AlzAuthors: Untangling Alzheimer's & Dementia

Michael Ellenbogen was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 49. Prior to his diagnosis, Michael was a network operations manager for a Fortune 500 financial institution until difficulty with work-related tasks led to an unwanted early retirement. He is a passionate, outspoken dementia advocate who pulls no punches. In this episode we discuss the trials of seeking a medical diagnosis, living with early onset Alzheimer's, and his advocacy work that brought him to the halls of Congress and the World Health Organization.

As a world-renowned International Dementia Advocate and Connecter, Michael has been featured in nationally syndicated TV, radio, and other media outlets. He has written for blogs, newspapers, journals, and websites.

He served on the Pennsylvania Alzheimer's Disease Planning Committee and other advisory councils. He was a regular speaker at the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care and Services and has been featured in the Alzheimer's Disease International's 2012 World Alzheimer's Report. He represented the U.S./World for people living with dementia at the World Health Organization. He is a world-renowned speaker and has shared his personal perspective with Alzheimer’s and dementia advocacy groups and research organizations, including medical students at Harvard and the United States Congress.

He is interested in motivating those with Alzheimer’s to raise their voices and reduce the stigma surrounding the disease. He believes his diagnosis is not the end for him, because he has so much more to give to the world. Michael wrote about his journey in his latest book entitled “From the Corner Office to Alzheimer's.”

Read Michael’s AlzAuthors blog post: https://alzauthors.com/2016/06/07/meet-michael-ellenbogan-author-of-from-the-corner-office-to-alzheimers/

Purchase From the Corner Office to Alzheimer’s: https://amzn.to/2UMsRKU

Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission from book sales.

Read “Dementia is Not the Problem, it’s the People Around Us,” in

EC Psychology and Psychiatry: https://www.ecronicon.com/ecpp/pdf/ECPP-09-00662.pdf

Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. 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 in need of knowledge, comfort and support on their own dementia journeys.

AlzAuthors is 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, marketing expenditures to improve our reach, expand our content, and promote our authors, 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 visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/

Thank you for listening.

Lisa Skinner is the author of "Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost,," a caregiver guide full of real-life stories and practical advice.

Her dementia journey started when she was a teen and her grandmother displayed bizarre behaviors, diagnosed as senile dementia. At the time, resources for families were practically nonexistent and she dedicated her life to becoming an advocate and ally for those on the dementia path. She has witnessed 8 family members succumb to Alzheimer’s and other dementias, and with her husband served as a “relief caregiver” for his mother. She also provided dementia care for her beloved cockapoo, Oliver, who was diagnosed with Canine Dementia.

Professionally, she is a Behavioral Specialist devoted to helping families understand the stages and related behaviors that are associated with dementia illnesses. She considers her career in elder care a calling and has more than 25 years’ experience starting up memory care programs, counseling patients and their families on dementia care, training caregivers, and working in sales and marketing.

In this episode we discuss dealing with dementia behaviors, how to understand and communicate with those who have dementia, and canine cognitive dysfunction.

Start reading "Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost" Now! https://amzn.to/2EC5iA3

Read Lisa's AlzAuthors Post: https://alzauthors.com/2016/10/19/meet-lisa-skinner-author-of-not-all-who-wander-need-be-lost/

Connect with Lisa Skinner

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notallwhowanderneedbelost

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaSkinner2015

Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. 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 in need of knowledge, comfort and support on their own dementia journeys.

AlzAuthors is 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, marketing expenditures to improve our reach, expand our content, and promote our authors, 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 visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ .

Thank you for listening.

Lisa Skinner is the author of "Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost,," a caregiver guide full of real-life stories and practical advice.

Her dementia journey started when she was a teen and her grandmother displayed bizarre behaviors, diagnosed as senile dementia. At the time, resources for families were practically nonexistent and she dedicated her life to becoming an advocate and ally for those on the dementia path. She has witnessed 8 family members succumb to Alzheimer’s and other dementias, and with her husband served as a “relief caregiver” for his mother. She also provided dementia care for her beloved cockapoo, Oliver, who was diagnosed with Canine Dementia.

Professionally, she is a Behavioral Specialist devoted to helping families understand the stages and related behaviors that are associated with dementia illnesses. She considers her career in elder care a calling and has more than 25 years’ experience starting up memory care programs, counseling patients and their families on dementia care, training caregivers, and working in sales and marketing.

