Episode 125: Caring for a loved one with dementia with Carolyn Birrell

Carolyn Birrell is the author of Walking with Fay, a moving book about her mother’s uncharted path into dementia. Carolyn’s writing began as a way to help her make sense of what was happening and quickly turned into the book she herself had needed, to provide relatable caregiving help. It’s a beautiful, empowering book and I really loved it.

We talk about:

What led Carolyn to write such a personal and difficult book
Why it took so long to realize how bad things had got with her mother
The process of learning her mother had dementia and the early signs
Working out what level of interference in her mother’s affairs was appropriate
Coming to terms with realizing more help with caregiving was required
The kind of support that was needed and how Carolyn found that both for her mother and herself
Coping with a lack of recognition from her mother
The impact of the global pandemic on her mother’s care
What readers can expect from the book
Carolyn’s advice for people who fear they are starting to see signs of a parent’s dementia
Learning what to say and what not to say to a person with dementia
What makes the book different from other memoirs
What Carolyn hopes readers will get from the book
Carolyn’s advice for anyone just beginning on this path with their loved one

And more!

Find more about Carolyn:

Carolyn’s website: carolynbirrell.com

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Carolyn’s book: Walking with Fay: My Mother’s Uncharted Path into Dementia