This podcast is the story of Ken and Shanna, a married couple who's lives have been forever changed (for the better) because we have learned to live with and ultimately Survive Alzheimer's disease. We have learned many lessons in our 12+ year journey together down Dementia Road. Our mission is to help caregivers and families who have been changed by Alzheimer's disease. We share our experiences on how we both eventually rediscovered joy and gained a peace that passes all understanding, all w ...
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Finding Hope Amidst Grief In this 39th episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's Podcast, host Ken Cardita reflects on a challenging year and a poignant two-year anniversary of the podcast coinciding with his 44th wedding anniversary to his wife, Shanna. Ken candidly shares his experiences dealing with sadness a…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Encouraging and Maintaining Friendships Amidst Alzheimer's Progression Ken discusses the difficulties and importance of maintaining social connections for loved ones with dementia. Drawing from his own experiences with his wife, Shanna, Ken offers practical advice on easing the discomfort friends may feel a…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Reflecting on Three Years of Memory Care: Lessons and Growth Ken reflects on the three-year anniversary of moving his wife, Shanna, into memory care. Ken shares journal entries from his early caregiving days, detailing the emotional challenges, his journey toward understanding and coping, and the essential …
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Navigating Challenges in Memory Care: Ken's Journey with Shanna Ken shares his personal experiences dealing with his wife Shanna's increasingly challenging behaviors due to Alzheimer's disease. He recounts the struggles faced while Shanna was in a memory care facility, including incidents with staff and oth…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Embracing Healing: Finding Joy Amidst Alzheimer's Journey Ken shares an introspective look into his personal healing journey as he navigates life with his wife Shanna, who has Alzheimer's disease. Ken discusses the challenges of feeling stuck in his healing process and the impact of family interactions on h…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Handling Repeated Questions: Strategies for Caregivers Ken addresses the common challenge of dealing with loved ones' repeated questions, based on his 13-year experience caregiving for his wife Shanna. He explains why these questions occur, the emotional triggers for caregivers, and offers strategies for re…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Overcoming Caregiver Burnout: Accepting Help and Finding Peace Ken discusses the challenges of caregiving, the myth of doing it all alone, and the importance of accepting help to avoid caregiver burnout. He recounts his own experiences of stubbornness and guilt, and how finally accepting assistance from fam…
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EP 32 She is NOT the disease.. She is still my wife
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35:52
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Reconnecting with a Loved One: A Caregiver's Journey Ken shares his deeply personal journey of staying connected with his wife, Shanna, who is battling Alzheimer's disease. Ken recounts the emotional challenges, key realizations, and profound experiences that have helped him see beyond the disease and recon…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Reflecting on Our First Year: Insights and Announcements In this milestone episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's Podcast, host Ken Cardita reflects on the past year, sharing personal insights and the positive impact the podcast has had. Ken discusses his journey with his wife Shanna, who has Alzheimer's, and…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Managing and Preventing Wandering in Dementia Patients - Our Experiences Ken discusses the common issue of wandering among dementia patients, sharing personal experiences and practical tips to manage and reduce the risks. He gives insights into identifying early signs of wandering, preparing the home, utili…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Healing our Triggers: The Parable of the Pool Ken Cardita shares a heartfelt story called 'The Parable of the Pool.' Ken recounts his journey of caring for his wife, Shanna, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2017. Despite initial resistance, Ken decides to build a pool for Shanna, honoring a promise he …
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Understanding One-Way Conversations in Dementia: Communicating Beyond Words Ken shares how he has adapted to communicating with his non-verbal wife, Shanna, who has Alzheimer's disease. Ken discusses the different stages of Shanna's verbal decline and reveals how he has learned to read her body language and…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast The Transformative Power of Music in Alzheimer's Care Ken discusses the transformative and restorative power of music in Alzheimer's care, drawing from his 12-year journey with his wife Shanna. Ken shares personal anecdotes about how music has helped him and Shanna stay connected, even amidst her battle wit…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast The Power of Support: Lessons from Joining a Caregiver Group Ken discusses the profound impact of participating in a caregiver support group. Drawing from his own experiences over two years with the 'Men Who Care' group, Ken shares the initial reluctance, the transformative first meetings, and the ongoing s…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Family Visits and Lessons Learned Ken recounts a recent visit from his wife Shanna's four sisters. Ken shares heartwarming stories, valuable lessons, and personal insights from this experience. He highlights the importance of family support, setting proper expectations, and being flexible during visits. Add…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Conquering Fear in the Face of Alzheimer's: A Caregiver's Journey Ken opens up about his journey through feelings of fear, worry, and depression triggered by his wife Shanna's recent physical decline due to Alzheimer's disease. He recounts his experiences, strategies for coping, and the powerful lessons he'…
