EP 36 Getting the Dreaded Phone Call

Ken Cardita, the host of the Surviving Alzheimer's Podcast, narrates a story about his wife, Shanna, in this episode. He talks about his experiences pertaining to a behavioral change in his wife after she started living in a memory care facility due to Alzheimer's disease. He navigates concerns of getting the dreaded phone calls from the facility about Shanna being out of control, and even the fear of her getting expelled because of her conduct. He paints a picture of how the staff's mistreatment and even fellow residents ridiculing Shanna led to her fighting back instead of submitting. Sharing his journey of confrontation with the facility's management, he highlights the importance of standing up for a loved one who's not treated appropriately. During the course of the episode, the host advises his audience not to fear moving their loved ones to a better facility if necessary.

Topics covered in this episode :

00:00 Introduction: Dealing with New Behaviors in Loved Ones

02:00 Shanna's Early Life and Behavior Changes

03:44 Shanna's Transition to Memory Care

07:05 Challenges and Incidents in Memory Care

09:58 The Saga of Dora: A Caregiver assignment gone bad

13:17 Learning from Mistakes: Improving Care for Shanna

15:31 The Struggles of Shanna: Emotional and Verbal Abuse

16:42 A Change in Management: The Impact on Shana

18:21 The Downfall: Residents Asked to Leave

20:15 The Meeting: Discussing Shana's Future (avoiding getting kicked out)

24:24 The Move: Finding a New Home for Shana

27:36 The Aftermath: Reflecting on the Experience

29:00 The Lesson: Advocating for Your Loved One

29:57 Conclusion: Don't Be Afraid to Make a Change