Love Conquers Alz

09/04/2026

A dementia diagnosis changes the whole map of a family, and the systems we rely on often make it harder, not easier. What happens when dementia care begins with the person...not the diagnosis?

In Episode 124 of Love Conquers Alz, Don PriessDon Priess and Susie Singer Carter Susie Singer Carter speak with Karesa founder of Village and host of Creative Dementia Collective. Inspired by his family’s experience caring for his grandmother Shirley Bell, Andrew originally set out to build a dementia village. When that vision encountered the realities of funding and construction, it evolved into blueBell Connect, a digital platform created to help families and professional caregivers communicate, coordinate care, and find support tailored to the individual.

With blueBell, Andrew has seen lives transformed for both individuals living with dementia and their caregivers, and he is passionate about fostering a world where care is tailored to each individual’s needs. We explore why one-size-fits-all dementia care fails; the importance of understanding a person’s history, culture, language, and preferences; and how patience, music, technology, and simple moments of connection can preserve dignity and joy.

At its heart, this hopeful conversation reminds us that people living with dementia are still present, still communicating, and still worthy of autonomy and individualized care and that love sometimes means learning to speak their language.

Subscribe, share this with a caregiver, and leave a review so more families can find real support.

What happens when dementia care begins with the person and not the ...

08/10/2026

https://youtu.be/g9MpijEoVNQ?si=t9bsRThkmijRIfJA
What happens when you know something is wrong, but no one believes you?

In this heartfelt episode of Love Conquers Alz, Susie Singer Carterr and Don Priess welcome Nancy Treaster, co-founder of The Caregiver's Journey, to discuss her husband, Kim Treaster's battle with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and the long road to an accurate diagnosis.Nancy is a certified caregiving consultant and co-founder of The Caregivers Journey,

Nancy shares the subtle behavioral changes that first raised concerns, the frustration of being told it was "just anxiety," and why caregivers must trust their instincts when something doesn't feel right. Together, they explore the differences between Alzheimer's disease and Frontotemporal Dementia, the challenges of language loss (primary progressive aphasia), and the importance of advocating for a loved one when the medical system falls short.

The conversation also dives into some of the most emotional aspects of caregiving:

• Recognizing the early signs of FTD
• Why spouses and family members often notice symptoms first
• How to advocate for an accurate diagnosis
• Protecting your loved one's dignity throughout the disease
• Navigating aggression, incontinence, and difficult behaviors with compassion
• What it means to become a "pragmatic caregiver" and find peace in the present moment.

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• Why love can endure, even when memories fade

Nancy's wisdom reminds us that while dementia changes relationships, it doesn't erase love.

If you're caring for or walking beside someone living with FTD or any dementia diagnosis, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, supported, and inspired.

* The short film mentioned in the podcast: Love At First Sight starring British actors Sir John Hurt and Phyllida Law

What happens when you know something is wrong, but no one believes ...

07/10/2026

If you don't know Laura Finnelly ... you should! Not only is she a fierce Long Term Care Advocate, she is a registered nurse with 25+ years in healthcare, a certified senior care manager, an Air Force veteran, the founder of Guided Care RN Advocates, the author of RN on Duty (available on Amazon), a practical guide that gives families the tools, structure, and confidence they need to navigate today’s healthcare system more effectively.... oh...and did I mention she has taken the lead in our National Walk for Long-Term Reform - organizing a group in Illinois?!

In our latest episode of Love Conquers Alz, Laura lays out what families need to know about patient advocacy, navigating hospital stays, preventing medical errors, and protecting diIgnity in dementia care. She also shares why she calls herself a “neighborhood healthcare cop” and why that mindset helps caregivers ask better questions, document the right details, and stop feeling “crazy” when something is off.

One key takeaway you do not want to miss: how to challenge an unsafe discharge, including the Medicare Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage and how an appeal can pause the process long enough to get answers. We also cover Medicare-funded advocacy and navigation options and where to find qualified patient advocates.

Subscribe, share this with a caregiver, and leave a review so more families can find these tools when they need them most. , , , , , , , , Laura’s Lighthouse Don Priess

Connect with LauraA rushed discharge. A chart that does not match r...

06/04/2026

When my mom was first diagnosed with Alzheimer's, I told her, "Don't worry, Mom! We got this!! I am going to find the answers that no one else has been able to do!! " After my delusions of grandeur (quickly) dissipated - I realized I was going to have to find a better way to make this journey the best it can be! When I did that - life was better. For both of us.

That's why I love this interview. Don PriessDon Priess and I had an inspiring convo with Mark Wilson Bold Care Leader, a former Fortune 500 leadership executive whose new book, Breakthrough Alzheimer's Care, offers a hopeful roadmap that leads to thriving, not just surviving through a dementia journey. Thriving. Not just surviving. I love that so much.

