File this under things NOT to say to dementia caregivers: My husband/wife/dad/mom forgets things sometimes, too. I will give you some context. A woman whose husband has Alzheimer’s is out with friends having coffee. She is venting about how frustrating it is to see her husband struggle with short term memory. And then one of her friends says it (or a version of it): Well, … Continue reading What Not to Say to Caregivers
I went to Target today. I don’t go to Target a lot. In fact, I order stuff online to avoid going shopping. Today, however, I was in a mood. And I wanted to shop. I went there for one thing, which I, of course, forgot to buy. I came home with two t-shirts, a new mop vac for our kitchen, some soft cat food (a … Continue reading When A Shopping Cart Rams you in your Rear End (aka A Little Grace)
If you know me, you probably know March is my favorite month. Two reasons. 1) Spring. 2) Basketball. My husband and I are known for putting three TVs in the living room so we don’t miss any NCAA tournament games. It’s better than Christmas. I’m not kidding. I enjoy it a lot more than Christmas. A few years ago, I happened to be at a … Continue reading Basketball and Birds
Hi everyone! Here are our current March and April openings for the Dementia Simulation House: https://calendly.com/—-248/dementia-simulation-house-experience?month=2023-03 This is an in-person experience, and it is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It is open to the community, and we would love to meet you. Please note that this is NOT an experience for those living with dementia. They live dementia everyday, so they certainly do NOT need … Continue reading Dementia Simulation House Openings!
What’s your superpower? No, I’m serious. What’s your superpower? I’ll tell you about mine. I think everything is funny. That’s it. That’s my superpower. How do I cope with tough crap? I think everything is funny. How do I deal with hard times? I think everything is funny. That doesn’t mean I don’t take things seriously. You can take things seriously and find humor in … Continue reading Caregiving Superpowers
Here I am. It’s me. I’m back. I needed a break. I tried to prioritize. I put some stuff on the back burner. I just couldn’t do it all anymore. You know, increased responsibilities in my career as a professor. More community dementia education. More simulations. More students to oversee. More indoor cycling classes to teach at studio where I work. A new senior dog … Continue reading And she’s back
Hi friends! I am still on a little bit of a hiatus…life is crazy…fill you in later. I did want to let you know that we just released the February schedule for the Dementia Simulation House in Cedar Falls, Iowa! If you live close or enjoy a good road trip, feel free to reserve a spot: https://calendly.com/—-248/dementia-simulation-house-experience?month=2023-02&date=2023-02-01 You can learn more about the house here: … Continue reading Dementia Simulation House Openings!
Hi all! Fair warning…these are our last opportunities to come visit the Dementia Simulation House in 2022! Ever thought about what it would be like to prepare for the holidays as a person living with dementia? We’d love to see ya: https://calendly.com/—-248/dementia-simulation-house-homefortheholidays?month=2022-12&date=2022-12-12 Continue reading Dementia Simulation: Home for the Holidays Edition
Dear Friends, Happy holidays! Here’s little update on our fam. Bill is an administrator at the University of Northern Iowa. I am a professor of Gerontology. Gus-Gus, our resident geriatric dog, is now 17 and wears a belly band. His eyes are cloudy but he’s thriving. Carlos, our youngest pup, is now about 6. His hobbies include trying to eat cat food and borrowing under … Continue reading My Holiday Letter to You
What is the one thing that caregivers should keep in mind? Yes, I am back with one more one thing, The one thing that caregivers should keep in mind is that you will mess up. I’ve written about this before. You do something, and you will mess up. There are minor failures, moderate failures, and sometimes you just have a giant crash-and-burn failure. You aren’t … Continue reading And I’m back with one more thing….
When Dementia Knocks 
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