The Forgettable Half Hour

We thought our last podcast was our own Everest... little did we know a few weeks later our whole world would up-end and Oma would be in respite care. It's the first time Oma hasn't slept under our wings anymore in almost 4.5 years... and in this raw, unfiltered conversation we open up about the feelings it's unearthed, plus we try hard to answer YOUR QUESTIONS about Oma's new circumstances as well.

Tears, lack of sleep, delirium and the whole messy shebang of life. There's been huge changes in Oma's situation these past few weeks and we felt compelled to record this podcast conversation to help draw context around why we've been so absent from our Oma's Applesauce community, and why we haven't been able to publish recent videos of Oma too. Buckle up friends, this one goes deep...

A week ago our world turned upside-down with another hospital admission for Oma. In this podcast, Megan and I chat through the challenges of intersecting the realities of Dementia Care with Emergency Medicine. How can we best navigate a safe, helpful journey for our loved ones living with dementia, their emergency carers and their everyday carers?

In this episode, Megan and Jason chat candidly about what it's like in the home when either of them leave the house... for hours or a day or two. What impact does a missing family member have on Oma's routine day-to-day?

Caring for someone living with dementia means an unending juggle between actions and intentions. In this podcast, Megs and Jason discuss their feelings and coping mechanisms around good intentions gone bad. When you plan the perfect outing or event for your loved one with dementia and it all falls apart, how do you pick up your pieces again?

Megan takes the reigns of this week's episode and discusses the feelings, actions and processes that often lead to carer guilt. In a week when the van Genderen family household had to flex and change, guilt and shame crept into our minds a little more than normal. How do you process carer guilt?

Last podcast we tried to jump into answering your questions - but life got in the way! So, this is an additional podcast... think of it as a 'Part B' to Episode 4. Megs and I crash our way through as many of your questions as we can muster in this fresh installment of The Forgettable Half Hour...

Well that's how this podcast session started anyway, what unfolded was something quite chaotic and unexpected...

Does being a carer impact the relationships around you? Jason and Megan discuss the challenges of maintaining meaningful friendships when life as a carer becomes your everyday focus. The difficulties, realities, ideas and the observations that help give their family and friends context may well help you as well.

How do you rate your patience level when faced with repeating yourself to your loved one with Dementia? After uploading a controversial video this week showing Jason managing his mum's dinnertime routine, Jas and Megs discuss the lessons, the fallout and reasons behind their techniques.

What effects does a change in environment have on loved ones with dementia? Megan and Jason discuss their experiences and tactics for creating 'safe spaces' for their mother, 88 year old 'Oma' who lives with Alzheimer's and Vascular Dementia.