After his mother was diagnosed with both Alzheimer's and vascular dementia, Mark made the life-changing decision to leave a successful corporate career and become her full-time caregiver. What followed was a remarkable journey that challenged expectations and transformed both their lives.

Drawing on leadership principles, practical strategies, and deep personal experience, Mark shares how families can become Care Leaders, not just caregivers, by creating environments that prioritize safety, joy, connection, purpose, and well-being.

Whether you're caring for a parent, spouse, partner, or friend, this episode offers practical guidance, heartfelt wisdom, and a powerful reminder that love can still create extraordinary moments.

Because even when there is no cure, there can still be connection, purpose, and joy. I personally know this to be true. 🥰

If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s caregiving, and leave a review so more families searching for Alzheimer’s caregiving support and dementia care strategies can find it.

Available on all Podcast Platforms!

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Alzheimer’s can take so much, so fast, and the hardest part is feel...

05/09/2026

What happens when society looks away from its most vulnerable?

In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, hosts Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess welcome award-winning writer, producer, director, and podcaster, Ellen Ancui. Ellen writes about caregiving, s*x, and the 2nd act of a creative life. She co-hosts the pod FILTHY MILFS with Sophie Levine, about women’s health, desire, and aging fearlessly. Ellen wrote, produced, and directed the Oscar-qualified short film, SAVERIO, that sheds light on a shocking and often invisible issue: elder abandonment, also known as “granny dumping.”

Through a powerful blend of humor and humanity, Ellen’s film tells the story of a young woman forced to confront her own values when an elderly man is abandoned in her care—an all-too-real scenario happening far more often than most people realize.

Together, Susie, Don, and Ellen explore:

• The reality and rising prevalence of elder abandonment
• How caregiving is misunderstood, unsupported, and often stigmatized
• Why dignity in aging is so often overlooked
• The role of storytelling in shifting cultural awareness and empathy
• How humor can open the door to difficult but necessary conversations

This episode is both a wake-up call and a reminder of what’s at stake if we continue to look away.

Because aging is not someone else’s story.
It’s all of ours.

And change starts with awareness.

04/06/2026

In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, Don Priess and I (Susie Singer Carter) welcome Kathy Bradley, the founder of Our Mother’s Voice (see link in comments), a non-profit organization that offers FREE education and support to families of long-term care helping them to become effective advocates for their loved ones. Kathy is a nationally respected advocate with over 33 years of experience in long-term care and also sits on the Board of ROAR 4 LTC and on the Leadership Council of the National Consumer Voice.



🎧 Full episode out now. https://youtu.be/oxrwt6qOn1c

In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, hosts Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess welcome Kathy Bradley, a nationally respected advocate with over 3 decades of ...

04/06/2026

04/06/2026

Here’s valuable advice!

WRITE
IT
DOWN!!!!!

In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, Don Priess and I welcome Kathy Bradley, the founder of Our Mother’s Voice (see link in comments), a non-profit organization that offers FREE education and support to families of long-term care helping them to become effective advocates for their loved ones.

Kathy is a nationally respected advocate with over 33 years of experience in long-term care and also sits on the Board of ROAR 4 LTC and on the Leadership Council of the National Consumer Voice.

LoveConquersAlz

🎧 Full episode out now. https://youtu.be/oxrwt6qOn1c
And all on your favorite podcast platform 💜

03/16/2026

One of the hardest truths about aging is this:
Most families do not understand the long term care system until they are already in the middle of it.
And by then, the decisions come fast.
In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, Don and I talk with Lindsay Friedman, who has experienced the caregiving world from every angle. Nursing assistant. Family caregiver. Even a care recipient herself.
Her work is focused on helping families plan before crisis and bringing accountability to a system that desperately needs it.
This is an important conversation about dignity, preparation, and the future of care.
Because every family will face this conversation eventually.
Listen to the full episode of Love Conquers Alz now.

03/16/2026

In this episode of Love Conquers Alz, Don Priess and I (Susie Singer Carter) speak with care advocate Friedman, who has seen the long term care system from every side. As a nursing assistant, a family caregiver, and even a care recipient herself. All experiences that have culminated in her launching, not one, but two companies with tools to help caregivers: and LTCareNav. I literally cannot say enough good things about this whip smart - full of heart woman!!

We talk about something families rarely understand until they are already in crisis.
• How long term care actually works
• Why planning early matters more than most people realize
• The hidden gaps in oversight, accountability, and transparency
• And how HER new technology can help protect our loved ones (and ourselves)

If you have aging parents, or if you hope to age with dignity yourself, this conversation matters.

Because at the end of the day, caregiving is not just about systems and policies.
It is about people.
It is about dignity.
And it is about love.

Listen to the full episode of Love Conquers Alz wherever you get your podcasts.

LTCareNav

The long-term care system is one of the most important issues families will face, yet few people understand it until they are in the middle of a crisis.In th...