Alzheimer's Speaks Radio - Lori La Bey

Understanding and Coping with Generational Love and Loss   Today, Lori La Bey talks with RJ Scarelli, who recently published his 1st children’s book about the effects of Alzheimer’s and Dementia. The book is titled For Those I Knew and Loved Before.  RJ wrote the book in honor of his grandmother, who lost her battle to Alzheimer’s back in 2021, as well as caregivers and families who are either taking care of a loved one with these neurodegenerative diseases or who have lost someone to dementia. RJ’s story depicts a unique perspective of a young child who grapples with her grandmother’s diminishing condition and rapid memory loss. Ultimately, it gives the reader a vulnerable yet simple way to approach this difficult subject and allows young readers to effectively grapple with watching those they love the most struggle as their journey with Alzheimer’s and Dementia progresses. RJ hopes his book will help children explore big emotions and unfamiliar change

Down Syndrome, Regression Disorder, and the Link to Alzheimer's  Lori La Bey talks with Nancy Poland, who has been a guest on our show before. Through her company, Grace's Message, she is an author, speaker, and trainer. Nancy says, with grace and hope, she provides written and spoken communication on caregiving, loss, and other valuable topics. Jodie Johson has supported her son Zachary's journey with Down Syndrome and Acute Myelogenous Leukemia at age 6 months. In honor of Zachary, in 1993, Jodie and her husband Scott started The Zachary Johnson Kids with Cancer Fund at Riverwood Healthcare Center, their local hospital foundation. They also give out monetary gifts to kids with cancer in their surrounding area. They have helped over 103 children. Jodie is here today to share about Zachary's diagnosis with Regression Disorder and the link to Alzheimer's.  Learn: Hear about Jodie’s son, Zachary, and her family's journey with Down Syndrome. Jodie shares early signs of Down Syndrome Regressive D

 2025 MAUDE'S AWARDS RECIPIENTS #Dementia #CaregiverSupport #QualityofLife  Lori La Bey talks with Marilyn Raichle, who is the Executive Director of Maude’s Awards, to highlight a couple of the winners and mention the others in the various categories. Joining the conversation will be two of the winners: Patti LaFleur is the former care partner to her mom, Linda, who had younger-onset dementia and was a former elementary educator for over 10 years. Patti designs and leads our programs with intentionality, knowledge, and love to connect with family members through sharing the lived experience and profound generosity of spirit that sets the tone for how Lorenzo’s House shows up for families. Lorenzo’s House empowers sons, daughters, children, and their families affected by younger-onset dementia. Chérie Macri is a seasoned healthcare leader and licensed Occupational Therapist with two decades of experience in the senior living continuum, including skilled nursing, assisted livi

Each month on Alzheimer’s Speaks, we allow individuals and companies to share their services, products, tools, research, insights, and thoughts regarding dementia and caregiving on our OPEN MIC sessions. Today, Lori La Bey, the host of  Alzheimer's Speaks, talks with Tyler Zanini, Co-founder at MemoryBoard, about their exciting news. Memory Board just launched in June of 2025.  Join us to learn more about the features and how Memory Board can ease your caring journey while increasing connection, communication, and comfort for both your loved one or client, as well as family members and staff. Go to Memory Board APP, and you can take advantage of their fall special discount of 10% off by using the code FALL10 at checkout.      Alzheimer’s Speaks Blog Post https://alzheimersspeaks.com/blog/  Watch the Video Interview Below https://youtu.be/Ut3i2MLDa5U Listen and Subscribe to Alzheimer’s Speaks on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.ap

Learning to be a Mindful Caregiver  Lori La Bey talks with Nancy Kriseman, MSW, who is a geriatric social worker with more than 30 years of experience providing counseling, consultation, and training to family caregivers. She has three caregiving books: The Caring Spirit Approach to Eldercare  Meaningful Connections: Positive Ways to Be Together When a Loved One Has Dementia The Mindful Caregiver: Finding Ease in the Caregiving Journey Learn: What exactly is a mindful caregiver? Are there strategies to handle resistance when the care recipient has dementia, doesn't want to move, give up driving, or go to the doctor, etc.? How does resilience play a role in caregiving? Does advertising play into how we perceive dementia and caregiving? What are your thoughts about feeling unable to do things that used to be very common for a person with dementia? What is compassionate deception? What is the Spirit of Caring? Nancy tells us about the "Activity Grab and Go Boxes" and how they can help families experi

