Tracey Lawrence - Taking care of a loved one with dementia

The podcast features Tracey S. Lawrence, the founder of Grand Family Planning and author of the book "Dementia Sucks", discussing the challenges of caring for a loved one with dementia. Both the hosts and Lawrence agree that dementia is a tough disease to grapple with, but the ability to laugh helps make the day so much easier. Lawrence also emphasizes that dementia is not a linear disease and that people with dementia can still have good days, even after taking a bad turn. Family members who live with them all the time will see changes that may not show up on the mini-mental status exam. Different types of dementia present differently, with some people able to hide their cognitive deficits for a long time, especially in the early stages. The hosts conclude by noting that family members should be flexible and ready to embrace whoever shows up and have reasonable expectations of that person.