Certified Dementia Practitioner Ty Lewis shares the early signs of dementia and how she finds joy caring for her mom with Alzheimer's.
What does dementia really look like? Ty Lewis, a Certified Dementia Practitioner, Educator, and Advocate, has cared for her mother, Gertrude, through Alzheimer's for more than a decade. In this episode of The Memory Project, she tells host Andrew Laffoon, CEO and Co-founder of Mixbook, what the early signs looked like, what families often miss, and how she finds joy on the hardest days. In this conversation, you will hear:
- The early signs of dementia, from repeated questions to getting lost on a familiar route, and how they differ from ordinary forgetfulness
- Why dementia is more than memory loss, and why it is not always Alzheimer's - Why it is never too late to get a loved one tested
- How photos and videos help families hold onto memories as dementia progresses - How a caregiver finds joy alongside the hard days
Ty also shares her family's story: the red flags that led to her mother's diagnosis, how family roles shift, the sacrifices her family makes each day, and the decision to care for her mother at home. She explains how she built an online community of more than 120,000 people, and how she uses photos and stories to help her children know the woman their grandmother was.
This episode shares one caregiver's experience and is not medical advice. If you are worried about your own memory or a loved one's, please speak with your healthcare practitioner.
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Chapters
01:09 How Ty Became a Certified Dementia Practitioner
03:40 Early Signs Before an Alzheimer's Diagnosis
05:33 Finding Joy in the Final Stages of Alzheimer's
07:39 Caregiver and Educator: Holding Two Roles
09:30 Meeting a Loved One Where They Are
10:29 Aging in Place: What Caregiving Asks of a Family
12:39 The Biggest Surprises of Dementia Caregiving
13:50 Dementia vs. Alzheimer's: More Than Memory Loss
16:12 It Is Never Too Late to Get a Loved One Tested
17:21 Early Signs of Dementia: What Is Not Normal Aging
19:58 Using Photos and Videos to Keep Memories Alive
22:59 Treasured Memories and What Photos Capture
23:07 Keeping a Grandmother's Story Alive for the Next Generation
25:32 Sharing a Dementia Caregiving Journey Online
27:25 Choosing Joy Alongside the Hard Days
29:56 Where to Find Ty Lewis Online
30:48 Closing Reflections from Andrew Laffoon
32:29 Where to Find Ty Lewis Online
33:01 Closing Reflections from Andrew Laffoon
Presented by Mixbook
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