The Current What’s it like to have dementia? This care centre can teach you
Aug 4, 2025
Erika Alini, a personal finance reporter at The Globe and Mail, joins to explore the pressing challenges faced by caregivers of those with dementia. She discusses the emotional and physical hurdles that caregivers endure, highlighting feelings of isolation and exhaustion. The podcast also features innovative training simulations that help create empathy for aging individuals by allowing participants to experience their sensory and physical challenges firsthand. This conversation emphasizes the vital need for understanding and adaptive strategies in caregiving.
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Caregiver's Exhausting Journey
- Marilyn Sunshine shares her exhausting journey as the primary caregiver for her husband with Alzheimer's and aphasia.
- She describes the relentless 24-7 nature of caregiving and the isolation it brings along with communication challenges.
Caregiver Patience and Self-Care
- Be very patient and take care of yourself as a caregiver.
- Recognize that patience is limited and self-care is necessary for sustainability.
Simulating Frailty Experience
- Matt Galloway experiences physical and sensory limitations firsthand wearing a frailty simulation suit.
- The suit creates anxiety and reveals how older adults feel restricted in movement, vision, and hearing.