Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer's

I attended The Care Sanctuary during SXSW sponsored by Rendever where I met for the first time in person Patti LaFleur, M. ED, CDP from Lorenzo's House, Carrie Aalberts, MS (@dementiadarling), and Nicole Will (willGather) with whom @MacekenzieMeetsAlzheimers has been in contact. I also met James Lee and Kyle Rand and was introduced to their incredible work at Belle Groves and Rendever. It was an intimate group of caregivers who attended (one I brought) and the husband of one caregiver with early onset. The heart of this group was palpable. Thank you, Rendever, and all who welcomed and embraced us.

This past Friday, my business partner Nancy Treaster, CCC, and I were honored to be featured on the Gulf Coast WBBH-WZVN. TV Feature Reporter & Storyteller, Britt Leoni, introduced how the journeys that have touched both our lives for many years have become our passion and purpose to now help others on their dementia journeys. You can watch the program here: https://lnkd.in/en7drxHy Nancy and I founded The Caregiver's Journey because we're committed to helping others on their dementia family caregiving journeys move from feeling how we often did in the beginning - frustrated and overwhelmed - to feeling confident and supported knowing we can do this, we are not alone. If you, or someone you know, is a dementia family caregiver, please invite them to listen/watch our podcasts. If you have a topic you'd like us to share insights about, please comment below.

Next week at #SXSW is going to be so much fun, I don't know where to start. Rendever is delighted to be sponsoring the Care Sanctuary - a house bringing together some of my favorite humans in caregiving: ?? Carrie Aalberts, MS aka Dementia Darling ?? Nicole Will of willGather ?? James Lee of Bella Groves ?? Patti LaFleur, M. ED, CDP of Lorenzo's House Did I just use multicolored hearts in a LinkedIn post? Yes. That's the vibe. If you know this crew, you're not surprised at all - this collaboration is completely rooted in love. We've organized a number of events in Austin to bring dementia and caregiving deeper into the cultural moment - where these topics need to be. This activation has been made possible through our collaboration with Think Tank, and all events can be found in the link in the comments. ?? Over the weekend I'll be sharing the official SXSW stage with Nicole Caputo, Josh Sackman, and Skip Rizzo, for what promises to be a notable panel on the rise of Patient-Centered Clinical XR. More on that soon. And throughout the week we'll be raising money for our friends at Lorenzo's House - and passing out friendship bracelets along the way. If you're planning on being in Austin, reach out - would love to spend time together! #caregiving #dementia

We are excited to feature these films and recognize the filmmakers during the Expose Dementia Conference March 29 in Baltimore. Congratulations to all of the filmmakers. Thank you to our sponsor... Dementia Spring. For more information and to register, visit https://lnkd.in/guyGPQsp. My Mom and the Girl – Susie Singer Carter Embracing Their Reality - Rachael Wonderlin, MS Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer’s video – Alder Allensworth and Brenda Freed Wine, Women and Dementia – Kitty Norton Animating Alzheimer’s – Ishan Williams PhD, FGSA Shifting the Narrative: The Story of Lorenzo's House - Diana Shulla Cose The Coming of Age – David Bradburn Remember Me: Dementia in the African American Community – C. Nathaniel Brown

All month long, I’m sharing resources for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Today, I’m talking about Lorenzo's House a nonprofit supporting families navigating early-onset dementia. Here’s who they are! #DementiaSupport #EarlyOnsetDementia #CaregiverResources #dementiaawareness #lorenzoshouse #lewybodydementia #lbd #frontotemporaldementia #earlyonsetalzheimers #vasculardementia

We've posted a new blog: Incorporating Your Child Into The Care Of Their Loved One Who Has Alzheimer’s Disease Or Any Type Of Dementia. Find it here: https://lnkd.in/d3zEh4AQ Parents caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s cultivate compassion in children by taking intentional steps to build empathy and understanding.? Our blog post provides a guide (including information, tips, and activities) to help children connect with both their parent’s experience and their loved one’s condition, fostering kindness and compassion. Click the link to read and be sure to grab our free PDF: Incorporating Your Child Into The Care Of Their Loved One Who Has Alzheimer’s Disease Or Any Type Of Dementia https://lnkd.in/d3zEh4AQ We welcome your comments and feedback at the bottom of our blogs. Thanks! ?

?????? It was with shock and incredible sadness to learn of the recent passing of a true gem in the Dementia Care world, Laura Herman. Laura was the Co-Author for Brick By Brick Bonding, Founder and Creator of the ABC Dementia Course & Community (online education, support, and inspiration for family members and caregivers of people with Dementia) and played a big role for Tannis and I here at Echobox. We first met Laura two years ago in a wonderful caregiving forum run by Michelle Seitzer called @caregivingadvice - it was just before we broke ground on our development as a healthcare solution. She joined our Round Table, offered us such positive feedback and helped make so many amazing connections. She offered us one-on-one guidance, Zoom meetings, her ongoing support and even asked to include Echobox as a tech resource in her upcoming Certified Advanced Dementia Care Specialist (CDC) Course. Just last month we enjoyed a Zoom meeting with Laura where she helped us shore up some Quality of Life questionnaires we've been putting together for the trials we're currently offering ??She has poured her heart and soul into her work, devoted her time and energy towards bettering the lives of those living with Dementia, those caring for individuals with Dementia and those who share her passion for building a brighter future. She was a soldier for change, was already making a huge impact among those she aimed to assist, was a loving wife and mother of two. Our thoughts go out to her family, to Patty Sherin and to the entire caregiving community as a whole. She was one of the good ones everybody, and it hurts to know she’s no longer with us. Thank you Laura, for everything