Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers

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  • 5.0 (7)
  • Mental Health
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Navigating the insidious illness of Alzheimer’s is something nobody asks for. The disease sneaks up on you and your loved one, and it feels like you’ve been sucker-punched in the gut when you get the diagnosis from a doctor. So many things race through your mind: why us? What do we do? We worked so hard to get to this point in life. We just moved here after we both worked for 30 years, sold our house up North, and retired to Florida to enjoy our “golden years”. It’s not fair! Who’s going to take care of her/him? I don’t know a thing about this illness. She’s always done the cooking; I don’t even know how to boil water. He's always taken care of me and everything else, like Finances. I don’t even drive! And it goes on and on. Facing this disease will bring you to your knees. Once you get over the initial shock (GUT PUNCHED), the questions and fears take hold. Where do we turn for help? Who do I call? What do I do? How do you take care of someone with Alzheimer's? Are there support groups? And questions like these keep coming. I am a caregiver. I wasn’t before. Well, not this kind of caregiver. My wife was officially diagnosed in January of 2018. I had a sneaking suspicion that she might have something like this about 2 years earlier. So, when I brought it to my Neurologist, he sent us to a very nice Psychologist who specializes in testing patients to determine more accurately what is going on. It was a question-and-answer session, followed by a very detailed testing procedure that usually takes three or more hours. The patient must complete the test, which comprises questions, simple actions, and memory tests. Then give them a couple of numbers or words, and move on, returning to the numbers or words a short time later. So, moving forward, I asked the same questions mentioned earlier. What are my options? So I “sucked it up”-Manned up, so to speak. It's part of the deal for better or worse, right? So began my quest for information on support groups, doctors, and anything I could get my hands on. It's been 6 years, and I am still looking for anything that will help me crawl along this uncharted path to enlightenment. I was very fortunate to live in a city with numerous resources to draw on. Most importantly, it's a place named after someone who suffered from Alzheimer’s. His wife provided the money to start the Alvin Dubin Center: The Dubin Center for short. Their mission is to achieve caregiver health, strength, and resilience by providing education, information, hope, and compassion. And boy do they. I leaned on them for everything I could find. Took all kinds of classes to learn what I needed to do to be the caregiver I have to be. Their caregiver class took about 6 weeks. The material we learned from and the instructors were top-notch. I still go back to the notes I took and the books we used, both as a refresher and for inspiration. Hopefully, wherever you are listening to this, there will be a place like the Dubin Center. If not, don’t despair. The info is out there. That’s what this podcast is about. We want to share our resources, our experiences, our heartbreak, and our little victories. From time to time, we’d like to bring in Physicians, Nurses, Experts, and people like you and me who are going through this disease with our loved ones, willing to share their journeys. The first thing that really stuck with me, and hopefully it will be with you. If you are a caregiver, you must first take care of yourself. Because this is not a sprint, but a marathon, and if you are run down, get sick, or worse.... Who’s going to take care of your spouse, mother, father, or child? Think about that for a few seconds. It’s you, the Caregiver. It’s me, the Caregiver. That’s why we’re here. Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers! Thanks for joining us...now let's get going.