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EP 23 Is FEAR holding you hostage ? - Part 2
29:10
29:10
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Facing Fear in Alzheimer's Caregiving: Understanding and Overcoming Fight and Flight Fears Ken Cardita delves into the complexities of caregiving fears, focusing on the fight and flight types of fear associated with Alzheimer's caregiving. Ken shares personal experiences and strategies for managing these fe…
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EP 22 Is FEAR holding you hostage ? - Part 1
31:42
31:42
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Facing Fear as a Dementia Caregiver: Overcoming Anxiety and Finding Peace Ken delves into the different types of fear experienced by caregivers of loved ones with dementia. Using his 12-year journey with his wife Shanna as an example, he discusses the common sources and reactions to fear, including fight, f…
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EP 21 Caregiver Self Care - Let's Get Started !
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Prioritizing Self-Care for Alzheimer's Caregivers In episode 21 of the Surviving Alzheimer's podcast, host Ken Cardita addresses the challenges caregivers face when neglecting their own self-care. Ken shares personal experiences from his 12-year journey caring for his wife Shanna, offering practical advice …
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Understanding and Managing Caregiver Burnout Ken explores the heavy toll that caregiving can take on individuals tending to loved ones with Alzheimer's or related dementias. With 57% of family caregivers providing care for four or more years and 40% experiencing depression, the physical and emotional impact…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Reflecting on 2022: Lessons and Insights from the Journey Down Dementia Road In this final episode of 2022, Ken reflects on the past year of his and his wife Shanna's 12-year journey with Alzheimer's. He shares personal anecdotes and key lessons learned from their experiences and deep discussions with frien…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast A Second Home, A Second Family: Finding Comfort and Community in Memory Care Ken shares their emotional journey of moving his wife, Shanna, to a memory care facility. Initially filled with anxiety and worry, the experience eventually became comforting as both Shanna and Ken adapted to their new environment.…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Finding Joy and Gratitude Amidst the Challenges of Alzheimer's The episode focuses on finding peace and joy during the holiday season despite the challenges posed by the disease. Ken shares his unique anti-depression plans for Thanksgiving, reflecting on their success and the lessons learned about the power…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Navigating Holidays with Alzheimer’s: Finding Joy and Managing Emotions Ken discusses the emotional challenges and practical adjustments required during the holiday season when caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's. Sharing personal experiences from his journey with his wife, Shanna, over the past 12 year…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast The Power of Connection: Rediscovering Joy Amidst Alzheimer's Challenges Ken shares his journey and lessons learned from over 12 years with his wife, Shanna, who has Alzheimer's disease. He recounts a touching visit from Shanna's long-term friends, Judy and Wanda, and highlights the emotional connections th…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Finding Hope and Support in the Journey through Dementia In this episode, the host reflects on his journey and experiences over the last decade, specifically focusing on the challenges and emotional toll of being a caregiver to his wife, Shanna, who has Alzheimer's. He shares his past despair and recent upl…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Embracing Change: Ken and Shanna's Journey with Alzheimer's In this episode Ken shares the heartfelt story of moving his wife Shanna to a new memory care facility, recounting their eight-month journey of adjusting to the transition. He delves into the emotional challenges and victories they experienced, fro…
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EP 12 Signs of Survival - 1st year in Memory Care
41:01
41:01
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Memory Care: Lessons and Challenges from Our Journey In this episode , host Ken shares his and his wife Shanna's experiences during the 11 months they spent transitioning Shanna into her first memory care facility. Ken discusses the initial expectations and realities of the memory care environment, the impo…
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EP 11 The Hardest Thing I Have Ever Done ...
