THIS DEMENTIA LIFE

Kris McCabe is inspiring thousands on her care partnering journey through her authenticity, positivity, and real-life experiences. You may know her as @lifewithgrams on TikTok and Instagram, where she shares her journey, valuable insights, and the moments that make life meaningful.

In this episode of This Dementia Life, Chantal Patenaude shares the deeply personal story behind her memoir, It Is What It Is: Walking Beside My Mother Through Dementia. Through reflections on her mother’s experience with frontotemporal dementia, Chantal explores how language, identity, and the mother-daughter relationship changed over time. Rather than offering easy answers, this conversation invites listeners into a lived experience of learning to meet a loved one where they are—and discovering moments of connection, humanity, and even joy along the way.

In this episode of This Dementia Life, host Monica Downer sits down with Madeline Bastida, the voice behind “Andy & Maddy.” Madeline shares how she supports her father living with Alzheimer’s through music, culture, and everyday moments of connection—revealing how purpose, joy, and love continue to thrive throughout the journey.

Alexis Baker is a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC), certified dementia practitioner (CDP), and founder of Bridgetown Music Therapy. Passionate about using music to make a difference in the lives of older adults, her mission is to spark joy and connection through meaningful music engagement. In 2020, she became the innovator of Singing at Home and Music with Alexis, virtual music engagement programs for individuals living with dementia. Alexis is also co-author of the book “The Caregiver’s Advocate: A Complete Guide to Support and Resources” and a 2025 recipient of a Maude's Award for Innovation in Alzheimer's Care.

In this episode, Monica Downer interviews the author of Dementia Denied, Ginger Smith. A True Medical Mystery That Will Leave You Speechless… and Then Give You Hope. Diagnosed with terminal dementia. Bedbound. Hallucinating. Given just weeks to live. Everyone believed Ginger Smith’s story was over. They were wrong. At 83, after years of trauma, polypharmacy, and steady cognitive decline, Ginger began to reawaken—slowly, piece by piece. Now 88 and living independently, she’s sharing her astonishing journey from near-death to clarity in a memoir that challenges everything we think we know about dementia, diagnosis, and decline.

Anitra (“Nia”) Mostacero shares her experience with 22 years in the military, living with dementia, being crowned Miss Meridian Idaho and how she will continue dementia advocacy as a 2024 Miss Idaho candidate. “As your Miss Meridian Idaho 2024, I’m proud to actively advocate for my platform “Memories Matter: Combating Young Onset Dementia Stigmas”. I fight for Early Detection, Treatment and a Cure of Dementias so future generations have the opportunity to thrive and live dementia-free lives. It has been my life’s purpose since being diagnosed in 2017 at the age of 42.”

This is a true love story from an exceptional care partner! Barb Wood shares her strategies and joy of being a care partner for her husband Bob for eleven years and how she applied her teaching skills to help him stay healthy, safe, and happy. She also introduces their book Voices from the Forest.

Mark Timmons shares how photography helps him calm his dementia symptoms and has become an important part of his dementia advocacy.

Connected Horse offers opportunities and understanding of human-animal connections for people living with early stage dementia and their care partners. Hear from Nancy and Paula, two of the organization's Co-Founders, about the insights gained from their equine workshops that are helping ALL people better process life with a dementia diagnosis.

In this conversation with host Chuck McClatchey, Gincy Heins shares her own personal story about her husband's diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment, an experience that has informed Gincy's writing and co-writing of resources for those with a similar story.