  1. 10h ago

    Gut Punched: EP 124 - What’s New With Alzheimer’s: 2026 So Far

    Alzheimer’s research is moving quickly. New treatments, new studies, new ideas, and plenty of questions from caregivers and families trying to figure out what it all means. In Episode 124 of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers, Dr. John Huffaker and the popular “What’s New With Alzheimer’s” feature take center stage. Since the beginning of 2026, Dr. Huffaker of the Neuropsychiatric Research Center (NPRC) has joined GutPunched to answer questions about Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, treatments, research, and the issues that matter to caregivers and families. For this special episode, Jeff goes back through the first nine months of 2026 to revisit some of the most interesting and important listener questions Dr. Huffaker has answered. Why revisit them? Because Alzheimer’s research continues to change—and sometimes an answer is worth hearing again. Dr. Huffaker has a gift for taking complicated medical and research topics and explaining them in a way the rest of us can understand. No hype. No sensational headlines. Just thoughtful questions and understandable answers from someone working directly in the Alzheimer’s research field. Whether you’re caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s, have a family member facing dementia, or simply want to better understand where Alzheimer’s research stands today, this episode offers information, perspective, and reasons to keep paying attention. Real questions. Real answers. Real information for caregivers. Real Talk. Real Help. Real Hope. #GutPunched #Alzheimers #AlzheimersDisease #Dementia #Caregiving #Caregivers #AlzheimersCaregiver #DementiaCaregiver #AlzheimersResearch #DementiaResearch #WhatsNewWithAlzheimers #NPRC #DrJohnHuffaker #CaregiverSupport #HopeWithoutHype #RealTalkRealHelpRealHope Available on The Podcast Playground, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, PodBean, iHeart, YouTube, and GUTPUNCHED.COM.

    Gut Punched: EP 124 - What’s New With Alzheimer’s: 2026 So Far

  2. Sep 28

    Gut Punched: EP 123 - When Caregiving Pressures Collide with Major Financial Decisions

    Some decisions in life are relatively small.  Others can change everything. Your home. Your savings. How you're going to pay for care. Where your loved one is going to live. The problem is that some of the biggest decisions caregivers face often arrive at the worst possible time, when you're exhausted, frightened, overwhelmed, and looking for anything that might provide a little relief. In Episode 123 of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers, Jeff Edwards looks at what can happen when caregiving pressures collide with major financial decisions. Jeff shares his own experience of having to consider whether selling his home might someday be necessary to help provide care for his wife. Fortunately, getting guidance from an elder care attorney helped him understand that there were other options and gave him something every caregiver needs: a little more peace of mind. But what happens when someone doesn't have that guidance? This week's guest brings a fascinating perspective to that question. He once worked on the other side of the table in the “we buy houses” business, where homeowners, sometimes already facing difficult circumstances, could be presented with the possibility of a fast and seemingly simple solution. Today, he's taken a very different direction. We'll talk about what he saw, what he learned, why he changed course, and what caregivers and their families should understand before they're sitting at the kitchen table feeling pressured to make a major decision. Because when you're frightened and overwhelmed, relief can sound a lot like a good decision, and they're not always the same thing. The goal isn't to frighten caregivers. It's to encourage families to ask questions, understand their options, seek qualified advice when needed, and build financial and legal safety nets before a crisis arises. Also this week, Dr. John Huffaker returns for “What's New With Alzheimer's.” He answers a listener question from London: Should a family consider bringing their mother to the United States in hopes of getting better treatment for her Alzheimer's disease? It's another episode built around Real Talk, Real Help, Real Hope—and the idea that preparation today may give you more choices tomorrow. #GutPunched #Alzheimers #AlzheimersCaregiver #Caregiving #Dementia #DementiaCare #CaregiverSupport #ElderCare #ElderLaw #SeniorCare #LongTermCare #CaregiverResources #FinancialPlanning #AgingInPlace #WhatsNewWithAlzheimers #HopeWithoutHype #RealTalkRealHelpRealHope Available on Podcast Playground, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, PodBean, YouTube, And GUTPUNCHED.COM

    Gut Punched: EP 123 - When Caregiving Pressures Collide with Major Financial Decisions

  3. Sep 21

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 122 - "What Dolly Said"

    An article about Dolly Parton stopped host Jeff Edwards in his tracks, but the real story is about caregivers. In this episode of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, Jeff discusses Neal K. Shah’s TIME article, “What Dolly Parton Said in Her Last Interview Should Terrify Us,” sharing passages from the article along with his own perspective as a longtime caregiver. Plus, Dr. John Huffaker joins What’s New With Alzheimer’s to answer a listener question about plastics and microplastics in our bodies and what researchers know about a possible connection to Alzheimer’s. And one important reminder: Caregivers need support, too. You don’t have to do this alone. Real talk. Real help. Real hope. #GutPunched #Alzheimers #Caregiving #CaregiverSupport #Dementia #CaregiverHealth #DollyParton #NealKShah #Microplastics #AlzheimersResearch #HopeWithoutHype Available on The Podcast Playground, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, Podbean, YouTube, and GUTPUNCHED.COM

