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Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers

Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers

By: Podcast Playground
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Navigating the insidious illness of Alzheimer’s is something nobody asks for. The disease sneaks up on you and your loved one, and it feels like you’ve been sucker-punched in the gut when you get the diagnosis from a doctor. So many things race through your mind: why us? What do we do? We worked so hard to get to this point in life. We just moved here after we both worked for 30 years, sold our house up North, and retired to Florida to enjoy our “golden years”. It’s not fair! Who’s going to take care of her/him? I don’t know a thing about this illness. She’s always done the cooking; I don’t even know how to boil water. He's always taken care of me and everything else, like Finances. I don’t even drive! And it goes on and on. Facing this disease will bring you to your knees. Once you get over the initial shock (GUT PUNCHED), the questions and fears take hold. Where do we turn for help? Who do I call? What do I do? How do you take care of someone with Alzheimer's? Are there support groups? And questions like these keep coming. I am a caregiver. I wasn’t before. Well, not this kind of caregiver. My wife was officially diagnosed in January of 2018. I had a sneaking suspicion that she might have something like this about 2 years earlier. So, when I brought it to my Neurologist, he sent us to a very nice Psychologist who specializes in testing patients to determine more accurately what is going on. It was a question-and-answer session, followed by a very detailed testing procedure that usually takes three or more hours. The patient must complete the test, which comprises questions, simple actions, and memory tests.

Then give them a couple of numbers or words, and move on, returning to the numbers or words a short time later. So, moving forward, I asked the same questions mentioned earlier. What are my options? So I “sucked it up”-Manned up, so to speak. It's part of the deal for better or worse, right? So began my quest for information on support groups, doctors, and anything I could get my hands on. It's been 6 years, and I am still looking for anything that will help me crawl along this uncharted path to enlightenment. I was very fortunate to live in a city with numerous resources to draw on.

Most importantly, it's a place named after someone who suffered from Alzheimer’s. His wife provided the money to start the Alvin Dubin Center: The Dubin Center for short. Their mission is to achieve caregiver health, strength, and resilience by providing education, information, hope, and compassion. And boy do they. I leaned on them for everything I could find. Took all kinds of classes to learn what I needed to do to be the caregiver I have to be. Their caregiver class took about 6 weeks. The material we learned from and the instructors were top-notch. I still go back to the notes I took and the books we used, both as a refresher and for inspiration. Hopefully, wherever you are listening to this, there will be a place like the Dubin Center. If not, don’t despair. The info is out there. That’s what this podcast is about. We want to share our resources, our experiences, our heartbreak, and our little victories. From time to time, we’d like to bring in Physicians, Nurses, Experts, and people like you and me who are going through this disease with our loved ones, willing to share their journeys. The first thing that really stuck with me, and hopefully it will be with you. If you are a caregiver, you must first take care of yourself. Because this is not a sprint, but a marathon, and if you are run down, get sick, or worse.... Who’s going to take care of your spouse, mother, father, or child? Think about that for a few seconds. It’s you, the Caregiver. It’s me, the Caregiver. That’s why we’re here. Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers! Thanks for joining us...now let's get going.

 Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 98 -Lewy Body Dementia

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 98 -Lewy Body Dementia
    Apr 6 2026

    On episode 98 of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards talks about one of the most challenging and emotional realities of caregiving: changing roles. Jeff reflects on how responsibilities shift over time in the Alzheimer’s journey, and how those shifts impact identity, relationships, and emotional well-being.

    Jeff shares a personal moment of stepping away for needed rest and connection, reinforcing Rule #1 of the show’s caregiving philosophy: you must take care of yourself first. From there, the episode explores how caregivers gradually take on new duties once handled by their loved ones, often without warning or preparation.

    The episode also introduces listeners to Lewy Body Dementia, offering a foundational look at how it compares to and differs from Alzheimer’s disease. This “toe in the water” discussion helps caregivers recognize overlapping symptoms and unique challenges.

    Additionally, Dr. John Huffaker returns for the “What’s New in Alzheimer’s?” segment to answer a listener's question about emerging non-drug treatments and research developments.

