Moments That Matter: Poetry and Presence in Alzheimer’s Care with Marjorie Maddox

Poet Marjorie Maddox and acquisitions editor Sheila Luna join host Marianne Sciucco to discuss the healing power of poetry, the realities of long-distance caregiving, and finding hope through the complexities of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Maddox’s, recent collection, Seeing Things, explores the tangled emotional landscape of dementia caregiving. The discussion examines the ways poetry can illuminate and comfort those touched by memory loss. Marjorie reads several of the poems, a gift to all .

The conversation moves beyond the personal to the universal. Marjorie shares that many poems in Seeing Things draw on her caregiving experiences for her mother, who lived with dementia, as well as her supportive role with her father-in-law—both journeys complicated by long distance and pandemic separation. As Marjorie admits, “You do feel so isolated when you’re going through it,” but the overlap in experience and shared vulnerabilities make poetry a communal space for catharsis. Poems in the collection touch not just on family memories but also larger societal losses—mass shootings and cave rescues—drawing lines between personal and collective grieving.

Marianne and Marjorie bring up a topic rarely discussed: the fractured roles in family caregiving, particularly for long-distance caregivers. Marjorie, based in Pennsylvania, supported her mother by daily phone calls and periodic visits, while her sister managed in-person care in Phoenix. Meanwhile, her brother handled the finances. These divisions, while pragmatic, often go unrecognized, and both the emotional and practical burdens can be immense.

The episode closes on the essential role of poetry—and storytelling—in chronicling caregiving journeys and connecting with others who walk a similar path. Whether it’s through a poem, a book, advocacy, or acts of compassionate service, these stories, hard-won and deeply personal, help others feel less alone. As Marjorie shares: “Being there for those little moments…even when you don’t feel like you’re doing anything, just holding someone’s hand… still does a lot.” And, perhaps, reading or writing poetry about those moments offers a light, a “slice of joy,” for a world too often shaped by loss.

After the Podcast

Purchase Seeing Things

Learn about the Moderators

Marianne Sciucco

Sheila Luna

About the Podcast

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