Dementia Careblazers

Some of the habits that make dementia behaviors worse come from loving, kind caregivers doing exactly what works with everyone else in their lives. Correcting a mistake, explaining why the medication matters, or asking "do you remember who this is?" can quietly lead to more agitation, resistance, and mistrust.
In this episode, I'm walking through six of these everyday habits, why they backfire when someone has dementia, and what you can try instead. You can be completely right and still end up losing the moment. These habits take time to break, and noticing them is where it starts.
If you'd like to see this episode on video, you can hop on over to my YouTube channel here.

📘 My book, The Dementia Care Toolkit: Real Help for Challenging Behaviors and Caregiving Overwhelm, is available for preorder now: https://careblazers.com/toolkit 
Inside, you'll find practical strategies for difficult dementia behaviors, communication, caregiver overwhelm, guilt, grief, frustration, and more.
→ Learn about the Care Collective: https://tinyurl.com/podcast-cc 

⏱ CHAPTERS
0:00 - Why everyday habits can backfire with dementia
2:05 - Habit 1: Correcting
3:55 - Habit 2: Reasoning
8:45 - Habit 3: Arguing
11:40 - Habit 4: Testing their memory
13:00 - Habit 5: Talking as if they aren't there
14:55 - Habit 6: Reminding them what they can't do
17:40 - One question to ask before you respond
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Hi, I'm Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist specializing in dementia care. Whether your loved one has Alzheimer's, frontotemporal, Lewy body, vascular, or mixed dementia, we believe that to create a dementia-friendly world, we must first create a caregiver-friendly world.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical guidance.

Some dementia behaviors can make absolutely no sense from the outside. It can look like your loved one is being lazy, stubborn, rude, in denial, or even lying to you. But there's often a brain-based reason for what you're seeing.
In this episode, I break down 5 strange dementia behaviors, apathy, anosognosia, apraxia, disinhibition, and confabulation — and explain what may actually be happening in the brain when they occur. Because when you understand why a behavior is happening, it can completely change the way you see it.
If you'd like to see this episode on video, you can hop on over to my YouTube channel here.
And if your next question is, "Okay, but what do I DO when this happens?" I have two resources that can help:
→ Learn about the Care Collective: https://tinyurl.com/podcast-cc 
→ My new book, The Dementia Care Toolkit is officially available for pre-order. ➡️ Preorder your copy here: https://careblazers.com/toolkit 
 
⏱ CHAPTERS
0:00 - Why these behaviors are almost never a choice
1:31 - Apathy and the broken motivation switch
3:51 - Anosognosia and why they do not believe they have dementia
6:12 - Apraxia and why simple tasks stop working
8:26 - Disinhibition and what the frontal lobes control
10:11 - Confabulation and why it is not lying
 
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Hi, I'm Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist specializing in dementia care. Whether your loved one has Alzheimer's, frontotemporal, Lewy body, vascular, or mixed dementia, we believe that to create a dementia-friendly world, we must first create a caregiver-friendly world.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical guidance.

When someone with dementia knows they're struggling, they may start doing less and less. They might get frustrated, say things like "I can't do anything right," or stop doing things they used to enjoy.
In this episode, I'm talking about why this can happen and, more importantly, how you can help. I'll share some simple ways to support their confidence and adapt activities as their abilities change.

If you'd like to see this episode on video, you can hop on over to my YouTube channel here.
→ Learn about the Care Collective: https://tinyurl.com/podcast-cc 
 
⏱ CHAPTERS
0:00 - A Careblazer's question: is he losing motivation, or does he know he's struggling
1:23 - What anosognosia actually is, and why this is something different
3:10 - Practical ways to support someone who's aware they're struggling
3:42 - A real story: adapting a beloved hobby instead of giving it up
6:01 - What to watch for, and when to loop in the doctor
 
→ My new book, The Dementia Care Toolkit is officially available for pre-order. ➡️ Preorder your copy here: https://careblazers.com/toolkit
→ Get free weekly tools and tips in my newsletter, The Dementia Dose: https://tinyurl.com/dementiadose-podcast 
 
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Hi, I'm Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist specializing in dementia care. Whether your loved one has Alzheimer's, frontotemporal, Lewy body, vascular, or mixed dementia, we believe that to create a dementia-friendly world, we must first create a caregiver-friendly world.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical guidance.

Have you ever noticed your loved one with dementia is calm, nothing seems to be wrong, and then the moment you shift your attention to someone else they completely change? They get demanding, upset, anxious, or jealous that you are not there giving them attention. It can feel like they cannot stand not being the center of your attention, and understandably that leaves you feeling frustrated, resentful, and confused. It is not jealousy. It is not manipulation.
In this episode I share two real life examples of this, explain what is happening in the brain that causes it, and walk you through what actually helps when your attention has to go somewhere else.
If you'd like to see this episode on video, you can hop on over to my YouTube channel here.
→ Learn about the Care Collective: https://tinyurl.com/podcast-cc 
 
⏱ CHAPTERS
0:00 - When your attention shifts and everything changes
1:16 - Two real life examples from Careblazers
2:52 - Why this is attachment distress, not jealousy
5:07 - Why it feels so personal, and a reframe that helps
5:54 - What actually helps when you have to step away
 
→ My new book, The Dementia Care Toolkit is officially available for pre-order. ➡️ Preorder your copy here: https://careblazers.com/toolkit
→ Get free weekly tools and tips in my newsletter, The Dementia Dose: https://tinyurl.com/dementiadose-podcast 
 
---
Hi, I'm Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist specializing in dementia care. Whether your loved one has Alzheimer's, frontotemporal, Lewy body, vascular, or mixed dementia, we believe that to create a dementia-friendly world, we must first create a caregiver-friendly world.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical guidance.

Caring for someone with dementia can feel overwhelming, especially when you're not sure where to turn for help.
In this episode, I'm sharing several places dementia caregivers can go for support, guidance, and resources, plus one important step families often wait too long to think about. You do not have to wait until there's a crisis to start getting help. 
The Dementia Care Toolkit is officially available for pre-order. This book was written for the real-life moments of dementia caregiving, the moments when you're overwhelmed, unsure what to do, and need something practical to reach for.
➡️ Preorder Your Copy Here: https://careblazers.com/toolkit 
⏱ CHAPTERS 
0:00 - Two questions from a recent podcast interview
0:38 - Why you don't need to wait until you need help to ask for it
1:01 - Four places to turn for help after a dementia diagnosis
3:37 - What to do the very next day if your loved one was just diagnosed
#dementia #dementiacaregiver #caregiverburnout #dementiacare
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Hi, I'm Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist specializing in dementia care. Whether your loved one has Alzheimer's, frontotemporal, Lewy body, vascular, or mixed dementia, we believe that to create a dementia-friendly world, we must first create a caregiver-friendly world.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical guidance.