Change is in the air!

Jun 20, 2024 9:32 pm

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Hello ,

Many common denominators exist in dementia care. Change is, perhaps, at the top of the list. When a dementia diagnosis is made, everyone involved in the life of the person diagnosed experiences some amount of change. Roles and responsibilities are affected. Our perception of our loved one is adjusted to meet our new reality. New ways of thinking and doing are required to manage our days. It can be a lot, and most people find change difficult, if not unwelcome.

Here at AlzAuthors, our tiny management team of six former caregivers is used to handling upheaval, and recently experienced great change late last year. Our creative director, Kathryn Harrison, who designed and built our original website, among many other things, moved on when a full-time, paying job came her way. We love her and wish her well, but her departure left us in a quandary as we are all writers but definitely not tech people. We did not feel up to the task of managing the website - which has grown over the years to a robust platform far greater than our dreams - on our own. We began to experience growing pains, indicating great change was ahead. Rather than run from it, we embraced it, and made several decisions to usher AlzAuthors into the future in ways that enable us to better provide the resources so desperately needed by caregivers who have come to rely on us for knowledge, comfort, and support.

The first step was securing the website. We found a website manager who helped us to create a new version of AlzAuthors online that is clearer, leaner, and easier to navigate. You can explore it right here, if you haven't already. Thanks to the folks at Bold Media for their patience, expertise, and guidance through this process.

We then explored how we wanted to present the helpful content we provide in a more streamlined manner that our small team could easily manage. After much discussion, we decided that our podcast had become the dominant feature of our platform and would now take the leading role. We were publishing two episodes every other week alternating with a new author and their blog post introducing their book. Our new format will be a combination of both.

Beginning in September, we'll feature one new author and their book a month. They will be featured on the podcast and will write the traditional introductory blog post as well. In the alternating weeks, we'll provide a replay of our monthly Aging & Amazing Books and Chit Chat discussion, featuring another of our more established authors. Thus, you will receive two podcasts each month available across all the podcasting platforms we use as well as our YouTube channel. We will continue to provide the occasional AlzAuthors Live! discussion panels on a variety of topics, and replays will also appear on the podcast and YouTube channel.

Our last new author post will be on June 26th. We'll continue to publish podcast episodes biweekly over the summer, but are taking well-earned breaks in July allowing us to catch our breath and our followers to catch up on any podcasts or blog posts they may have missed.

This month, we celebrate nine years of supporting caregivers. We're grateful to our followers who have helped make AlzAuthors what it is today. We would not have made it past our first June promotion in 2015 without the wonderful authors who believe in us enough to share their work, and our followers who keep us alive through podcast downloads, website and blog visits, and social media engagement. We are extremely grateful for those who have generously donated financially to our cause, supporting the website and podcast. Although the management team works for free, the project itself does incur expenses.

Please bear with us as we make these transitions. We look forward to continuing our mission to bring quality resources to Alzheimer's and dementia caregivers.

Marianne, Jean, Vicki, Ann, Susan, and Christy

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We have a new website with a fresh new look! Same meaningful content.

Take a look!

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Coming Up Next

June 26 - Mindy Crouch, author of Understanding Dementia: A Learn and Earn Activities Book for Children

July 3 - Podcast: Sue Fagalde Lick, author of Gravel Road Ahead and No Way Out of This

7/10 - NO POD (SUMMER BREAK)

7/17 - Marc Alderdice Book Club Replay

7/14 - NO POD (SUMMER BREAK)

7/31 - NO POD (SUMMER BREAK)

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Our New Anthology is Featured on the All Home Care Matters Podcast

Members of AlzAuthors talk about our new anthology, "Poetry for the Dementia Journey," with host Lance Slatton of All Home Care Matters, revealing their personal dementia stories and how and why this impactful book was created. Poetry provides a means of expression for those on a dementia journey, and is a source of solace for those caught up in caregiving. In this award winning podcast you may explore a sampling of the beautiful poems included in the book, now available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon.

See it on YouTube!

Purchase the anthology

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Our June Book Club Selection is "Don't Forget to Dance" by Marc Alderdice

Please join us for our next book club discussion as we explore a memoir, Don't Forget to Dance, by Marc Alderdice. He shares the story of his Alzheimer's journey with his wife. Remember: it is not necessary to read the book to attend the discussion.

To learn more or to become a member, please visit agingamazing.com.

Register here to get the link to the Zoom meetings.

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Let's keep connected ...

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Our mission is to provide quality resources for those concerned with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Please help by connecting with us in at least one new way this week:

Become an AlzAuthors Donor

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Follow our podcast and leave a review

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Volunteer your time and talents

Submit Your Book, Blog, or other Resource

Buy a book (or books!) in the AlzAuthors Bookstore

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