Caregivers Stories: Gerda Saunders is an author, mother, wife & living with Microvascular Dementia & has a plan for her death

My name is Kimberly Scott, I am a part-time caregiver and a Podcast Practitioner; I am grateful to have spoken interview Gerda Saunders, author of Memory’s Last Breath: Field Notes on My Dementia. Gerda is living with Dementia; she was 61 years old when she was diagnosed with microvascular dementia.



Gerda emigrated to the United States from South Africa in 1984. In 1996 she received a Ph.D. in English from the University of Utah, where she later served as associate director of the Gender Studies Program. When  Gerda and her family noticed her memory lapses, she knew that she had a form of degenerative brain issue. When she finally had herself checked, her MRI showed multiple frontal lobe lesions (microvascular dementia.)



Gerda is blessed with a loving family. She was 17, and her husband, Peter, was 19 when they fell in love. Now they have been together for 50 years, and her husband is her primary caregiver. The amazing thing about Gerda and her story is how she and her family worked and communicated together. She has been open to everyone about her condition, and even though this disease is slowly taking some of her skills, she still looks at life with fresh eyes. The acceptance and the courage to face life and not succumb to the negativity it brings is beyond impressive.



Listen to the whole interview for Kimberly, and Gerda talked a lot of pain points and wisdom that will open a different avenue about what it’s like to have to live with Dementia. Their conversation will make your heart melt, it will bring tears, and it will also paint a smile on your face. At the end of it, you will surely never forget the lessons they imparted.



Learn more about Gerda:

Website: https://www.gerdasaunders.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/gerda.saunders?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gerdamsaunders

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerda-saunders-a85381100?trk=author_mini-profile_title



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