Untangling The DAWN Method with Judy Cornish artwork
AlzAuthors: Untangling Alzheimer's & Dementia

Untangling The DAWN Method with Judy Cornish

  • S2021E30
  • 59:36
  • July 5th 2021

Judy Cornish is the founder of the Dementia & Alzheimer’s Wellbeing Network (DAWN®) in Moscow, Idaho. Through her hands-on work with dementia, she developed a proprietary method for working with people who have dementia—one that helps them develop and retain a sense of security and wellbeing. She is the author of Dementia with Dignity and The Dementia Handbook.

The DAWN Method® is simple enough to be used by caregivers in the home and works in care facilities as well. It targets the emotional distress that accompanies cognitive decline so that behaviors are avoided, and caregiver stress is minimized.

Judy is an attorney licensed in Idaho and a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Before becoming a lawyer, she worked in vocational rehabilitation with people who have brain injuries and as a Qualified Mental Health Associate with the mentally ill. With her background in traumatic brain injury, mental illness, elder law and disability law, Judy brings a distinctive set of abilities to her work with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of intuitive thinking skills, which Judy calls “the seat of our souls,” the medical model of dementia care vs. the experiential model, and how her desire to help a neighbor with dementia remain in her home launched a philosophy and program that helps families dealing with dementia worldwide.

Start reading Judy’s books now: https://amzn.to/3hwN7eq

(Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission from book sales.)

Read Judy’s AlzAuthors Posts:

Judy Cornish, Author of Dementia with Dignity, Offers Tools and Techniques for Home Care: https://alzauthors.com/2019/07/30/welcome-back-judy-cornish-author-of-dementia-with-dignity/

The Dementia Handbook: Judy Cornish Answers How to Care at Home: https://alzauthors.com/2017/06/27/meet-judy-cornish-author-of-the-dementia-handbook/

Connect with Judy at the DAWN Method!

Website: https://thedawnmethod.com

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/DAWN-Method-1684106525201898/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudyCornishDAWN

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judycornish/

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 avatar
Marianne Sciucco
Podcast Producer and Host

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 avatar
Christy Byrne Yates
Co-host and Producer

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.