Alzheimer's Speaks OPEN MIC Featuring AlzAuthors Celebrating 10 Years of Support & Service Today, Christy Byrne Yates from the leadership team at AlzAuthors joins Lori La Bey, host of Alzheimer’s Speaks, as they explore AlzAuthors' ten-year history and what we can expect from them going forward. What began as a one-month campaign in 2015 by three authors has blossomed into a vibrant community. Today, we proudly connect nearly 400 authors with over 400 high-quality, carefully vetted resources for those on the dementia journey.Through AlzAuthor’s website, blog, podcast, YouTube channel, newsletter, and engaging virtual events, they've reached and supported thousands of caregivers and those concerned about dementia.AlzAuthor’s has entered 2025 with renewed vigor, committed to providing knowledge, comfort, and unwavering support to those in need. Alzheimer’s Speaks Blog Post https://alzheimersspeaks.com/blog/   Watch the Video Interview Below https://www.youtube.com/@AlzheimersSpe

Is There a Memory Care Crisis?     Lori La Bey talks with Today, I will be talking with Gail Weatherill, aka The Dementia Nurse, who is a Registered Nurse, dementia care activist, and author. Her book, The Caregiver’s Guide to Dementia:  Practical Advice for Caring for Yourself and Your Loved One, has sold thirty thousand copies and earned over a thousand five-star reviews on Amazon.    Learn: What is dementia care activism, and how did Gail Weatherill get involved in it? About the documentary NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE – A NURSING HOME EXPOSE. Gail appeared in it. What Gail feels the forces are driving the current issues in memory care. How can a caregiver advocate for a loved one who lives in a memory care facility? What can all of us do to improve memory care for the future?   Alzheimer’s Speaks Blog https://alzheimersspeaks.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-dementia-is-there-a-memory-care-crisis/ Watch the Video Interview Below https://youtu.be/tSE

Sharing Her Dementia Journey To Help You Lori La Bey talks with Mary Jo Belmont, who, at the age of 74, wrote and self-published her first book, Our Dementia Journey and Beyond, curated from the journals she kept while caring for her husband, Jack, for 50+ years. He passed on September 18, 2021, from Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, and Alzheimer’s dementia. She decided to write the book to educate people about dementia and help caregivers as they travel the dementia journey with their loved one.   Learn: Did Journaling help Mary Jo Belmont during her dementia caregiving experience? Why was it important for Mary Jo to write her book? In Mary Jo’s book called Our Dementia Journey and Beyond, what exactly is the section called “Beyond,” and why did she include it in her book? Examples of how Mary Jo lived in Jack’s dementia world. Mary Jo mentions her faith in Jesus throughout her book. Find out some of the examples of the times she felt God was by her side. In the book

Innerhive: Supporting families with organization and emotional support Lori La Bey talks with Crystal Gallo is the founder of Innerhive.  She has spent the past 15 years leading technical teams and growing software development companies.  Crystal is a learner at the core and passionate about leveraging technology to solve difficult problems. Inspired by her personal journey and those on her team, Innerhive was founded with the vision to transform how we care for one another and end caregiver burnout. Learn: What are the biggest challenges for families navigating care in today's market? How are people handling or coping when caring for others? How is Innerhive changing the experience for families, both in how they get organized and find emotional support? What are some key features of Innerhive, and how do these assist families to care better? Can Innerhive reduce the stress families and friends experience when caring? How can our audience take advantage of a free trial offer to experience

Assisting Black Families Navigate Uncertainties And Fears Associated With Dementia Lori La Bey talks with Donna Salaam, who works at The Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, located in Cleveland, Ohio, which is a prominent research organization that conducts state-of-the-art research to develop & deliver innovative, high-quality solutions to advance supports of older adults on the aging journey.  Donna has a strong passion for helping those with dementia and takes pleasure in collaborating with the aging population. Today, Donna will discuss the SHARE Program and provide insights into how it can assist Black families in navigating the uncertainties and fears associated with a dementia diagnosis.   Learn: Why is it important to reach out to the black families about dementia? Who is involved in the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging Study? What is SHARE for Dementia, and what does it stand for? Why is it so important for families to ask for help? What are some of the recent treatment advances? What s

