Untangling Dementia Through Writing and Podcasting with Pippa Kelly
- S2021E28
- 1:32:22
- June 21st 2021
What happens when two dementia advocates from opposite sides of the Atlantic who have each written books and blogs and host podcasts on the condition get together for a chat? The conversation flows and grows into a wealth of storytelling and sharing. This is what happened when Pippa Kelly joined me for a Zoom call.
Pippa is the author of Invisible Ink, a novel that explores a man’s relationship with his mother who has dementia. She also blogs on all things dementia, and hosts the popular podcast, “Well I Know Now,” featuring a variety of guests sharing their dementia stories.
Her dementia journey started when her father became ill and she needed to step in to care, not only for him, but for her mother, who had dementia. She was thrust into caregiving unexpectedly and says she felt ill-equipped for the role. Like most caregivers she had to learn everything on the spot and tackled such issues as moving her mother out of her home against her will and convincing the National Health Service to provide services for her father at home. A journalist, she soon began writing about their experiences, won an award for her writing, and became known across England as a campaigner and trusted speaker on the subject.
In this discussion we touched on all of these topics, as well as the emotional chaos of dementia, and what you can get back from dementia care.
Read Pippa’s AlzAuthors Posts:
Meet Pippa Kelly, Dementia Writer and Advocate https://alzauthors.com/2016/06/16/meet-pippa-kelly-dementia-writer-advocate/
Meet Pippa Kelly, Author of Invisible Ink
https://alzauthors.com/2017/04/12/meet-pippa-kelly-author-of-invisible-ink/
Start reading Invisible Ink now! https://amzn.to/3pYpXSh
(Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission from book sales.)
Connect with Pippa
Website https://pippakelly.co.uk/
Blog https://pippakelly.co.uk/blog/
Podcast https://pippakelly.co.uk/blog/
Twitter https://twitter.com/piponthecommons
About the Podcast
AlzAuthors is the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer’s and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Our podcast introduces you to our authors who share their stories and insights to provide knowledge, comfort, and support. Please subscribe so you don’t miss a word. If our authors’ stories move you, please leave a review. And don’t forget to share our podcast with family and friends on their own dementia journeys.
We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please donate here.
Ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the speakers and not AlzAuthors. Always consult your healthcare provider and legal and financial consultants for advice on any of the topics covered here.
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AlzAuthors: Untangling Alzheimer's & Dementia
Welcome to the AlzAuthors podcast! We’re so glad you found us. We are the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer's and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Join us each week as one of our authors shares their dementia journey, revealing intimate details and painfully obtained knowledge to help others currently on this path. We hope our stories offer comfort and support as we strive to break the silence and stigma surrounding a dementia diagnosis. May one of our authors speak to your experience. For more info please visit https://alzauthors.com.
Ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the speakers and not AlzAuthors. Always consult your healthcare provider and legal and financial consultants for advice on any of the topics covered here.
Meet Our Hosts
Marianne Sciucco is a registered nurse, dementia daughter, and author of the novel Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s love story, based on a couple she met through her work. It is a testament to the power of love in the face of this heart-wrenching disease. Marianne cared for hundreds of dementia patients over a 20+-year nursing career. She provided care to her stepfather during his dementia journey, and witnessed the painful decline of four beloved aunts to the disease. She's a founding member of AlzAuthors, sits on the Board, and is a director and manager. She can talk about AlzAuthors all day.
Christy Byrne Yates is a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP), retired school psychologist, author, speaker and coach/consultant. Her book, Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving in the Sandwich Generation recounts her journey as a working mother of two who also managed the care of her parents, both of whom had some form of dementia. Combining her lived experience with her professional expertise in human development, wellness and a strengths based approach to finding solutions, Christy develops content, workshops and coaching to support Sandwiched families. She incorporates meditation, mindfulness and other evidence based mind/body practices into her work. She’s worked with care communities, financial professionals, estate planners and employers. Christy has a master’s degree in counseling psychology, and graduate credentials in both education and school psychology.
Support Us
AlzAuthors is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. The podcast is one way we provide knowledge, comfort, and support to busy caregivers desperate for information. Your generosity will help us to continue our mission to lift the silence and stigma that often accompanies a dementia diagnosis. Please consider making a donation. Thank you.