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The Caregiver's Journey

Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap: In the Beginning Steps 7-10 / Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias

The Caregiver's Journey

Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster

Personal Journals, Self-improvement, Non-profit, Society & Culture, How To, Business, Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Education

5.0 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 9 September 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Have you completed the first six essential steps of the comprehensive 20-step caregiving journey roadmap guide Navigating Dementia Caregiving: Your Resource Roadmap for Every Stage? Are ready to take on more? Do you find yourself wanting to learn faster and more easily than trying to figure everything out on your own? If you answered ‘Yes’, you’re in the right place for the next phase of the dementia “In the Beginning” journey.


We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, we’ve learned that building knowledge, and preparing for progression, are crucial for sustainable caregiving. We recently talked with Jenny Gay, licensed clinical social worker with Emory Integrated Memory Care, about our comprehensive 20-step caregiving journey roadmap guide: Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap. In this podcast, we’re sharing steps 7–10.

Connect with us and share your tips:


Full Show Notes

https://thecaregiversjourney.org/44-navigating-dementia-caregiving-roadmap-in-the-beginning-steps-7-10-alzheimers-and-other-dementias/

Additional Resources Mentioned

Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap Guide

In the Beginning - continued

Next Steps - You are ready for more 

7. Continue your education:

8. Start planning for the next stage of care.

  • Build your personal support network:
  • 21 minute TCJ podcast: 40. Create Your Personal Support Network
  • TCJ blog: 40. Create Your Personal Support Network.
  • Find and try a memory cafe (Caregivers and care receivers go together).
  • Investigate dementia day centers (also known as adult day centers that include dementia care programs) for your care receiver. Community resource finder: 
  • Select Community Services and choose Adult Day Centers for your search.
  • Ask your loved one’s medical team for a home safety assessment.
  • The goal is to have someone evaluate your home for safety and dementia care needs. 
  • This is usually available through palliative care, GUIDE program, or an order from a physician.
  • You can get a free assessment from social services with this order, or you can pay for an independent assessment from a private organization.

9. Investigate your local government community support: 

  • In the US, contact your local Area Agency on Aging. Search for yours at Eldercare.acl.gov or call 1-800-677-1116.
  • Call and set up a screening for eligibility:
  • They will point you to any free government services where you are eligible. 
  • Be sure to find out if you are eligible to get paid to be a caregiver. 

10. Evaluate driving risks. 

  • Some US states have specific requirements for individuals with dementia to report their diagnosis and potentially undergo driving evaluations. 
  • Listen to this podcast or read this blog:
  • 21 minute TCJ podcast: 5. Taking Away the Keys
  • TCJ blog: 5. Taking Away the Keys. 



Takeaways

The Three Stages of the Dementia Caregiving Journey

1. In the Beginning - Your loved one receives a diagnosis. 

2. The Messy Middle - You begin asserting control; this is when it gets messy!


3. Later On - You are managing all aspects of their care. 


Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Have you ever felt overwhelmed because you can't find the information you need?

0:04.8

Or you're drowning in so many conflicting resources.

0:09.5

You don't know what to do with it all.

0:12.4

Nancy and I are joined by Jenny Gay.

0:15.4

She's the clinical social worker for the Emory Integrated Memory Care.

0:20.3

We're discussing a step-by-step roadmap and resources for you

0:25.7

to help prioritize the beginning of your dementia caregiving journey. We've identified 20 total

0:34.0

steps in the entire journey. In our previous episode, episode 43, we talked through

0:40.5

steps one through six. If you'd like to, you may want to go back and take a look at those.

0:47.2

Actually, no matter where you are, you may want to go back and listen to those if you haven't

0:51.1

already because they've got some really great insights. Today,

0:54.7

we're going to be talking about steps seven through 10. Welcome. We're Sue Ryan and Nancy

1:03.9

Treister. This podcast brings our years of experience in a variety of family caregiving roles

1:08.9

to prepare you to navigate your

1:11.0

caregiving journey. We're sharing our personal experiences, not medical advice, and because

1:17.0

it's our passion to support you on your journey, we believe no topic is off limits. Let's get

1:22.8

started. Welcome, Jenny, to the series on navigating dementia caregiving roadmap.

1:33.3

As Sue said, we are covering steps seven through ten here. We're still in the beginning,

1:39.2

but we're at the second part of the beginning. Steps one through six are the steps we said you should take right after

1:45.0

the diagnosis. And then these seven through ten, we say, you know what, give yourself a break

1:51.3

once you get through steps one through six. And when you're ready for more, here's where you pick up.

1:56.4

Step seven through ten. And this is still in the beginning phase.

...

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