Authors Discuss The Answers To The Most Common Caregiver Questions  Lori La Bey talks with Barry J. Jacobs, Psy.D., a Philadelphia area-based clinical psychologist, healthcare consultant, and author or co-author of three self-help books for family caregivers, as well as a columnist on caregiving on the AARP website. Joining them is  Barry’s wife, Julia L. Mayer, Psy.D., is a Philadelphia area-based clinical consultant, author, and co-host of the podcast Shrinks on Third about psychology and social justice. During their 35 years of marriage, Barry and Julia were caregivers over a nine-year period for Julia's father and Barry's mother with vascular dementia and Barry's stepfather with Alzheimer's disease. Their just-published book is The AARP Caregiver Answer Book, a book-length FAQ with the answers to nearly 150 questions that caregivers commonly ask. Learn: Find out what led Barry and Julia to focus on the needs of caregivers. How did caregiving affect their marriage? How did their children,

The Heart Remembers  Lori La Bey talks with Mary Underwood, who has worked as a social worker for over 35 years. She founded  Empowermentia and just launched her first book, The Heart Remembers: Touching Lessons from the Dementia Journey. Learn: What was the inspiration behind Mary’s book? Why did Mary decide on storytelling for your book format? How is Mary’s book different from other books out there, and how can it help you? Learn about Mary’s company, Empowermentia, and what it can offer you as an individual and a company. Alzheimer’s Speaks Blog https://alzheimersspeaks.com/the-heart-remembers/ Watch the Video Interview Below https://youtu.be/VeFWvToRg9I Listen and Subscribe to Alzheimer’s Speaks on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-heart-remembers/id986940432?i=1000715578464 Listen and Subscribe to Alzheimer’s Speaks on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/02OWZS6CPtJr2Jl1xjYct9 Other Podcasts https://pod.link/986940432 Dementia Ma

From Awareness to Action: Changing Dementia Care Through Early Detection and Brain Health Plans  Lori La Bey talks with Dr. Anna Chodos, the Executive Director of Dementia Care Aware, an organization dedicated to supporting primary care to improve dementia detection and care, and a Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General and the Division of Geriatrics at UCSF. Her clinical work is in outpatient specialty care in geriatrics and dementia care, and her academic work is focused on understanding the unmet needs of older adults who are seen in primary care in the safety net, especially those who are living with dementia.  Learn: Why is it important to discuss cognitive health with doctors early? How can people start this conversation with their doctors? What are some key factors that can reduce the risk of dementia? What are some ways people can offer support to loved ones with dementia? How can doctors improve elder care by educ

How To Find A Memory Cafe Or Start One!    Lori La Bey talks with Beth Soltzberg, a clinical social worker at JF&CS in Boston who directs the JF&CS Memory Cafe Percolator and is part of the lead team for the national Memory Cafe Alliance.  Beth Soltzberg is a clinical social worker at JF&CS in Boston. She directs the JF&CS Memory Cafe Percolator, and along with Anne Basting, Susan McFadden, and Sam Goodrich, is part of the lead team for the national Memory Cafe Alliance. The Memory Cafe Alliance is hosted by Dementia Friendly America and was launched in autumn 2024 through the hard work and support of many organizations and people, including Maude's Ventures of the Ferry Foundations, Brookdale Foundation, EMC2 Alliance, JF&CS of Greater Boston, Lifetime Arts, Dave Wiederrich, and hundreds of Memory Cafe leaders who shared their wisdom.  Learn: What is a Memory Café? When and where were they developed? Who attends Memory Cafés? Who benefits from Memory Ca

EverFriends, AI Companions Are Changing the Dementia Journey  Lori La Bey talks with Dan Hungerford, the founder and CEO of EverFriends.ai, an innovative digital companionship platform that helps aging adults live with dignity, connection, and cognitive support.  They are seen as a leader in emotionally aware AI development. Dan is pioneering the use of hyper-realistic digital avatars to provide daily interaction, memory stimulation, and caregiver relief.   Learn: What does AI stand for, and what can it do? What is a digital human? How are they built to respond to people? Can they interact with more than one person, or does that confuse them? What are the specific characteristics they have when responding? Can they pick up on a person's physical response, or is it just voice-activated that they can respond to? What about ethics and dignity? How are they dealt with? Are there regulations overseeing AI? Is EverFriends.ai helping the caregiver or the person living with dementia? Specific example

