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

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