Tracey Shorthouse Untangles Early Onset Alzheimer's and Posterior Cortical Atrophy
- S2021E36
- 56:56
- September 13th 2021
Tracey Shorthouse was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s and Posterior Cortical Atrophy in 2015 at age 45. A staff nurse in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, she had to retire due to her diagnosis.
Not being one to give up, she started to write short stories but found writing poetry was easier for her brain to contend with. Although at first her poems were about how she coped with her dementia, she then started writing about life, nature, and other things. In 2017 she published a book of poetry named I Am Still Me.
She stays active on social media, Facebook and Twitter, and is a well-known speaker on dementia in her community.
In this episode we discuss her life after being diagnosed at such a young age, what she’s lost and gained, how she came to write poetry post-diagnosis, and her hopes for the future.
Read Tracey’s AlzAuthors Post: https://alzauthors.com/2017/05/24/meet-poet-tracey-shorthouse/
Start reading I Am Still Me now! https://amzn.to/3xQuBnw
Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission from book sales.
Connect with Tracey Shorthouse
Website:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracey.shorthouse
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TraceyShorty28
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.
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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.