34:41
34:41
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast The Hardest Transition: Moving a Loved One to Memory Care In this heartfelt and emotional episode, the host reflects on the difficult decision to move his wife, Shanna, to a memory care facility 18 months ago. I will tell the story of the hardest thing I've ever done. That is moving my best friend and wife …
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Facing the Decision: A Journey Through Alzheimer's Care Transitions In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's Podcast, host Ken Cardita delves into the heart-wrenching decision to move his wife, Shanna, to a long-term memory care facility after 12 years of battling Alzheimer's. Ken recounts the emotional…
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EP 9 Advanced Stage Alzheimer’s - Still at Home
34:30
34:30
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Advanced Alzheimer's: Lessons Learned in Caregiving In this episode, Ken reflects on a listener's comment before delving into their personal journey of caregiving for their wife, Shanna, who transitioned from moderate to advanced Alzheimer's between late 2019 and early 2020. The host shares observations and…
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Leading Your Caregiving Team: Insights and Experiences In this episode, the Ken draws an analogy between the role of a football quarterback and that of a primary caregiver in managing the needs of a loved one with dementia. He provides an overview of the different aspects involved in leading a caregiving te…
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EP 7 Moderate Alzheimer's - Full Time Caregiver at Home
27:11
27:11
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Moderate Stage of Alzheimer's: A Caregiver's Journey In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer’s podcast, host Ken Cardita shares his experiences and lessons learned while caring for his wife Shanna at home during the moderate stage of Alzheimer's. Ken discusses various challenges encountered, such as incr…
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EP 6 I have Grieved 1000 losses - Thoughts on Grief, Guilt and Ambiguous Loss
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32:36
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast EP 6 I have Grieved 100 Losses .. Thoughts on Grief, Guilt, and Ambiguous Loss as a Dementia Caregiver In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer’s podcast, host Ken Cardita shares his personal journey of caregiving for his wife Shanna, who has Alzheimer's. Ken delves into the complex emotions of grief, gui…
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EP 5 Diagnosis of Alzheimer's - Now What ? ... but I don't feel like I have Alzheimer's
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Navigating Diagnosis and Acceptance: A Journey through Moderate Alzheimer's In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's podcast, host Ken Cardita delves into 2016, a pivotal year in his 12-year journey with his wife Shanna's Alzheimer's. Ken shares the challenges of undiagnosed moderate Alzheimer's, the li…
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EP 4 Experiencing Mild/Early stage Alzheimer's and we didn't know we were there !
29:42
29:42
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Navigating Early Stage Alzheimer's: Personal Reflections and Advice In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's podcast, host Ken Cardita delves into his personal experiences during the early stages of his wife Shanna's Alzheimer's diagnosis. Ken recounts the emotional challenges and adjustments needed to …
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EP 3 What do you mean I should not Drive? - Dealing with Denial
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28:07
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28:07
Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Navigating Denial and Driving: A Caregiver's Journey In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's podcast, host Ken Cardita recounts his personal experiences dealing with denial and the challenges of getting his wife, Shanna, to stop driving once it was no longer safe for her to drive. He shares valuable in…
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EP 2 Life before Dementia ... were there early clues ?
30:15
30:15
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30:15
Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast Surviving Alzheimer's: Reflections on Early Signs and Coping Strategies In this episode of the Surviving Alzheimer's podcast, host Ken Cardita shares his journey alongside his wife, Shanna, who has been battling Alzheimer's disease. He reflects on their early life together, identifying initial signs of cogn…
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EP 1 So you can Survive Alzheimer's ? - an introduction
12:31
12:31
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Send Ken a Text Message about the Podcast In this first episode I will give you some of background information and introduce you to the people that this podcast is about. I'll also introduce you to how we have survived Alzheimer's disease so far. It's my hope that you'll be able to connect with us, thus, be able to relate your experiences to ours i…
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