Alzheimer's Caregivers Share Their Stories - Beyond the Face of Alzhei... Brain Health & Wellness

Beyond the Face of Alzheimer' s

' 2 Boomer Babes' give voice to the people who care for the patients and loved ones unable to care for themselves

In the documentary series "Beyond the Face of ," Barbara Kline and Kathy Bernard, cohosts of the , give voice to the spouses, children and nurses who work day in and day out caring for people with Alzheimer's. The share their wisdom and lessons learned, with hope that their stories will serve as a guide for families beginning the Alzheimer's journey, and provide comfort and support to those already well down the road. Press the gray button on the audio players below to listen to the stories.

Barbara s Dad br

2 Boomer Babes cohost Barbara Kline shares her family's personal experience caring for their wonderful father, Mike Israel. It’s been a long road, fraught with potholes, but Barb treasures time spent with her dad, despite his advanced Alzheimer’s.

Audrey Milly and Olivia

2 Boomer Babes visit with three women who share their personal stories of how Alzheimer's has touched their lives.

A Caregiver for Alzheimer s Patients

Dr. Rosemary Laird, who specializes in the care and treatment of persons with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, discusses the importance of the role of the caregiver. She’s the founding Director of the Health First Aging Institute, which also provides education and support programs for caregivers. Dr. Laird’s mantra for caregivers is “Take your oxygen first.”

The Effect of Early Onset Alzheimer s

Emmy Award winning CBS foreign correspondent, Barry Petersen, and entrepreneur and volunteer, Bill Schreiner. Barry's wife, Jan, lost her battle to early onset Alzheimer's this past year while Bill's dad passed away two years ago. Barry and Bill candidly share their caregiving journey with Alzheimer's.

Caregiving while Receiving Care

Mel shares his experiences caring for his wife Judy while also dealing with his own health issues. With his daughters, he made the difficult decision to move with Judy to a care facility. Mel now resides on the second floor, while Judy lives on the third floor with other Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Mel’s story is one of love and loyalty, and serves as an example of remarkable resilience.

Shedding Light on Alzheimer s

Two amazing women discuss caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s: Ellen Proxmire, wife of former Senator William Proxmire, and Patricia Stewart, granddaughter of Lillie Crawford. While their stories and life circumstances are vastly different, their passion and dedication to bringing the enormity of this disease to light, is a legacy in and of itself.

Children Caring for Parents with Alzheimer s

Distance can be measured in so many ways, from geographical miles, to fading memories that once bonded loved ones together. This edition of Beyond the Face of Alzheimer’s will focus on primarily on the roles children play in the caretaking of parents. Five children discuss how busy lives can complicate caregiving as each tries to treat their loved ones with respect.

Beyond the Face of Alzheimer s Making Sense

The series Beyond the Face of Alzheimer's concludes with Patti Hoffman, a courageous woman who has early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Patti and her husband, Russ Graziano, share their long walk down this winding and unpredictable road. Also joining us is Dr. Jason Karlawish, Professor of Medicine, Medical Ethics, and Health Policy and he is the Director of the Making Sense of Alzheimer's Project at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Karlawish has served as our medical adviser for this series and we are grateful for his candid and compassionate insights.

You May Also Like

— Receive access to exclusive information, benefits and discounts
Visit the every day for great deals and for tips on keeping healthy and sharp Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.