<p>Instead of a long goodbye, imagine a nine-year journey filled with newfound creativity, laughter, and deep connection. </p><p>In this episode of Real Things Living, Brigitte Cutshall talks with Marilyn Raichle, author of &quot;Don&#39;t Walk Away: A Care Partner’s Journey.&quot; Marilyn shares how her mother’s late-life discovery of painting transformed their relationship from one of &quot;caregiver and patient&quot; to true &quot;care partners&quot;.</p><p><br></p><p>KEY DISCUSSION POINTS</p><p>(1) Art as an Anchor: Marilyn discovered that while Alzheimer’s is scary, art is not; it allows the person living with dementia to be present and their true self to emerge.</p><p>(2) The Power of Listening: Marilyn shifted from &quot;being raised to win&quot; to learning the art of listening, discovering that her mother always had something left to teach.</p><p>(3) Living vs. Suffering: A central theme of the conversation is the importance of saying a person is &quot;living with&quot; dementia rather than &quot;suffering from&quot; it, acknowledging their ongoing value and humanity.</p><p>(4) Innovation in Care: As Executive Director of the Maudes Awards, Marilyn highlights how they provide $100,000 in annual gifts to individuals and organizations finding innovative ways to bring joy to those with memory loss.</p><p><br></p><p>Insights for Care Partners:</p><p>(1) The Five-Minute Rule: If you are struggling to connect, find one simple thing you both enjoy—a walk, a song, or a sunset—and do it for just five minutes.</p><p>(2) Emotional Memory: Even if a loved one cannot remember the specifics of a visit, they retain the positive emotion and &quot;joy&quot; that the interaction provided.</p><p><br></p><p>Resources</p><p>Website: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjNfUEpraTc2cGlRYXhsZVl5WXRHbEZiMTItQXxBQ3Jtc0ttaFN4clNjcFFDN2FqYUdteHFMemxXc1J3dEJmLUNuSGpndmtrMXNVZGxPMkhUbVNsZk9UYTJzbjRReHA4T2NyOVVZazUwRVNlYnJ6UlZnQ2d6d0pwQzBkMWs1bzMyT291ZXZmMEdmNFVqUnFNVUp3WQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fdontwalkaway.net%2F&v=i9A34UVvByg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://dontwalkaway.net</a> </p><p>The Maude&#39;s Awards: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVFJbmctbW1JRFhncVhZb3REQmlKNlhpUnJKQXxBQ3Jtc0tsejJxa09FSko4TXN5RnhWYnotbnFsWGFib2kwTHhoM2pTQ2xTRDRZOGowYXNmenAwTGJVbmFRYzFNZVJnaGF0emR3VnN3MUxIUnFVLTFGVUxfRGFIcmJFZk9BOFNwTnlPa2tscjRDczNHMlViaWVZZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fmaudesawards.org%2F&v=i9A34UVvByg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://maudesawards.org</a> </p>