The Disappearing Mind Podcast

The Disappearing Mind Podcast

by Senior Living Near Me

Mental Health Nutrition

Season 1

Becoming Your Loved One's CFO: Essential Finance Tips for Dementia Caregivers

You've never balanced a checkbook, and now you're suddenly responsible for someone's entire financial life. Join Host Dawn Platt as she tackles one of caregiving's most overwhelming challenges: stepping into the CFO role for a loved one facing cognitive decline. Whether you're a spouse who's never handled the bills or an adult child suddenly drowning in retirement accounts and medical paperwork, this episode delivers a practical roadmap to navigate the emotional and logistical maze of taking over finances. Dawn shares her personal CFO starter checklist, reveals red flags that could signal fraud or financial abuse, and shows you how to build a support network that won't break the bank. If you're feeling lost in a sea of bank statements and legal documents, this episode will help you find your footing and protect the person you love.

This Wasn't My Role: When Dementia Forces New Responsibilities on Caregivers

What happens when dementia suddenly forces you into roles you never imagined you'd be in?Host Dawn Platt shares a heart-wrenching encounter with a couple facing this exact crisis—when decades of divided responsibilities suddenly become one person's overwhelming reality. If you've ever felt lost trying to handle tasks your partner always managed, or fear what would happen if you had to take over everything tomorrow, this episode is for you. Dawn reveals the hidden support systems most people don't know exist and shares crucial warnings about those who prey on vulnerable caregivers during these transitions. You're not failing—you're learning, and you don't have to figure it out alone.

Life After Dementia Loss: How True Memories Replace the Pain

In this deeply moving episode of The Disappearing Mind, host Dawn Platt shares a revelation that will transform how you think about grief and memory after losing someone to dementia. Over a year after her mother's passing, Dawn discovers something unexpected: the painful memories of confusion and lost words have faded, while her mother's true self has returned in vivid, full-color clarity. Through her raw, personal reflection on love, loss, and the non-linear nature of grief, Dawn offers hope to anyone wondering if they'll ever remember their loved one without the shadow of disease. This episode promises a quiet corner of healing and the profound realization that when dementia fades, the person you loved most truly remains.

The Memory Care Decision: Why Moving Your Loved One Isn't Giving Up

The moment has arrived—whether triggered by a fall, wandering episode, or simple caregiver burnout—and you're facing the heart-wrenching decision to move your loved one into memory care. In this deeply personal episode, National Dementia Trainer Dawn Platt guides you through the emotional journey "from home to here," revealing why choosing memory care isn't giving up—it's stepping up. Discover what really happens during those critical first 2-6 weeks of transition, learn the essential questions to ask when touring communities, and understand why many families later say "I finally feel like I can exhale... I'm a daughter again." If you're wrestling with guilt, uncertainty, or the fear of making the wrong choice, this episode offers the clarity and courage you need to navigate this turning point with love and confidence.

From Declining to Thriving in Memory Care Communities

What if memory care isn't just about safety and medication management, but about preserving dignity, creating daily moments of joy, and building meaningful connections? In this eye-opening episode, National Dementia Trainer and Coach Dawn Platt shifts the lens on memory care communities, revealing how the right environment can transform lives through therapeutic engagement, purposeful programming, and compassionate care. From a powerful story about veterans reconnecting with their legacy to research-backed insights showing 20% reductions in behavioral symptoms, Dawn unveils the promise of quality memory care that goes far beyond basic assistance. Whether you're navigating this journey now or preparing for the future, this episode will change how you think about memory care forever.

Family Conflicts Series Episode 8: When Dementia Affects Family Traditions

When the Thompson family gathered for their first holiday since Mom's dementia diagnosis, what should have been a joyful reunion turned into heartbreak. Emily insisted on the elaborate dinner they'd always had, Jake argued it was pointless because Mom wouldn't remember, and Laura just wanted it all to go away. Sound familiar? In this powerful final episode of our family conflicts series, host Dawn Platt reveals why traditional family gatherings can become overwhelming disasters for dementia families—and shares the life-changing conversation that helped the Thompsons discover a better way. If you've ever felt torn between honoring old traditions and protecting your loved one's comfort, this episode will show you how to create new memories that truly matter. Because sometimes love means letting go of perfection to embrace presence.

Family Conflicts Series Episode 7: When One Sibling Carries All the Weight

In this latest episode of our family conflicts series, we tackle one of the most common yet painful dynamics in dementia caregiving: sibling resentment. "Where were you when I needed help?" It's a question that echoes in countless families when one person shoulders the burden alone. Through Emily and Brian's story—where a well-meaning Christmas suggestion becomes the breaking point—host Dawn Platt reveals why vague offers to help actually hurt more than they help. Learn how to define what real support looks like, start the difficult conversations your family needs to have, and discover practical strategies for sharing caregiving responsibilities without losing your relationships. Sometimes the hardest conversation isn't with the person who has dementia—it's with the family member who thinks good intentions are enough.

Family Conflicts Series Episode 6: "You Said You'd Never Put Me in a Home" - A Spouse's Heartbreak

When 74-year-old Linda whispers "I can't do this" to her daughter about caring for her husband Henry's mid-stage Alzheimer's, she reaches the crossroads every dementia caregiver dreads. After 52 years of marriage, Linda refuses to consider memory care—"in sickness and health" she promised—but Henry's nighttime wandering and stove incidents have her physician daughter Dr. Daria deeply concerned. In this powerful sixth episode of our Family Conflict series, Host Dawn Platt guides you through this heart-wrenching family conflict that countless listeners face: When does protecting your loved one mean placing them in professional care? Discover why memory care isn't giving up—it's gearing up, and learn the crucial questions every spouse must ask themselves before crisis forces the decision. This episode will challenge everything you think you know about love, loyalty, and letting go.

Family Conflicts Series Episode 5: Who Controls the Money in Dementia Caregiving?

Who controls the money when dementia enters the picture? In this powerful new episode in the Family Conflicts 8-part series, host Dawn Platt unpacks the emotional and legal minefields that arise when families clash over finances. From stepchildren demanding bank statements to caregivers draining their own savings, Dawn shares real-life stories, legal must-knows, and tips for preventing conflict before it escalates. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the financial side of dementia care, this episode is for you.

Family Conflicts Series Episode 4: When Promises Become Impossible

When the promise you made years ago becomes impossible to keep, how do you move forward without drowning in guilt? Join Dawn Platt, a national dementia trainer and coach, as she continues our family conflicts series this week, tackling the most heart-wrenching dilemmas faced by dementia caregivers. In this powerful episode, Dawn explores what happens when your loved one reminds you of that devastating promise: "You said you'd never put me in a home." With compassionate insight and real-world experience, she reveals why dementia changes everything—including the promises we thought we could keep—and offers practical guidance for navigating the complex emotions of caregiving without losing yourself in the process.

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