Monthly Archives: September 2023

September 25, 2023 · 8:00 am

Slow Dog celebrating 1-year anniversary

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since I published my children’s book, Slow Dog.

What started out as a whim turned into an exploration and finally a finished product. Along the way, I gained a new respect for the craft that goes into creating children’s books. I’ve been pleasantly surprised and grateful that Slow Dog has received honorable mention and finalist recognition in multiple book competitions. I hope others will be encouraged to take a leap when it comes to creative endeavors.

Slow Dog has visited multiple cities and copies have been donated to free little libraries, an animal rescue book fair and a free library at a women and children’s shelter. I hope to do more charitable work involving Slow Dog in the future.

In honor of the 1-year anniversary, the e-book version of Slow Dog is half-off through the end of September.

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September 18, 2023 · 8:00 am

Marking World Alzheimer’s Month

September is World Alzheimer’s Month and this week on Sept. 21 will be World Alzheimer’s Day. This year’s theme is “Never too early, never too late,” with a focus on reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s by educating people on their own risk factors.

Alzheimer’s Disease International has many resources on its website, including a Dementia Fact Sheet.

While modest strides are being made in the development of medications to slow down the disease, it’s key that people understand their risk of developing Alzheimer’s and the steps they can take to reduce their risk.

Looking for ways to support the Alzheimer’s and dementia communities this month? Consider purchasing a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living with Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias. It’s on sale at Amazon and includes a story I wrote about my father. Also check out my collection of personal essays, The Reluctant Caregiver, which includes further accounts of the impact dementia had on my family.

If you’d like to support an organization for World Alzheimer’s Month, consider purchasing an item from the AlzAuthors shop.

Image courtesy of Alzheimer’s Disease International.

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September 10, 2023 · 12:04 pm

Bob Barker: Alzheimer’s disease noted on death certificate

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Legendary “The Price is Right” game show host Bob Barker died Aug. 26. It was revealed last week that the cause of death per his death certificate was Alzheimer’s disease, according to NBC News. Barker was 99 years old and had suffered from serious falls in recent years but it’s unknown when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Barker was one of those rare celebrities who was beloved by multiple generations. He was a mainstay of my childhood, especially before I started school and during school vacations. “The Price is Right” was my favorite game show. It was fun and exciting with the variety of games being played. The players being called out of the audience created memorable moments. Announcer Johnny Olsen (and later Rod Roddy ), the models, aka “Barker’s Beauties,” and Barker served as a second family for many kids from my generation. “Come on down!” was a catchphrase almost everyone knows, whether they were a fan of the show or not.

Watching “The Price is Right” also was my early introduction to animal rights, with Barker ending each show by reminding the audience to spay and neuter their pets. I may not have understood those terms as a child, but Barker over his long life devoted much time, effort, and money to improve the lives of animals. People has a good overview of Barkers animal rights advocacy work.

According to ET, the bulk of Barker’s estate will be donated to animal rights and military charities.

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September 2, 2023 · 5:17 pm

The need for more than self-care

Self-Care and Blah and Blah and Blah

Excellent post and so true, self-care in of itself is not an adequate solution for the multi-faceted support that caregivers need.

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