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 122 - "What Dolly Said"

  4. Sep 14

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 121 - Dr. Deborah Coe Silver

    This week on GutPunched, host Jeff Edwards sits down for a conversation with Dr. Deborah Coe Silver — “Dr. Deb” — from the Neuropsychiatric Research Center. We talked about Dolly Parton, an informative National Geographic article about billionaires making interesting scientific discoveries about health and living longer, and talked a lot... about music. Another topic this week may surprise you: memory loss may begin earlier in life than many of us have been led to believe. What does that mean, what should we be paying attention to, and when should changes in memory become a concern?  Then, Dr. John Huffaker returns for another edition of “What’s New With Alzheimer’s.” This week’s listener question deals with something many families may have wondered about but don't know where to begin: How do you donate the brain of a loved one to science?  Jeff also takes a moment to thank listeners for the wonderful response to “I Still Choose You” and encourages everyone to share it with someone who might connect with its message. It’s another episode built around real conversations, useful information, and hope without hype for caregivers and the people who love them. Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers — Real talk. Real help. Real hope. #GutPunched #Alzheimers #Dementia #Caregiving #Caregivers #MemoryLoss #BrainHealth #BrainDonation #AlzheimersResearch #DementiaCare #CaregiverSupport #WhatsNewWithAlzheimers #HopeWithoutHype #IStillChooseYou Available on The Podcast Playground, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, PodBean, iHeart, YouTube, and GUTPUNCHED.COM

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 121 - Dr. Deborah Coe Silver

  5. Sep 7

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 120 - Small Things, Big Possibilities

    In Episode 120 of Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers, host Jeff Edwards takes a look at several developments that may seem small today, but could have much bigger implications tomorrow. We check in on an interesting Alzheimer’s study that is preparing to expand into a larger trial, and we look at new information involving the gut-to-brain connection, bringing us back to a subject we explored in Episode 111. We also share the Caregiver Tip of the Month from the Alzheimer’s Association, a practical reminder that sometimes simply getting things out of your head and onto a list can make the overwhelming job of caregiving a little more manageable. And then there’s some very special news about the original GutPunched song, “I Still Choose You.” Written for Jeff’s wife, for GutPunched, and for Caregivers everywhere, the song is now officially copyrighted, with BMI publishing rights in place. Work is underway on the next step: making the song available for download, with the hope that it might become more than a song, another way to help caregivers, families, and the organizations supporting them. And yes... we play “I Still Choose You” again. Small things. New ideas. New research. And maybe some pretty Big possibilities. Real Talk. Real Help. Real Hope. #GutPunched #Alzheimers #Dementia #Caregivers #Caregiving #AlzheimersCaregiver #DementiaCare #CaregiverSupport #AlzheimersResearch #GutBrainConnection #IStillChooseYou #HopeWithoutHype #RealTalkRealHelpRealHope Available on: The Podcast Playground, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, PodBean, iHeart, YouTube, and GUTPUNCHED.COM

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 120 - Small Things, Big Possibilities

  6. Aug 31

    Gut Punched: EP 119 - You Don't Know What You Don't Know - “You Don't Know Nuttin'”

