Shownotes
When Lisa Skinner was a teenager, she went to visit her grandmother, who began telling her frantic stories about birds living in her mattress and men trying to steal her jewelry. There were no birds, and there were no men, but Lisa would soon find out that her grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease.
That experience shaped the course of Lisa’s life and eventually led her into dementia care, where she’s spent decades helping families better understand what their loved ones are experiencing and how to care for them with compassion and dignity.
In this episode, Lisa shares what she’s learned from both her personal and professional experiences with Alzheimer’s and dementia, including why “joining their reality” can completely change the caregiving experience.
"A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease does not have to equate to this is the end of the person’s life."
Hear Lisa talk about:
- The moment she first realized her grandmother had Alzheimer’s
- The difference between Alzheimer’s disease and the umbrella term dementia
- How her experiences with eight family members led her into dementia care
- Why traditional caregiving instincts often do not work with dementia patients
- What it means to “join their reality” instead of correcting them
- How person-centered dementia care can help families live more meaningful lives together
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