In this mini episode we feature clips from the full episode called 'Music is a Bridge for Caregivers and Their Loved Ones' with Alexis Baker. Alexis is a board-certified music therapist who works with caregivers and their loved ones living with dementia. We start with Alexis describing music therapy. We then visit the chapter Alexis wrote in the newly released resource for caregivers called “A Caregiver’s Advocate: A Complete Guide to Support and Resources” where she speaks about music therapy as it pertains to caregiving.

Music Therapy can be a useful activity even for those who do not consider themselves to be musicians, and it can help improve connections between caregivers and their loved ones by building a bridge. Alexis explains how beneficial this model of music therapy can be especially for folks living with dementia.

For more information from Alexis Baker or to register for a Live session please check out Bridgetown Music Therapy.

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Alexis Baker is a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC), certified dementia practitioner (CDP), and founder of Bridgetown Music Therapy. Her mission as a music therapist is to spark joy and improve quality of life through meaningful music engagement.

In this episode you'll hear how connections can be made through music - as Alexis uses music to make a difference in the lives of older adults living with dementia and their caregivers. Music Therapy provides a useful tool for caregivers to add to their toolkits - as music is a bridge that provides opportunities for connections for their loved ones.

This type of therapy sounds refreshing and uplifting, as we learn that music activates each part of our brain when we sing, dance, play or simply listen to music.

Alexis provides opportunities through her website bridgetownmt.com for folks to attend a LIVE session through Zoom or to watch a sample session to experience the benefits of music therapy.

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Island Treasures is introducing its Treasure Chest where treasures from a previous episode will be shared.

Today's treasures come from Season 2 Episode 6 which featured Lisa Kendall in the episode titled "Growth in Caregiving: Healing through Trauma."

We look at the meaning of care, caregiver, and care partnership, and Lisa talks about the inequity in some caregiving partnerships. We learn it's ok to say no and it's ok to set a boundary when in a difficult caregiving situation.

Lisa Kendall is a medical social worker specializing in gerontology and is an educator and mentor for the Eden Alternative(R).

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Debbie Compton returns to the podcast in this episode. Debbie is a three-time caregiver for loved ones who were living with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and vascular dementia. She’s a Certified Caregiving Consultant, Certified Caregiver Advocate, keynote speaker, and author of several books geared toward caregivers and seniors, including her newly released book “The Caregiver’s Advocate: A Complete Guide to Support and Resources”. A book where Debbie is the lead-author with 21 other contributing authors, all of whom are (or were) caregivers themselves.

Debbie has been a Community Educator for the Alzheimer’s Association since 2017 and is the founder of The Purple Vine, an organization created to spread awareness about all forms of dementia.

Her mission is to empower caregivers with the tools needed to reduce stress, find more joy, and live their best life.

Debbie is a wife, mother of 4 children and 8 amazing grandchildren. She lives in Oklahoma City.

Debbie was a guest on the Island Treasures podcast in 2022 in the highly popular episode "Voila! Caregiver". An episode filled with creative solutions to situations and challenges she experienced during her caregiving experiences.

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This mini episode visits some of the content of the full episode "A Caregiver's Vision" relating both to caregiving and assistive technology.

Victoria Essner brings her knowledge and experience to the podcast being legally blind and having a hearing impairment and caregiving for her husband 24/7. Victoria has overcome challenges and is passionate about sharing her tips, techniques and resources with other caregivers and those who may benefit from her first-hand knowledge of assistive technology.

Victoria describes how things have changed over the decades in the world of assistive technology and how now we hold technology in our hands if we have an iPhone.

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Today's guest, Victoria Essner, is all about breaking down barriers and turning challenges into opportunities. When a childhood accident left her legally blind, she didn’t stop forging ahead and embracing what life had in store, including caregiving for her husband.

She shares her caregiving story with such gratitude and grace, having adopted the "can do" philosophy; and self-described as a pampered princess.

Vickie sees her blindness as a blessing, and despite her vision impairment she remains driven and adventurous, finding joy in her journey, sharing the message that life is precious.

In order to provide around-the-clock care for her husband, she received national certification through the Veteran’s Association. While she does all this she finds time to learn, mentor, support and empower others. Vickie is a true inspiration and a great resource for both caregivers and those with vision impairments, as she overcomes challenges by example and is an assistive technologist. Reach out to her today through the links provided below:

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Island Treasures is delighted to welcome back Debbie Compton to the podcast.

Debbie is a 3-time caregiver; a certified caregiving consultant and educator. She joins us today to introduce her upcoming book, due for release in early July 2024. This book is for caregivers and it is filled with caregiving resources. Debbie is the lead author on this collaborative resource with 21 other authors.

Caregiving comes in many shapes, sizes, durations, intensities, cultures, socioeconomies, etc. - and it is the hope that with this number of contributors there will be something for everyone.

The book is called "The Caregiver's Advocate: A Complete Guide to Support and Resources". As Debbie says, she didn't want fluff! Debbie is all about providing actionable, helpful inormation to caregivers. She walks the talk.

Debbie's full episode will air August 3rd. In it there are even more details about the book and you can hear all about what's been happening since Debbie first joined the podcast in the episode called "Voila! Caregiver".

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This Island Treasures Mini podcast features highlights from the full episode called "Her World Turned Upside Down", where Jenna Rumberger shares her caregiving story from the perspective of the one receiving care.

Jenna is a licensed social worker who supports adults, older adults and their families with a specialization in dementia.

When a medical emergency turned her world upside down at the age of 32, she sought to pivot from working for the State into private practice. Jenna had no warning signs that she was about to experience a cardiac arrest - but now she is an even stronger advocate for Advance Care Planning and provides a free resource on her website to help us prepare for a medical emergency.

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