Caregiver Storyteller - About Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregiving

What if caregiving felt a little less overwhelming and a lot more supported?Caregiving can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. In this episode of Caregiver Storyteller, we sit down with Dr. Jessica Zwerling, neurologist and Director of the Montefiore Hudson Valley Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease, and a 2025 CaringKind New York City Alzheimer’sWalk honoree.Dr. Zwerling shares her perspective on how families can find balance while caring for someone with dementia. She explores the many ways caregivers can build meaningful connections, even as communication changes, and why compassion is so central to the dementia journey. She also discusses how clinical trials and community partnerships, including CaringKind, JASA, and GUIDE, bring real support directly to families when they need it most.Her insights remind us that caregiving is not just about responsibilities, but about relationships, and that small moments of self-care can be just as important as the care we provide to others.This episode offers both inspiration and practical guidance, highlighting how medical expertise and community resources come together to make the dementia journey more manageable.Visit Montefiore Einstein Hudson Valley Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease: https://montefioreeinstein.org/patient-care/services/neurology/programs/alzheimersIf you’re caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, you are not alone. Visit caringkindnyc.org to learn more about free programs, resources, and support.  #Alzheimers#DementiaCare #CaregiverStoryteller #CaringKind #montefioreeinstein

✨ When words fade, music still speaks—and heals.For our season finale, we are honored to welcome Kendra Ray,  PhD, MBA, MPH, MT-BC, LCAT, Chief Research Officer at CaringKind. Dr. Ray shares her inspiring journey of falling in love with music and discovering its profound role in healing. She offers practical ways music can ease agitation, lift depression, spark joy, and restore connection, reminding us that sometimes the smallest tools can transform even the hardest moments. Music brings joy, comfort, and connection into the caregiving journey, renewing the spirit of both care partners and the people they support. Dr. Ray also explains how music can help us stay present in the here and now—creating what she calls moments of paradise—where care partners and loved ones can experience calm, joy, and connection together.Listen to this uplifting finale on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform. Thank you for being part of our community of care partners and champions. We hope this season has brought you strength, validation, and hope.🙏 Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors:Eli Lilly and Family Caregiver Allianceand to listeners like you, who make this community possible.Links from the Episode:Song BPM — Find the beats per minute of a song, as well as the key (be mindful of ads).·Progressive Relaxation withMusic3-Minute GroundingMeditationDementiaWorkbook (MJHS) — Created for caregivers; includes music interventions to use when caring for people with cognitive disorders and memory loss.

The best care partnerships honor two people-  the one you’re caring for, and the one doing the caring.In this heartfelt conversation, Gwen, a devoted mother, licensed practical nurse, and sole care partner for her 80-year-old mother, shares the lessons she’s learned from a lifetime of caring for others. From her service on the deacon board at Greater Zion Hill Baptist Church to her 34-year nursing career, Gwen’s commitment to helping others runs deep. She reflects on the importance of self-care for care partners, the true meaning of partnership in caregiving, and the power of embracing loved ones for who they are today, rather than who they once were. Gwen’s story is a moving reminder that caringfor others begins with caring for yourself.Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors:Eli Lilly and Family Caregiver Allianceand to listeners like you!

You don’t have to live in the same zip code to feel the weight ofcaregiving. Whether you’re across the street or the country, the dementia journey changes you. In this episode, we welcome Francesca B.Falzarano, PhD, a developmental psychologist and Assistant Professor of Gerontology at USC, whose life and work have been shaped by her caregiving journey. Francesca became a caregiver at just 14 years old, an experience that has fueled her mission to understand better and support those caring for a loved one living with dementia.Our conversation explores the unique challenges of caregiving from a distance, the realities of the “sandwich generation,” and how a caregiver’s needs evolve throughout the illness, from the first diagnosis, through progression, and into grief and bereavement. We discuss how technology can be a lifeline, not just for managing care, but for sustaining emotional connection, reducing stress, and building resilience.Whether you are a long-distance care partner, part of the sandwich generation, or navigating your own changing caregiving role, this episode offers insight, validation, and practical ideas for finding connection and support- wherever you are in the journey. Study Mentioned:Living Memory Home-4-Dementia Care Pairs (LMH-4-DCP)https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06225986Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors:Eli Lilly and Family Caregiver Allianceand listeners like you!

What if the first step after a dementia diagnosis wasn’t fear—but connection?In this compelling episode, Olivia Cohen, Director of Early-Stage and Engagement Services at CaringKind, opens the door to a world where a diagnosis is not the end—but the beginning of a deeply supportive journey. Olivia walks us through CaringKind’s early-stage programs, where individuals living with dementia—and the people who care for them—find understanding, purpose, and community from day one.From initial diagnosis through the full continuum of care, these programs offer more than just education or support—they offer empowerment. Clients, care partners, families, and friends all become part of a shared experience that fosters growth, creativity, and lasting bonds. Olivia also shares how bearing witness to this journey has profoundly shaped her own life and perspective.If you or someone you love is navigating the early stages of dementia, this episode will show you what’s possible when care starts early—and grows with you every step of the way.CaringKind Early Stage Programs:https://www.caringkindnyc.org/earlystage/CaringKind Website:https://www.caringkindnyc.org/Thank you to our Podcast Sponsors!Eli Lilly and the Family Caregiver Alliance,and to listeners like you!