In this episode we discuss dealing with dementia behaviors, how to understand and communicate with those who have dementia, and canine cognitive dysfunction.

Start reading "Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost" Now! https://amzn.to/2EC5iA3

Read Lisa's AlzAuthors Post: https://alzauthors.com/2016/10/19/meet-lisa-skinner-author-of-not-all-who-wander-need-be-lost/

Connect with Lisa Skinner

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notallwhowanderneedbelost

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaSkinner2015

Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. 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 in need of knowledge, comfort and support on their own dementia journeys.

AlzAuthors is 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, marketing expenditures to improve our reach, expand our content, and promote our authors, 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 visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ .

Thank you for listening.

Irene Frances Olson writes both fiction and non-fiction, the latter of which can be found on her personal blog "Baby Boomers and More," also known as "Living: the ultimate team sport." Ms. Olson is also a feature writer for "Grandparents Day Magazine," where she has her own byline: IN YOUR CORNER

Much of Irene's early non-fiction pieces found on her personal blog focus on a family caregiver's journey, especially as that journey relates to taking care of a family member with a terminal illness such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and other dementias.

She started her fiction-writing career five years after her father's 2007 death from Alzheimer's disease. "Requiem for the Status Quo" is inspired by her years of dedicated caregiving during her father's dementia journey. If ever there were an occasion to make lemonade out of lemons, the author's caregiver experiences certainly qualify.

"Requiem" was a Finalist in the prestigious 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards contest.

Irene also served on the Board of Directors for AlzAuthors where she steered the organization toward their 501(c)(3) status. She also served as Coordinator of Global Outreach, connecting it with caregiving and dementia-care organizations that support the much misunderstood and underappreciated unpaid caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer's or other dementias.

Ms. Olson lives in Washington state with her husband, 3 daughters, and two grandchildren.

For more information about the author's projects, please go to www.irenefrancesolson.com. Her ebook and 2019 2nd edition paperback are available through Amazon and your favorite bookstores.

Start reading “Requiem for the Status Quo” now! Available in Kindle, audiobook, and paperback on Amazon: https://amzn.to/34BjHXj

Connect with Irene Frances Olson:

Blogs: Baby Boomers and More https://babyboomersandmore.com/, Grandparents Day Magazine http://www.grandparentsdaymagazine.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedmondWriter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Boomer98053

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irene-frances-olson-59b86648/

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Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. 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 in need of knowledge, comfort and support on their own dementia journeys.

AlzAuthors is 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, marketing expenditures to improve our reach, expand our content, and promote our authors, 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 visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ .

Thank you for listening.

Irene Frances Olson writes both fiction and non-fiction, the latter of which can be found on her personal blog "Baby Boomers and More," also known as "Living: the ultimate team sport." Ms. Olson is also a feature writer for "Grandparents Day Magazine," where she has her own byline: IN YOUR CORNER

Much of Irene's early non-fiction pieces found on her personal blog focus on a family caregiver's journey, especially as that journey relates to taking care of a family member with a terminal illness such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and other dementias.

She started her fiction-writing career five years after her father's 2007 death from Alzheimer's disease. "Requiem for the Status Quo" is inspired by her years of dedicated caregiving during her father's dementia journey. If ever there were an occasion to make lemonade out of lemons, the author's caregiver experiences certainly qualify.

"Requiem" was a Finalist in the prestigious 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards contest.

Irene also served on the Board of Directors for AlzAuthors where she steered the organization toward their 501(c)(3) status. She also served as Coordinator of Global Outreach, connecting it with caregiving and dementia-care organizations that support the much misunderstood and underappreciated unpaid caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer's or other dementias.

Ms. Olson lives in Washington state with her husband, 3 daughters, and two grandchildren.

For more information about the author's projects, please go to www.irenefrancesolson.com. Her ebook and 2019 2nd edition paperback are available through Amazon and your favorite bookstores.

Start reading “Requiem for the Status Quo” now! Available in Kindle, audiobook, and paperback on Amazon: https://amzn.to/34BjHXj

Connect with Irene Frances Olson:

Blogs: Baby Boomers and More https://babyboomersandmore.com/, Grandparents Day Magazine http://www.grandparentsdaymagazine.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedmondWriter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Boomer98053

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irene-frances-olson-59b86648/

***

Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. 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 in need of knowledge, comfort and support on their own dementia journeys.

