Alzheimer's Caregiver Radio

My guest on today's show is Dr. Judy Butler.  Dr. Butler is a certified Pastoral Psychotherapist in private practice, who consults with, counsels and coaches Adult Children of Aging Parents, members of the “Sandwich Generation”, Caregivers, and Senior Adults interested in creating a Legacy Experience through 2nd half and end of life planning.

On October 31, 2018 -- Butler Counseling & Consulting, LLC received the 2018 Best of Mebane Award in Religious Counseling.  Judy holds a doctorate in psychotherapy from The Graduate Theological Foundation, a Master of Divinity degree from Campbell University and is a member of both Epsilon Pi Eta and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. Judy is a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Triad Retirement Living Association, HealthCare Industry Professionals Serving Seniors, a certified Spiritual Director, ordained clergy, a speaker, and a teacher with years of experience and many thousands of hours of practical application.

In this episode, Judy takes us through what is involved in creating a legacy experience.  She shares stories from her own experience and provides examples of why her Guardian's Gift is a legacy experience that families will cherish for generations to come.  "It's all about having conversations" Judy says.  "Even the difficult ones."  Her consulting service helps mediate and navigate those difficult conversations.

Guilt is a common feeling in the landscape of care giving.  Guilt can propel you to be the best you can be or it can immobilize you. In this episode I offer 5 tips to help you manage caregiver guilt effectively.

On today's episode, I interview guest Taunya Woods Richardson;  a serial entrepreneur, financial strategist and behavioral financial coach.  As creator of the Cashflow Canvas and Money Mastery Matrix, and founder of Epifany Financial Group, Nail the Numbers and Champs of Change, Taunya has shown thousands how to reinvent their financial reality through transforming their relationship with their money.  Today she speaks candidly about her own financial struggles and how she became a much sought after expert speaker on financial transformation that is applicable to anyone desiring a better financial future.

In this episode, I’m going to talk about what it means to be an Alzheimer's Family Caregiver: The Long Goodbye AND invite you to a very special event!  Register for the live event here:  https://alzheimerscaregiverradio.com/register.

As a caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia, I don't need to tell you it is stressful.  That's like the understatement of the century, right?  In this episode, I'll give you 10 stress relief tips you can take action on today.

Life does not and should not come to a standstill just because a person has Alzheimer’s disease . While they may have memory impairment and a decline in social skills, they’re still people with thoughts and feelings.  In this episode, I discuss activities you can do with your loved one that will bring them joy (and you, too!)

As a family caregiver of a loved one with Alzheimer's, the thought keeps looming inside your head...  Am I going to get this disease?  In this episode, I discuss some strategies you can do now to help prevent this terrible disease.

Dr. Elizabeth Clark, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers says “Care giving is a difficult job that can take a toll on relationships, jobs and emotional well-being.  Those who care for others need to be sure to take care of themselves, as well.”  In this episode, I discuss some important tips to help caregivers care for themselves.

Mom had urinary track infections over the years; quite common for women with Alzheimer's disease - and I learned the signs - agitation, mood changes, combative.  But this time, none of those signs were evident…

Those with Alzheimer's disease are often scared of water, I learned.  Mom was usually pretty good at getting in the bathroom and taking her shower on her own until…

It was a Saturday at noontime and I made Mom her lunch.  What I saw when I returned to the kitchen a few minutes later was the most frightening sight I had ever seen.

I came to realize how my Dad was my rock, but for someone with Alzheimer's disease like my mom, he was their anchor.

Coping with the loss of a parent while taking care of the other parent with Alzheimer's comes with new challenges, and not much opportunity to grieve your own loss.

It's a difficult thing when the spouse of a person with Alzheimer's dies.

It's an odd thing that happens - there is a role reversal that happens, often subtly at first, then more an more as time goes on - You become the parent of your parents.  When Alzheimer's disease is a part of the mix, that role reversal happens even sooner.

A valuable lesson I learned regarding pets and Alzheimer's disease.

How one bad decision concerning a loved one with Alzheimer's disease can rear it's ugly head for MANY months.

Moving my parents into their new home came with some unexpected and unplanned challenges.

Renovating a home is tough enough, but living in a hotel with aging parents; one with Alzheimer's disease during that process can add a new dimension to the word "challenge".

Moving parents to a new place has many challenges, especially when one of them has Alzheimer's disease, but the journey can also be fun.

Waiting for the house to sell is like living in limbo, but I also needed to find the right house to move us to - 1,000 miles away.

The surprising reaction of family members to my new plan to take over the care of my parents.

 The long term care plan for Mom and Daddy seemed to be in place, until it wasn't...    

So much work involved in getting my parent's home cleaned out and ready to go on the market while taking care of their needs, wants, and desires with no end in sight for the foreseeable future.

There is so much to think about when a parent is suspected to have Alzheimer's disease.  This episode reveals one of the best things we did to help us with the planning process.

     Living   in Charlotte in August 2005, building a business that my Dad and I talked about over the phone daily.  He was very interested in the products and how I was building a business with it.   Then he was  falling asleep on the phone at 10am!   Something was wrong...   

Brief overview of the 12 1/2 years I was a caregiver for my Mom; diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.  It was a time filled with challenges, opposition, and triumphs - something I will always treasure as my greatest experience, though the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.