in reference to Alzheimer’s disease? Have you wondered what that even means? In today’s episode of The Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer’s Show, Lisa shares why some researchers are calling Alzheimer’s disease a ‘Type 3 Diabetes’ and explains why insulin resistance is linked to neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s), and how it affects the body and brain....

In today's episode 18 of the Truth, Lies, & Alzheimer's show, Lisa goes into depth about how effective communication is key to working with Alzheimer's disease and dementia sufferers. Probably the most difficult challenge for family members and caregivers to overcome is the ability to understand what people who are living with dementia are trying to tell them, especially when they can no longe...