AlzAuthors is 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, marketing expenditures to improve our reach, expand our content, and promote our authors, 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 visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ .

Thank you for listening.

Today’s guest is Kathryn Harrison, who is not only an AlzAuthor but our Creative Director and a member of our management team.

Kathryn was compelled to create her award-winning children’s book "Weeds in Nana’s Garden" following her mother’s passing from frontotemporal dementia in 2010.

During her family’s journey with the disease, Kathryn noticed how much involving her two young children in caregiving added value to the experience, so she decided to create an engaging picture book that could reach many children, enhance their understanding of dementia, and perhaps encourage them to connect more with those on this journey. The enchanting illustrations in Kathryn’s beautiful book enhance the poignancy of the loving story.

What’s more, Kathryn has collaborated with Dementia Care Expert, Jaclyn Guenette, to launch another book for children about dementia, "I Smile For Grandpa."

Start reading "Weeds In Nana's Garden" now! https://amzn.to/3mrKvPS

Read Kathryn’s AlzAuthors Post https://alzauthors.com/2016/09/07/childrens-book-alzheimers-kathryn-harrison/

Follow Kathryn on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KathHarrisonArt

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathryn.harrison.art/

Website: http://weedsinnanasgarden.com

Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. 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 in need of knowledge, comfort and support on their own dementia journeys.

AlzAuthors is 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, marketing expenditures to improve our reach, expand our content, and promote our authors, 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 visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ .

Today’s guest is Kathryn Harrison, who is not only an AlzAuthor but our Creative Director and a member of our management team.

Kathryn was compelled to create her award-winning children’s book "Weeds in Nana’s Garden" following her mother’s passing from frontotemporal dementia in 2010.

During her family’s journey with the disease, Kathryn noticed how much involving her two young children in caregiving added value to the experience, so she decided to create an engaging picture book that could reach many children, enhance their understanding of dementia, and perhaps encourage them to connect more with those on this journey. The enchanting illustrations in Kathryn’s beautiful book enhance the poignancy of the loving story.

What’s more, Kathryn has collaborated with Dementia Care Expert, Jaclyn Guenette, to launch another book for children about dementia, "I Smile For Grandpa."

Start reading "Weeds In Nana's Garden" now! https://amzn.to/3mrKvPS

Read Kathryn’s AlzAuthors Post https://alzauthors.com/2016/09/07/childrens-book-alzheimers-kathryn-harrison/

Follow Kathryn on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KathHarrisonArt

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathryn.harrison.art/

Website: http://weedsinnanasgarden.com

Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. 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 in need of knowledge, comfort and support on their own dementia journeys.

AlzAuthors is 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, marketing expenditures to improve our reach, expand our content, and promote our authors, 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 visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ .

When her beloved mother, Doris, was diagnosed with dementia in 2006, Loretta Woodward Veney began learning everything she could about the disease and hoped to share that information so others could be more prepared than she was for this devastating diagnosis. In 2013, that hope turned into Loretta's first book, "Being My Mom’s Mom: A Journey Through Dementia from a Daughter’s Perspective," which highlights the first six years of the family's dementia journey. This book was recently updated to include the second half of her family’s dementia journey.

Loretta is a trainer, author, and motivational speaker. She’s a retired 35-year security management professional who spent the first 15 years of her career managing security personnel before starting her own training company offering topics including security management and operations, leadership, conflict resolution and communication skills. By mid- 2013, Loretta began receiving requests for presentations on her caregiver experience, and since that time has given more than 275 presentations and keynote addresses.

Loretta and her family’s story have been featured in a PBS special called "Alzheimer’s: The Caregiver’s Perspective," and in articles in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and AARP’s feature page on caregivers. She was selected as the 2019 Trailblazer of the Year by Johns Hopkins Medicine. She has also authored a coloring book for seniors entitled "Colors Flowing from My Mind," and an inspirational photo book entitled "Refreshment for the Caregiver’s Spirit."

Read Loretta’s AlzAuthors posts:

Meet Loretta Woodward Veney, Author of Being My Mom’s Mom, July 7, 2016

Loretta Woodward Veney Updates Her Memoir, Being My Mom’s Mom, May 26, 2020

Start reading "Being My Mom’s Mom: A Journey Through Dementia from a Daughter’s Perspective": https://amzn.to/2BCS18s

Connect with Loretta Veney

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lwveney

Conquering Life Blog: https://lwveney.wordpress.com

Website: https://lorettaveney.com

Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. 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 in need of knowledge, comfort and support on their own dementia journeys.

