Former U.S. Congressional Candidate, Rock Radio Hall of Famer, keynote speaker and author, Dayna Steele has a deep understanding of the challenges and emotional rollercoasters that caregivers endure. She is the author of multiple books, including Surviving Alzheimer’s With Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine and the playwright and actor of The Woman In The Mirror Play, where she details her experiences as a caregiver through unfiltered observations, raw emotion, a bit of dark humor, and, of course, wine. Dayna is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Drama, Dramatics and Theatre Arts and is a staunch advocate for Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones.

Dayna joins us again today to share some of the funny stories and memories she has of caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s and the things she considered when searching for a long-term memory care facility. We discuss how our loved ones moods and behaviors change as their disease progresses, the importance of sharing your thoughts and feelings with others, and how caregivers can find additional support through local therapy groups. We discuss how reminiscing on the way our loved ones used to be before their Dementia and Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be joyful and healing and share some of our own happy memories of our parents. We also discuss how Dayna turned her book into a one-woman play and Dayna shares a sneak peek into what’s next for The Woman In The Mirror Play.

“It is an awful, awful disease. And it is okay to admit you have these feelings.” - Dayna Steele

This week on the Eye on the Caregiver Podcast:

●     What Dayna considered when finding a memory care facility for her mother

●     Dayna’s hilarious ‘cow-tipping’ story at Chick-Fil-A on the company’s anniversary

●     Dealing with the anger and ‘violent’ side of Alzheimer’s

●     The value of joining therapy groups

●     Reminiscing on the way our loved ones used to be before Alzheimer’s

●     Turning Dayna’s book into The Woman In The Mirror Play and what’s next for the one-woman play

Connect with Dayna Steele:

●     Play: The Woman In The Mirror

●     Book: Surviving Alzheimer’s With Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine: A Caregiver’s Guide to Love, Humor, Patience, Confusion, Anger, and Wine

●     The Woman In The Mirror Play on Facebook

●     Dayna Steele on LinkedIn

●     Dayna Steele on YouTube

●     Dayna Steele on Instagram

●     Dayna Steele on Twitter

Keeping Our Eye on the Caregiver

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