    As always, Jeff reinforces the show’s Five Tenets, practical, hard-earned rules designed to help caregivers survive and navigate this journey with strength and support.

    This episode is a reminder that caregiving is not static; it evolves, stretches you, and sometimes gut-punches you, but you don’t have to face it alone.

    Hashtags:
    #AlzheimersCare #CaregiverSupport #DementiaAwareness #LewyBodyDementia #CaregiverLife #MentalHealthMatters #AgingParents #CaregivingJourney #PodcastLife #HealthPodcast #SelfCareForCaregivers #AlzheimersPodcast

    Available on The Podcast Playground, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, PodBean, and GUTPUNCHED.COM
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    20 mins
  • Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 97 - The Stigma Surrounding Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 97 - The Stigma Surrounding Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
    Mar 30 2026

    In this episode of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards opens with a candid and emotional reflection on how stigma impacts not only those living with the disease but also the caregivers who support them. While Alzheimer’s itself is not contagious, the reactions it provokes, awkwardness, distance, silence, and misunderstanding, can create a profound sense of isolation.

    This episode dives deep into the emotional and social consequences of stigma. From the looks and assumptions people make to the lack of understanding at critical moments, stigma can shape how individuals are treated and whether they feel safe seeking help. Drawing on both lived experience and broader conversations happening in the Alzheimer’s community, Jeff brings honesty, clarity, and urgency to the discussion, without sugarcoating the reality.

    In addition, the episode explores:

    • Why combating stigma is essential

    • Five actionable ways to overcome it

    • The physical and emotional symptoms of stress caused by stigma

    • Practical tips to manage that stress

    • Support resources available to caregivers and families

    As always, the show reinforces its Five Tenets of caregiving, practical, real-world principles designed to help caregivers survive and sustain themselves through one of life’s most challenging roles.

    This is a raw, honest, and necessary conversation about how stigma silently shapes the Alzheimer’s journey, and why it’s time to confront it head-on.

    #CaregiverSupport #AlzheimersCare #DementiaCare #FamilyCaregiver #CaregiverLife #AlzheimersAwareness #CaregiverResources #DementiaSupport #CaregiverCommunity

    Available on ThePodcastPlayground.com, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, PodBean, and GUTPUNCHED.COM
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    27 mins
  • Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 96 - This isn’t just about memory loss.

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 96 - This isn’t just about memory loss.
    Mar 23 2026

    This isn’t just about memory loss.
    It’s about watching someone fade while you’re still holding on.
    It’s about the confusion, the grief, the quiet moments that hit the hardest… and the person you’re forced to become in the middle of it all.

    Episode 96 of GutPunched features a deeply moving and candid conversation with Suzy McNamara, whose story unfolds with raw honesty, emotional depth, and powerful vulnerability. In this episode, Suzy opens up about her personal journey, sharing experiences that shaped her identity, tested her resilience, and ultimately redefined her sense of self.

    What makes this interview especially compelling is the level of trust and openness Suzy brings to the conversation. She reveals moments that are rarely spoken aloud, struggles, turning points, and emotional truths that resonate on a human level. There are moments that are difficult, moments that are inspiring, and moments that will stay with listeners long after the episode ends.

    This is not just an interview; it’s an intimate look at what it means to endure, reflect, and grow. Episode 96 stands out as one of the most revealing and emotionally impactful conversations on GutPunched to date.

    The episode also includes another segment of “What’s New in Alzheimer’s?” featuring Dr. John Huffaker, in which a listener's question is addressed, and new developments in Alzheimer’s care and research are discussed.

    Supported by:

    • Neuropsychiatric Research Center

    • Heart, Body, & Mind Home Care

    • Live Younger Today

    #CaregiverSupport #AlzheimersCare #DementiaCare #FamilyCaregiver #CaregiverLife #AlzheimersAwareness #CaregiverResources #DementiaSupport #CaregiverCommunity

    Available on Podcast Playground: Apple, Spotify, Pandora, PodBean, and GUTPUNCHED.COM
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    32 mins
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