    Sometimes the most important thing we can learn is that we don't know what we don't know. Or, as host Jeff Edwards puts it a little more simply: “You Don't Know Nuttin'.” In Episode 119 of GutPunched: Alzheimer's and Caregivers, Jeff sits down with longtime friend Peggy Sealfon, a board-certified health coach, award-winning author, educator and entrepreneur who, in her late 70s, is still learning and currently pursuing her doctorate in Natural Medicine. Their conversation explores some thought-provoking territory surrounding healthy aging, regenerative medicine, the mind-body connection and caregiver health.  They also tackle an especially important question for families facing Alzheimer's and dementia: Is there room for hope?  But hope and hype aren't the same thing. With miracle cures, anti-aging promises, and wellness claims seemingly everywhere, Jeff asks Peggy how caregivers can separate legitimate science and worthwhile possibilities from clever marketing. And for the caregiver who is so overwhelmed that taking care of themselves feels like just one more thing on an impossible to-do list, where do they even begin? Plus, Dr. John Huffaker joins Jeff for another edition of What's New with Alzheimer's, answering this week's question: What is the blood-brain barrier, and why is it so important when it comes to medications used to treat Alzheimer's? It's an episode about curiosity, questioning assumptions, taking care of the caregiver, and remaining open to possibilities, while remembering the GutPunched philosophy: Hope Without Hype. Because sometimes the first step toward learning something new is admitting... You Don't Know What You Don't Know.Or Maybe... You Don't Know Nuttin'..... #GutPunchedPodcast #Alzheimers #Dementia #Caregiving #CaregiverSupport #CaregiverHealth #HealthyAging #BrainHealth #StressManagement #AlzheimersAwareness #DementiaCare #HopeWithoutHype Available on Podcast Playground, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, Podbean, YouTube, and GUTPUNCHED.COM.

    Gut Punched: EP 119 - You Don't Know What You Don't Know - “You Don't Know Nuttin'”

  7. Aug 24

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 118 - Hope Without Hype -The Dubin Center

    After eight and a half years on the Alzheimer’s caregiving journey, Jeff Edwards knows firsthand how overwhelming a diagnosis can be. But this episode of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers — The Not So Sexy Podcast is different. This is an ALL-POSITIVE story. Host Jeff Edwards welcomes back Christine LaConte, CEO of The Dubin Center, an organization that helped him tremendously shortly after his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Christine talks about how The Dubin Center has grown, expanded its reach, added staff and facilities, and continues providing caregivers and families with what they need most: Education. Resources. Support. And HOPE. HOPE WITHOUT HYPE. Jeff reflects on what The Dubin Center meant to him eight and a half years ago—and why he considers their mission “Hope Without Hype.” Later, Dr. John Huffaker joins Jeff for another edition of “  tackling an important question about why someone with Alzheimer’s can appear to fluctuate between different stages of the disease. No negativity. No doom and gloom. Just a good story about good people doing good things. Episode 118 is a reminder that caregivers don't have to do this alone. Hashtags: #GutPunched #Alzheimers #AlzheimersCaregiver #Dementia #Caregiving #CaregiverSupport #TheDubinCenter #HopeWithoutHype #DementiaAwareness #AlzheimersAwareness #FamilyCaregiver #CaregiverLife #YouAreNotAlone #DementiaSupport #Hope

    Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers EP 118 - Hope Without Hype -The Dubin Center

  8. Aug 17

    Gut Punched: EP 117 - What Do Hurricanes & Caregivers Have in Common?

    What could hurricanes possibly have in common with Alzheimer’s caregiving? More than you might think. In Episode 117 of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers, Jeff Edwards takes a timely look at the surprising parallels between preparing for a hurricane and navigating the unpredictable world of Alzheimer’s caregiving. Hurricanes can change direction. They can intensify with little warning. They require preparation, patience, a good support system, and the understanding that some things are simply beyond our control. For Alzheimer’s caregivers, every day can bring something different. There are good days, difficult days, unexpected changes, emergencies, exhaustion, and sometimes a feeling that you're facing the storm alone. Just as we prepare for hurricane season before storms arrive, caregivers can prepare for difficult situations before they arise. That means having plans for medications, medical appointments, finances, respite care, and emergencies, and knowing who to call when you need help. And later in the program, Dr. John Huffaker joins us for another edition of “What’s New with Alzheimer’s.” This week’s listener question focuses on Leqembi: After experiencing ARIA while taking Leqembi, what options might be available moving forward? Dr. Huffaker discusses ARIA — Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities —  Real Talk. Real Help. Real Hope.  Hope Without Hype. #GutPunched #Alzheimers #AlzheimersCaregiver #Caregiving #CaregiverSupport #Dementia #DementiaCaregiver #HurricanePreparedness #CaregiverPreparedness #Leqembi #ARIA #AlzheimersResearch #WhatsNewWithAlzheimers #HopeWithoutHype #RealTalkRealHelpRealHope Available on:  The Podcast Playground, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, PodBean, iHeart, YouTube, and GUTPUNCHED.COM

