Episode 5

Episode 5

Too often people can drift away, but Penny Stager has not. As a member of a large extended family, Penny has helped the family out as they supported their mother and mother-in-law and now Penny is doing what she can to support her brother-in-law, Al.

As a nurse herself, Penny has taken an active role in her in-law’s lives with dementia and provides her observations on their day-to-day experiences, some of which have been difficult and emotional. She goes on to discuss the possible familial links to the disease as well.

Penny shares some of the coping mechanisms and easy solutions her brother-in-law, Al, has employed to simplify living with dementia and talks about some of the volunteer work and activism she and Al are engaged in. These have helped him maintain motivation to continue with activities crucial for his health, both social and physical, including Taking Control of Our Lives and The Blue Umbrella Program (links to which can be found below).

She touches upon the difficult topic of the stigma surrounding a dementia diagnosis, how upsetting that stigma can be for the person living with it and the need for people to remember that you are still dealing with the same person, the same friend and to treat them as you always have. She also urges people not to forget the often overlooked caregivers who will also need support and connection.

Taking Control of Our Lives

Resources for this episode can be found under the following sections on our resource page:
-Education for Local Businesses