The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
WCAI
The Forgetting is a podcast that talks about and demystifies Alzheimer's disease. The twice-monthly show is co-hosted by two well-respected Alzheimer’s experts: David Shenk and Greg O’Brien.
O’Brien was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2009, at age 59. The podcast highlights the friendship Shenk and O’Brien share, while also documenting O’Brien’s experience with the disease as its symptoms become more pronounced. The earliest conversations date from 2015. Subsequent episodes of the podcast follow O'Brien's journey with the disease to the present day.
The conversations are geared toward people with the disease, as well as caregivers, friends and loved ones. In addition to discussing O'Brien's day-to-day life with Alzheimer’s and the tactics he uses to cope, the podcast also features guest interviews.
David Shenk is author of The Forgetting: Alzheimer’s, Portrait of an Epidemic.
Greg O’Brien is author of On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s.
The podcast is produced at WCAI in Woods Hole.
Executive Producer: Sean Corcoran
Producer: Steve Junker
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Top 10 The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Standing Naked
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
08/14/20 • 32 min
The Forgetting podcast: Season 2, Episode 1
Greg and David are back with season 2 of their conversations around Alzheimer’s disease. In this episode, Greg talks about how he often wants to be alone – more so than ever before. David asks Greg his thoughts on Joe Biden and accusations that Biden is battling dementia. And, a bare-chested Greg hits the wrong button on his cell phone, prompting an embarrassing moment with a bishop. But Greg, and the bishop, have a sense of humor about the situation.
This episode was recorded Sept. 17, 2019
Living In A Movie
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
11/13/20 • 30 min
The Forgetting podcast: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s
David Shenk and Greg O’Brien talk about the challenges that come with dealing with Greg’s dementia during the pandemic. Movies – including the classic Jaws – have helped Greg during some tough times, but he still grows weary from the challenges of daily life while dealing with the disease. Greg gets some advice from a clergy member who also has dementia. And, it seems Greg still owes David one hundred bucks.
This episode was recorded Sept. 24, 2020
Where’s the Government?
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
06/14/19 • 47 min
The Forgetting podcast: Episode 12 Special guest George Vrandenburg talks about his work pushing the federal government to spend more on research. George tells talks about the loss of his wife Trish to Alzheimer’s and how the disease impacted their family. Greg recalls an event in Los Angeles that reinvigorated him in the fight against the disease. Other topics: people need to talk about Alzheimer’s and dementia in order to demystify the disease; people need to look out for caregivers, who could
A Family Diagnosis
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
05/31/19 • 38 min
The Forgetting podcast: Episode 11 Greg reveals that he blacked out twice while going to a business meeting, but he did not tell anyone. David tries to surprise Greg with two mystery guests. The surprise fails. Greg’s two sons, Conner and Brendan O’Brien, join the podcast for an honest discussion about their dad and dementia’s impact on their lives. Greg and his family discuss a difficult conversation they recently had about the family’s financial future. This episode was recorded on July 27,
Finding New Pathways
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
05/03/19 • 26 min
The Forgetting podcast: Episode 9 Greg talks about the death of Trish Vradenburg, who, along with her husband George, helped create US Against Alzheimer’s – one of the most effective advocacy organizations in the Alzheimer’s world. Greg says his mind is telling him to do things he wouldn’t normally do, which makes him worry. David talks about the plan for how long the podcast will go on so that people can get the blunt truth about the disease. This episode was recorded April 27, 2017.
Realize What's Important
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
04/12/19 • 34 min
The Forgetting podcast: Episode 8 Greg loses his friend. Greg gets upset with people who do the “drive by.” An encounter of the 3rd kind. Greg tells a joke about Alzheimer’s, reminding us to keep our senses of humor. A discussion of the disease before symptoms. Greg has advice for his friend as he faces dying. This episode was recorded April 13, 2017.
Less Judgmental
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
03/29/19 • 39 min
The Forgetting podcast: Episode 7 Greg talks about flipping off drivers on the way to the station. David and Greg discuss when it’s appropriate to correct someone with Alzheimer’s, and when it’s be best to just let things go. David surprises Greg by bringing on special guest Lisa Genova, the author of the novel, “Still Alice,” and a close friend of Greg’s. Once again, the conversation turns to suicide, with Lisa offering some valuable context and information. Lisa tells a story about ALS. This
Without the Filter
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
03/01/19 • 43 min
The Forgetting podcast: Episode 5 Greg feels that he's becoming more like Larry David, blurting out his thoughts and feelings. Another problem at airport security: Greg throws a shoe. An outburst at the Harvard Club. Why humor helps. A discussion of Glen Campbell with his wife Kim, who talks about how her faith helped while caring for Glen through his Alzheimer's disease. This episode was recorded January 10, 2017. With special guest Kim Campbell.
Becoming Grandpa
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
01/28/19 • 30 min
The Forgetting podcast: Episode 4 Greg talks about how he often doesn't recognize people he knows. Greg gets upset when his first grandchild is being born, and his older sister sets him straight. Greg gets lost in his hotel. And while giving a speech, Greg senses a woman standing behind him on stage giving him support. This episode was recorded November 22, 2016. Keywords: faking it; alone on a bus; caregivers.
Soaking Wet
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's
09/04/20 • 38 min
The Forgetting podcast: Season 2, Episode 2
Greg and David welcome their special guest, Lisa Genova, the author of “Still Alice” and a Harvard-trained neuroscientist. Greg talks about welcoming a new grandchild to the family and how that has touched his life. Lisa tells a funny but revealing story about how she once met Greg for coffee and Greg arrived with his clothes soaking wet. And, as always, David and Greg express their love and admiration for each other.
This episode was recorded October 9, 2019
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's have?
The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's currently has 28 episodes available.
What topics does The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's?
The episode title 'Isolating from Friends' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's?
The average episode length on The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's is 34 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's released?
Episodes of The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's?
The first episode of The Forgetting: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's was released on Jan 25, 2019.
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