    Gut Punched: EP 117 - What Do Hurricanes & Caregivers Have in Common?
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5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Navigating the insidious illness of Alzheimer’s is something nobody asks for. The disease sneaks up on you and your loved one, and it feels like you’ve been sucker-punched in the gut when you get the diagnosis from a doctor. So many things race through your mind: why us? What do we do? We worked so hard to get to this point in life. We just moved here after we both worked for 30 years, sold our house up North, and retired to Florida to enjoy our “golden years”. It’s not fair! Who’s going to take care of her/him? I don’t know a thing about this illness. She’s always done the cooking; I don’t even know how to boil water. He's always taken care of me and everything else, like Finances. I don’t even drive! And it goes on and on. Facing this disease will bring you to your knees. Once you get over the initial shock (GUT PUNCHED), the questions and fears take hold. Where do we turn for help? Who do I call? What do I do? How do you take care of someone with Alzheimer's? Are there support groups? And questions like these keep coming. I am a caregiver. I wasn’t before. Well, not this kind of caregiver. My wife was officially diagnosed in January of 2018. I had a sneaking suspicion that she might have something like this about 2 years earlier. So, when I brought it to my Neurologist, he sent us to a very nice Psychologist who specializes in testing patients to determine more accurately what is going on. It was a question-and-answer session, followed by a very detailed testing procedure that usually takes three or more hours. The patient must complete the test, which comprises questions, simple actions, and memory tests. Then give them a couple of numbers or words, and move on, returning to the numbers or words a short time later. So, moving forward, I asked the same questions mentioned earlier. What are my options? So I “sucked it up”-Manned up, so to speak. It's part of the deal for better or worse, right? So began my quest for information on support groups, doctors, and anything I could get my hands on. It's been 6 years, and I am still looking for anything that will help me crawl along this uncharted path to enlightenment. I was very fortunate to live in a city with numerous resources to draw on. Most importantly, it's a place named after someone who suffered from Alzheimer’s. His wife provided the money to start the Alvin Dubin Center: The Dubin Center for short. Their mission is to achieve caregiver health, strength, and resilience by providing education, information, hope, and compassion. And boy do they. I leaned on them for everything I could find. Took all kinds of classes to learn what I needed to do to be the caregiver I have to be. Their caregiver class took about 6 weeks. The material we learned from and the instructors were top-notch. I still go back to the notes I took and the books we used, both as a refresher and for inspiration. Hopefully, wherever you are listening to this, there will be a place like the Dubin Center. If not, don’t despair. The info is out there. That’s what this podcast is about. We want to share our resources, our experiences, our heartbreak, and our little victories. From time to time, we’d like to bring in Physicians, Nurses, Experts, and people like you and me who are going through this disease with our loved ones, willing to share their journeys. The first thing that really stuck with me, and hopefully it will be with you. If you are a caregiver, you must first take care of yourself. Because this is not a sprint, but a marathon, and if you are run down, get sick, or worse.... Who’s going to take care of your spouse, mother, father, or child? Think about that for a few seconds. It’s you, the Caregiver. It’s me, the Caregiver. That’s why we’re here. Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers! Thanks for joining us...now let's get going.

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