Grace Under Pressure: A Caregiver's Journey from Professional to Personal

AlzAuthors: Untangling Alzheimer's & Dementia

By Christy Byrne Yates, MS, California, US

Podcast Description: Discover the unexpected truth about dementia care from a professional who found herself on the other side of caregiving. Get ready to uncover the surprising insights that transformed her perspective and could change yours too. Find out what left her reevaluating her own caregiving advice and how she's now championing an empowering approach for other caregivers. It's a revelation that could reshape the way you think about dementia care and caregiving.

Mary Ann Drummond, a highly experienced nurse with a career spanning over 30 years, is a prominent figure in the realm of dementia care. Her book, Meet Me Where I Am: An Alzheimer's Care Guide, is a comprehensive resource derived from her extensive work in memory care settings. It offers practical strategies and insights tailored to the unique challenges of dementia caregiving. In collaboration with Dr. Beatrice Tauber Prior, Mary Ann co-authored Grandma and Me, a children's guide for Alzheimer's and dementia, emphasizing her commitment to addressing the broader impact of these conditions on families. With her wealth of nursing knowledge and literary skills, Mary Ann's contributions have significantly advanced the understanding and support available for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.

Quotes:

“Give yourself grace. You're only human. There're going to be days where you don't always do exactly what you might know to do, but it's not wrong. It's just human.”

“It's about capabilities. It's less about the limitations and more about the abilities.”

In this episode, you will:

• Gain valuable insights into dementia care from real-life experiences.
• Discover the importance of prioritizing self-care as a caregiver.
• Learn to recognize and leverage individual capabilities in dementia care.
• Overcome challenges in decision-making as a caregiver for someone with dementia.
• Explore how to create a dementia-friendly caregiving environment for enhanced well-being.

After the Podcast

· Meet Me Where I Am – An Alzheimer’s Care Guide

· Grandma and Me – A Kid’s Guide for Alzheimer’s and Dementia

• I Choose to Remember, a reminiscence therapy aid - available exclusively on the Angel Tree Publishing website.

Connect with MaryAnn

Twitter at @RNforAlz for more information and updates.

About the Podcast

AlzAuthors is the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer’s and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Our podcast introduces you to our authors who share their stories and insights to provide knowledge, comfort, and support. Please subscribe so you don’t miss a word. If our authors’ stories move you, please leave a review. And don’t forget to share our podcast with family and friends on their own dementia journeys.

We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please donate here.

Ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the speakers and not AlzAuthors. Always consult your healthcare provider and legal and financial consultants for advice on any of the topics covered here.

Thanks for listening.

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