Alz In The Fam Allan Fair

The Answer is Always Is Always More Love. An Ode to NYC on 9/11/21. Written and spoken by Allan Fair.

What is it like to have a mother-in-law battling Alzheimer’s? Our mom, Carmen, is a loving mother-in-law to our four spouses. They are just as involved in her Alzheimer’s journey as we are.
In Episode 22 of Alz In The Fam, the Fair siblings are joined by our four spouses to discuss what it has been like for them.
In the episode, we ask our spouses about their experience with our mom’s Alzheimer’s disease, when they first noticed changes in our mom and how they think it has impacted our family.
Each of our spouses share incredibly fond memories of their mother-in-law before she began showing signs of Alzheimer’s. Nicknamed ‘Car-mom’, she embraced each of our spouses and welcomed them wholeheartedly into our family.
As our family has watched the disease progress, it has been difficult on our spouses. Helping in the caregiving process, accommodating her growing needs over the years and acting as emotional support for us siblings are only the tip of the impact that her disease has had on them.
While each spouse and sibling alike has had their own experience with our mom’s Alzheimer’s, one thing is certain – the Fair clan has always been close knit but becoming a caregiver team and support system has strengthened our bond even further.
 
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New research into psychedelics show promising treatment options for Alzheimer’s and dementia. In Episode 21, the Fair siblings sit down with Dr. Del Potter, PhD – a scientist studying the benefits of psychedelic compounds on brain-related diseases and conditions like dementia, depression and PTSD.
Del Potter, PhD is the chief science officer and founding member of ZBN Research. He received his Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology from UC Berkeley in 1980, specializing in Ethno-psychopharmacology, the phytochemistry, and extraction of psychoactive indigenous botanical pharmacopeia and their cultural significance, and psychiatric anthropology.
Dr. Del Potter shares information on the benefits, availability and future of psychedelic treatment for Alzheimer’s and other dementia related diseases. Potter also discusses the origin of medicinal use of psychedelics.
Research shows that psychedelic compounds have positive effects on targets in the brain that may cause Alzheimer’s. As this research becomes more mainstream, more clinical trials and treatment options are becoming available for people predisposed to Alzheimer’s or dementia and those with mild cognitive impairment.
Dr. Potter also discusses the treatment options available, including a micro dosing approach that minimizes the psychoactive effects but still shows positive results. This could be a promising option for those with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s.
While research is promising, Dr. Potter expresses concerns for the future of medicinal use of psychedelics, as it does become more mainstream and adopted by big pharmaceutical companies.
Overall, the outlook on psychedelic treatment for Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases is positive. Dr. Potter shares incredible insights that provide hope for the future of Alzheimer’s research.
To read the article mentioned in Episode 21, go to: https://bit.ly/3szWXRd
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Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is a big decision. In Episode 20 of #AITF, the four Fair siblings discuss the difficulties of making the decision for someone else – their Mom.
During this episode, the siblings use a Q&A article from alz.org to guide them in their conversation. The article answers frequently asked questions from caregiver and people living with Alzheimer’s about the COVID-19 vaccine.
In the fall of 2020, Poli, Allan Trissi and Boni had to begin weighing the pros and cons of having their mom vaccinated against COVID-19. For one, Carmen has already contracted and recovered from COVID and has opted for a more holistic medical approach her whole life. But the siblings also understand that a vaccine can help relieve their mom of the isolation she faces in her facility.
After weighing the pros and cons, Carmen has now received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Her memory care facility made an otherwise stressful situation for her, as smooth as possible.
Now that Carmen has successfully received her first dose, her second dose is coming soon. The siblings have to make a decision on whether or not she will get that one too. The second dose seems to have more side effects, which has raised concern in the family. The worst fear is that the symptoms could place Carmen confused and alone in the hospital.
Listen as the siblings discuss the challenges that come with making a decision for someone who can no longer make those decision herself, the fear of making a wrong decision and how they overcome these challenges as a family.
Check out the article that has guided this discussion here: http://bit.ly/2MMSTxe.
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Care Coordinator and Owner of Always Best Care, Loudoun VA, Chris Kondracki joins Alz In The Fam for the very first episode of 2021! In episode 19, Allan, Poli and Boni sit down with Chris to discuss his experience as an owner and coordinator of a senior home care service company.
Always Best Care in Loudoun, VA offers Home Care with Non-Medical professionals such as companionship services & home helper services, Personal Care services and placement services for residential care.
In this interview, Chris and the siblings discuss the different types of senior care, what Chris has learned about caregiving over the years and how Always Best Care provides the best care for its patients.
While his company provides assistance to all seniors, Chris has learned quite a bit about dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients throughout his career. Listen to hear his unique expertise on getting help for your loved ones, caring for someone with Alzheimer’s and how to navigate the challenging task finding care may be for your family.
Check out Always Best Care, Loudoun VA online here: https://www.alwaysbestcare.com/va/leesburg/.
If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with Chris, reach out to him at his email -ckondracki@AlwaysBestCareLoudoun.com 
 
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Advice for caregivers, from caregivers is the topic in Episode 18 of Alz In The Fam. The four Fair siblings sit down to share the best caregiving tips and tricks that they have learned from their own experiences and from others.
The first tip the siblings share is the power of music. Putting on your loved one’s favorite music can help change the mood and stimulate positive feelings. The siblings each have a specific playlist or radio station to put on when they want to change Carmen’s mood.
Many studies have been done on the positive effects of music on brain health, such as this NIH study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6022981/.
Probably one of the most important tips to take away from this episode is the importance of finding support as a caregiver. Caregiver burnout is real and very isolating. Remember to ask for help when you need and take care of your own health, both mental and physical.
Look to family or friends to confide in and take advantage of resources to help you when you need a break. For example, check out this Village in the DC Metro area that offers help to seniors in the community: https://bit.ly/3oChAtL
Poli, Boni, Trissi and Allan share many other tips that they’ve picked up along the way. Check out the episode to hear more valuable tips, from how to defuse tense situations to how to keep your loved one feeling occupied and helpful.
And check out these caregiver resources:
https://magazine.medlineplus.gov/article/caregiving-it-takes-a-village
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/baby-boomers-join-aging-at-home-villages-for-yoga-happy-hour-ladies-night-out-tech-class-and-biking/2017/05/04/7fdf5a78-1a2a-11e7-855e-4824bbb5d748_story.html?utm_term=.176a9fff1d0e
https://dailycaring.com/5-coping-tips-for-the-overwhelmed-caregiver/
 
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