AlzAuthors is 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, marketing expenditures to improve our reach, expand our content, and promote our authors, 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 visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ .

Thank you for listening.

When her beloved mother, Doris, was diagnosed with dementia in 2006, Loretta Woodward Veney began learning everything she could about the disease and hoped to share that information so others could be more prepared than she was for this devastating diagnosis. In 2013, that hope turned into Loretta's first book, "Being My Mom’s Mom: A Journey Through Dementia from a Daughter’s Perspective," which highlights the first six years of the family's dementia journey. This book was recently updated to include the second half of her family’s dementia journey.

Loretta is a trainer, author, and motivational speaker. She’s a retired 35-year security management professional who spent the first 15 years of her career managing security personnel before starting her own training company offering topics including security management and operations, leadership, conflict resolution and communication skills. By mid- 2013, Loretta began receiving requests for presentations on her caregiver experience, and since that time has given more than 275 presentations and keynote addresses.

Loretta and her family’s story have been featured in a PBS special called "Alzheimer’s: The Caregiver’s Perspective," and in articles in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and AARP’s feature page on caregivers. She was selected as the 2019 Trailblazer of the Year by Johns Hopkins Medicine. She has also authored a coloring book for seniors entitled "Colors Flowing from My Mind," and an inspirational photo book entitled "Refreshment for the Caregiver’s Spirit."

Read Loretta’s AlzAuthors posts:

Meet Loretta Woodward Veney, Author of Being My Mom’s Mom, July 7, 2016

Loretta Woodward Veney Updates Her Memoir, Being My Mom’s Mom, May 26, 2020

Start reading "Being My Mom’s Mom: A Journey Through Dementia from a Daughter’s Perspective": https://amzn.to/2BCS18s

Connect with Loretta Veney

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lwveney

Conquering Life Blog: https://lwveney.wordpress.com

Website: https://lorettaveney.com

Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. 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 in need of knowledge, comfort and support on their own dementia journeys.

AlzAuthors is 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, marketing expenditures to improve our reach, expand our content, and promote our authors, 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 visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ .

Thank you for listening.

Gincy Heins became caregiver to her husband at the age of 49 when he was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment, also known as MCI, a neurological condition that causes a slight but noticeable and measurable decline in cognitive abilities. Memory and thinking skills are primarily affected, and there is a very real possibility of future Alzheimer’s or other dementia. At the time, he was just 55.

At first disbelieving that such a diagnosis could befall them so early in life, Gincy set out to learn all she could about the condition and sought support through her local Alzheimer’s Association. She soon became the expert on her husband’s diagnosis and began advocacy work to help others on the dementia journey. This included creating and publishing the book "Before the Diagnosis: Stories of Life and Love Before Dementia" and becoming one of the co-authors of the series "365 Caregiving Tips: Practical Tips from Everyday Caregivers." She is also an AlzAuthors Associate, volunteering her time and skills as an acquisitions editor and producer of helpful, hopeful videos for caregivers.

In addition, Gincy is an advocate for a full, enriched life and keeps busy with a variety of activities and interests. She teaches classes for older adults at a community college, is a Senior Commissioner for Cypress, CA, speaks at conferences and on panel discussions, and volunteers at her public library and with Alzheimer’s Orange County.

Gincy is a vibrant, uplifting speaker with a hopeful message and a smart approach to life with cognitive difficulties. In this episode we discuss how she and her husband grew to accept a diagnosis that typically affects older people, and the power of positivity and active engagement in the face of MCI.

Purchase "Before the Diagnosis: Stories of Life and Love Before Dementia" https://amzn.to/3oBAaTy

Purchase "365 Caregiving Tips: Practical Tips from Everyday Caregivers"

https://amzn.to/31Mt5FZ

Read Gincy's post on AlzAuthors: https://alzauthors.com/2019/01/23/meet-gincy-heins-editor-of-before-the-diagnosis/

Follow Gincy on social media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gincyheins/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GincyHeins

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gj.heins

Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. 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 in need of knowledge, comfort and support on their own dementia journeys.

AlzAuthors is 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, marketing expenditures to improve our reach, expand our content, and promote our authors, 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 visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ .

Thank you for listening.