by Ava Butler | Jan 4, 2021 | Caregiving, Dementia, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's
Music is a powerful tool for managing emotions. My dear husband Richard had Parkinson’s and Lewy-body dementia, and needed 24 hour caregiver support. We listened to his favorite rock music to get him up and ready for the day. We listened to classical music...
by Ava Butler | Jan 3, 2021 | Caregiving, Covid-19, Depression, Grief, Grieving
Grief is a response to a change we didn’t want. We grieve when a loved one has a disease like Parkinson’s or dementia and is declining with no hope of recovery. And we’re grieving over the losses we are experiencing from Covid-19 and the world that...
by Ava Butler | Nov 29, 2020 | Caregiving, Dementia, Depression, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's, Support groups
This is a difficult time of year for me. It’s the 4th year I have spent the holidays as a widow. I don’t like that job title. Not at all. It’s a time of year I need to be proactive to manage my emotions. David Kessler is the grief specialist and...
by Ava Butler | Nov 12, 2020 | Caregiving, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's, Support groups, Uncategorized
The Parkinson’s and Movement Disorder Alliance (PMD Alliance) is great resource and I want you all to know how valuable their on-line programs are, especially now that everything needs to be virtual. People participate from all over the world and they are free....
by Ava Butler | Oct 4, 2020 | Assisted living, Caregiving, Dementia, Parkinson's, Support groups
The Premier Nursing Academy has prepared A Caregiver’s Guide for Family and Loved Ones to answer the most common questions people ask about becoming caregivers for their loved ones. This is an excellent guide and it includes links to expert resources that offer...
by Ava Butler | Jun 25, 2020 | Caregiving, Lewy body dementia, Lewy body dementia hallucinations, Parkinson's
I had the pleasure of meeting Larry Gifford at the MJFF’s Parkinson’s IQ + You event in Phoenix last January. He was the moderator for the day, and interviewed me as part of a panel called “If I Knew Then What I Know Now.” Larry does a weekly podcast...
