Supporting Someone You Love With Dementia, An Honest Conversation With Carolyn Birrell

03/11/23 • 41 min

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Join me in this captivating discussion with Carolyn Birrell as she talks about her journey "Walking with Fay" in the midst of her mother's Dementia. In this episode we will touch on:

How a loved one's Dementia diagnosis can sneak up on you
Signs of Dementia
What a day in the life can look like while caring for someone with Dementia
Highs and lows of caring for someone with Dementia
Lessons learned from the other side of the Dementia journey
Ways to ease your interactions when dealing with someone who has Dementia
Ways to connect when you're dealing with someone who has Dementia

Carolyn was a young retiree who had relocated after a successful career working for the American Cancer Society and then later, as a real estate agent. Soon after her move, she was faced with the realization that her mother had dementia and could no longer live by herself. As a result, Carolyn and her sister relocated their mother, and Carolyn spent the next eight years caring for her aging mom while learning all things dementia.

As Carolyn was going through this journey, she journaled about her feelings and the interactions with her mom and eventually she used those journals to write the book, Walking with Fay.
You can see more of Carolynn here:

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Join me in this captivating discussion with Carolyn Birrell as she talks about her journey "Walking with Fay" in the midst of her mother's Dementia. In this episode we will touch on:

How a loved one's Dementia diagnosis can sneak up on you
Signs of Dementia
What a day in the life can look like while caring for someone with Dementia
Highs and lows of caring for someone with Dementia
Lessons learned from the other side of the Dementia journey
Ways to ease your interactions when dealing with someone who has Dementia
Ways to connect when you're dealing with someone who has Dementia

Connect with Marianne:

Website: Message In The Middle with Marianne
Message In the Middle Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/422430469323847/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MessageInTheMiddle/playlists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-demello-smith-678b9966
Email: Contact | Message In The Middle with Marianne

Subscribe to Message In the Middle:

Previous Episode

Ashley McCombs Mizell Lost Her Vision But Gained So Much More - Part 2

Join me in the second half of my conversation with Ashley McCombs Mizell, the young woman that lost her site to an Auto Immune Disease called Sarcoidosis four years ago.
In this episode we continue exploring the inspirational journey that Ashley has been on since losing her vision and we talk through:

How the community has helped her in so many ways, including funding for an experimental Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment.
Some of the products that Ashley uses to allow her to be self-sufficient.
Ashley's journey to becoming a social media influencer.
The unexpected gifts her blindness has brought into her life.
Ashley's advice to anyone that has had an injury or is in a situation that is causing them to feel lost and hopeless.

Ashley's Links:
My Links • @blind_momofboys • Milkshake Website Builder (msha.ke)

Connect with Marianne:

Website: Message In The Middle with Marianne
Message In the Middle Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/422430469323847/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MessageInTheMiddle/playlists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-demello-smith-678b9966
Email: Contact | Message In The Middle with Marianne

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Next Episode

A Look Inside Aging & Dementia with Leslie Fuller

In this extremely insightful conversation, Marianne sits down with Leslie Fuller, a woman who is not only passionate about helping take care of the aging, but who is passionate about educating on this topic as well. In this episode we explore:

How Dementia plays out in the brain and what it might look like as it’s progressing
What you should do if you suspect some form of Dementia setting in
The concept of using a strengths-based perspective with your loved ones
Tips for loving & supporting someone with Dementia
How to connect with your loved one once Dementia/Alzheimer’s has set in
Lessons learned from years of supporting the elderly population
What to look for in a Nursing Home
How to help ease the transition if you must choose placement vs in home care

Leslie Fuller's career has been centered around senior adults for a long time. She earned a Master's of Social Work with a focus in gerontology and moved right into working as a Director of Resident Services for a senior living apartment complex. After 6 years she transitioned to an Executive Director position of an Alzheimer’s and dementia care community, and then on to the role of the Divisional Dementia Care Manager supporting communities in 13 different states. Dealing with the Senior population and related challenges is certainly something she has some knowledge on and today she uses that knowledge and experience to provide training, tools, and coaching to communities of all sizes with a goal of teaching how to create a community culture that supports optimal quality of Life for the aging resident, the staff and the families.

Leslie's Website: Inspired Senior Care – Enriching your community's culture
Facebook: (7) Inspired Senior Care | Oklahoma City OK | Facebook
Insta: Leslie Fuller (@inspiredseniorcare) • Instagram photos and videos
Alzheimer's website: alz.org
Alzheimer's 24/7 Helpline: 800.272.3900

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