Learn How Hero Generation Bridges Generations By Supporting Families Through Alzheimer’s     Lori La Bey talks with Nicole àBeckett, the founder and CEO of HeroGeneration, which is a platform that empowers caregivers navigating life’s toughest transitions. Drawing from her personal caregiving journey, Nicole's mission is to support the sandwich generation with practical tools, guidance, and community. Dr. Shruti Roy, the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of HeroGeneration, was unable to make the show today. Dr Roy drives the creation of clinically grounded, compassionate tools to support caregivers. A practicing physician and current caregiver herself, Dr. Roy brings a rare blend of medical expertise, strategic leadership, and lived experience to HeroGeneration’s mission of empowering families through life’s most challenging health transitions. Learn: Identifying Caregiver needs Safe, engaging, and educational caregiver resource APP Organizational and co

Living Proof: Ginger Smith’s Journey Through and Beyond Dementia      Lori La Bey talks with Ginger Smith, a retired speech-language pathologist who worked alongside neurology teams at Stanford and UCSF. After surviving a terminal dementia diagnosis, she now advocates for open-minded medicine, dementia research, and the truth that joy, purpose, and a meaningful life are still possible — even after the unthinkable. Joining them is Ginger’s publisher, Shanlynn R. Hatton, who is an author, independent publisher, and caregiver advocate based in Reedville, Virginia.  Known for blending honesty, hope, and humor into every project, Hatton’s mission is to bring light to life’s darkest moments.  (S. R. Hatton) Learn: About Ginger’s journey. Why Ginger decided to write her book, Dementia Denied – One Woman’s True Story of Surviving A Terminal Diagnosis & Reclaiming Her Life? What Ginger would like families to understand about demen

An Honest Look at a Couple's Journey with Dementia Today, Lori La Bey talks with May Todd, Caregiver and Author of You Make a Big Good - a Journey with Alzheimer’s. She shares a fully authentic journey, living with grace as she experiences a wide range of emotions.   Learn: Mary and Jim’s journey with dementia. What were the most important messages that Mary wants caregivers to receive? Some of Mary’s biggest challenges when dealing with dementia. Why did Mary write this book? Which chapters were the easiest and hardest to write, and why? How did Mary pick the title for the book? Does Mary have any future projects?   Watch the Video Interview https://youtu.be/GXLFn6FzwuE Listen and Subscribe to Alzheimer’s Speaks on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/an-honest-look-at-a-couples-journey-with-dementia/id986940432?i=1000709162927 Listen and Subscribe to Alzheimer’s Speaks on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/4uqb6qcR9Gzpa4ARDm1Bwn Other Podcasts

What is the history and science of Alzheimer’s disease?  Lori La Bey talks with Dr Michael Hornberger, a Professor of Applied Dementia Research at the University of East Anglia in England. He is the author of the new book Tangled Up -  The History and Science of Alzheimer’s disease. Learn: How and who discovered Alzheimer’s disease? Is there a difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia? What happens to the brain when a person gets Alzheimer’s? What are some other forms of dementia? Is Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias genetic? If so, how do we find out or should we not bother looking into genetics for ourselves before symptoms? Are there any cures for any types of dementia? Are there genes that could reduce our risk, slow down the progression of dementia, or possibly prevent a form of it? Find out what you can expect to find in Michael’s book, What is the History and Science of Alzheimer’s Disease?   Watch the Video Interview Below https

Lori La Bey talks with two men working hard to improve dementia care in India. They are Pankaj Mehrotra  and Dr. Dipankar Debnath. Pankaj Mehrotra is the Founder of Elderly Care India, which is a free online resource and knowledge sharing website committed to bridging the gap in the Senior Care sector in India and a resource platform for best practices on Eldercare across the Globe. Pankaj has over 3 decades of experience in Project Management, Strategic Planning, and Business Development across the NGO, Telecom, and Hospitality sectors. Dr. Dipankar Debnath is a Senior Consultant in Geriatric Medicine and Diabetes Care & Family Medicine at Kolkata. He is the Founder & CEO of 60 Plus Clinic, Founder & Secretary of the Institute of Geriatric Care & Research Kolkata, Life member of the Indian Medical Association, Indian Association of General Physicians of IMA & Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine. He is also a committee member of Snehodia, a Senior Living Facility at the New Town