In this caregiver spotlight episode, meet Jean Lee whose parents were both diagnosed with Alzheimer’s on the same day. Jean took care of her parents while working as a teacher. Her personal journal documenting her parents’ ‘oddities’ later helped her write her memoir. Jean also found support in reading other people’s personal experiences with Alzheimer’s which led to her connecting with other authors and creating AlzAuthors – a community of over 200 authors. In this episode, we discuss the struggle between wanting to remain private and loyal to your family and yet connect with and support other caregivers.
Listen to the show: Caregiver Spotlight – Jean Lee
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Words of Encouragement
Each episode starts off with a few words of inspiration or motivation that is pulled from the Happy Healthy Caregiver Jar.
Links & Resources Mentioned
- Compassion is such an important character of caregivers. Listen to Episode #49 with Virginia Sampson to hear more about compassion.
- Jean searched the word ‘Alzheimers’ on her Kindle app to find books.
- A few of Brene Brown’s books on vulnerability:
- Jean’s sister encouraged her to keep a journal of her parent’s ‘oddities’. While Jean felt guilty about it, she later took this journal to a gerontologist and was so grateful to have it.
- Later Jean’s journal helped write her memoir Alzheimer’s Daughter which allowed her to reference and recall the accurate timeline. She first wrote it as a private memoir for her family. Her writing group encouraged her to publish it. Currently, Jean’s book has a 4.2 rating on Goodreads. Here’s Elizabeth’s book review:
Jean Lee weaves together her heartfelt journals witnessing and experiencing her parents Alzheimer’s decline (yes both parents!) with her parents wartime love letters. No doubt this book will validate the intensely emotional journey for caregivers.
- The Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast and blog has featured several other AlzAuthors, including:
Co-founder Marianne Sciucco in Episode #75 author of Blue Hydrangeas: an Alzheimer’s Love Story
Judith Henry in Episode #27 author of The Dutiful Daughter’s Guide to Caregiving
Carole Brecht author of The Artistry of Caregiving: Letters to Inspire Your Caregiving Journey
Tara Reed author of What to Do Between the Tears
- You can find all of the books by the AlzAuthors managers and their community by visiting the AlzAuthors Bookstore. Their Bookstore is categorized for easy reference including some who are currently living with dementia. Here’s the group photo taken (perhaps by Elizabeth?) at one of the National Caregiving Conferences:
- Currently, AlzAuthors is offering their anthologies free!
- AlzAuthors.com is a Happy Healthy Caregiver Care Partner. They have started their own book club and are planning to kick off their own podcast.
- All of the prompts from the lightning round segment of the show are borrowed from Elizabeth’s book Just For You: a Daily Self-Care Journal. This journal is for anyone (not just caregivers) who can use a little daily reminder to love on themselves.
- Jean Lee has published three additional books in the Children’s Dog book category since they written through the voice of her ‘grand-doggies’:
- Jean Lee wants to visit the Cleveland Art Museum. Like many museums now who are closed due to COVID-19, the Cleveland Art Museum is encouraging its patrons to visit their online art resources.
- Connect to Jean Lee through her blog or visit AlzAuthors.com.
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Favorite moments & quotes from the episode
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