Podcast
Your Brain on Mom
Hosted by Aflalo Communications Inc. · EN
Your Brain on Mom, sibling co-hosts open up about the unexpected beginning of their mother’s dementia journey — a journey that didn’t start with obvious memory loss, but with a broken ankle. What followed were strange behaviors, unexplained shifts, and subtle cognitive changes that signaled something deeper was happening.
As a brother-and-sister caregiver team, we share the real-life dementia storyof how we first encountered our mom’s cognitive decline. From unusual reactions in the hospital to confusing days at home, we walk through the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and how they can appear differently than you might expect. We also discuss the differences between dementia vs. Alzheimer’s and how confusing it is to understand the distinction.
This podcast highlights the emotional side of becoming sibling caregivers — the frustration, the gut instinct, and the bond that forms when adult children team up to care for a parent. We also share how we use humor as a survival tool, because sometimes the only way through the fear and confusion of the progression of Alzheimer’s disease is to laugh together.
By telling our caregiving story, we hope to normalize the chaos, confusion, and unexpected moments that caregivers face, and to create a space where others feel seen. We explain why we decided to start this podcast — to document the earliest moments of our journey and to give a voice to other sibling caregiversnavigating similar paths.
Whether you’re researching dementia vs. Alzheimer’s, searching for early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, curious about sibling caregivers, or looking for real-life dementia stories to relate to, this podcast offers a candid, relatable, and hopeful look at the very beginning of the caregiving journey.
Produced by Aflalo Communications Inc. (www.aflalo.com)
15episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
When Dementia Changes the Person You Know | Mixed Dementia & Caregiver Grief
May 500:48:42Tap to summarizeIn this episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, Wendy and Barry talk about one of the hardest parts of dementia caregiving: the moment your parent still recognizes you, but you no longer fully recognize them. After their mother’s diagnosis shifted from Alzheimer’s disease to mixed dementia — including Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and vascular dementia — they began facing personality changes, emotional outbursts, constant yelling, and the painful reality that dementia affects far more than memory. The siblings open up about caregiver guilt, hospital life, behavioral changes, and the complicated emotions that come with trying to stay connected to someone who feels different every day. Raw, funny, heartbreaking, and painfully honest, this episode captures the reality of living with dementia as a family — beyond the movie version people expect. This Is Your Brain on Mom is a podcast about dementia caregiving, family dynamics, advocacy, humor, and surviving the chaos of caring for a parent with cognitive decline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Alzheimer’s… or Not? Understanding FTD, Vascular Dementia & Personality Changes
Apr 2900:30:50Tap to summarizeWait… it’s not Alzheimer’s? In this episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, Wendy and Barry unpack a major shift in their mom’s diagnosis—from Alzheimer’s to mixed dementia, including frontal temporal dementia (FTD) and vascular dementia. And honestly? It explains a lot. From extreme personality changes to aggression, language issues, and unpredictable behavior, this episode dives into what FTD actually looks like in real life—not just what Google tells you. Because dementia isn’t one-size-fits-all. There’s humor (because there has to be), but also the raw truth of what it’s like to watch your parent change in ways no one prepares you for. If you’ve ever felt like the diagnosis doesn’t quite fit… or like you’re learning as you go in real time—this episode is for you. 🎧 Tune in and learn what mixed dementia really means—and why getting the right diagnosis matters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →What happens after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis?
Apr 2100:40:20Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Wendy and Barry get brutally honest about the moment everything changes—and the shocking lack of support that follows. Because the truth is: no one hands you a plan. No one tells you what’s dementia, what’s delirium, or what to do next. You’re given a diagnosis… and then you’re shown the door. Inspired by a powerful post from Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson, we unpack the reality so many caregivers face: surviving day by day with no roadmap, no guidance, and no real-time help. From their mom’s rapid decline following her Alzheimer’s diagnosis to navigating hospital discharges, psychosis, medications, and impossible decisions—this episode dives into the chaos of becoming a caregiver overnight. This episode is for anyone who has ever thought: “What the hell do I do now?” 🎧 If you’re a caregiver—or love someone who is—you are not alone in this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →16 Months In: Dementia, ER Visits, and When Caregiving Breaks You
Apr 1400:35:45Tap to summarizeIt’s been 16 months… and somehow, we’re right back where we started. What began as a plan to bring our mom home has turned into an ongoing cycle of hospital visits, medication changes, and uncertainty. In this episode, we share the reality of what happens when dementia care becomes unstable — and the system meant to support you starts to feel like it’s working against you. After a chaotic holiday in the emergency room, we’re left asking impossible questions: Where does she go if her care facility doesn’t want her back?Why are medications constantly being changed when stability is the goal?And how are caregivers supposed to navigate this with no guidance? This episode also touches on something not talked about enough:The lack of direction and support immediately after a dementia diagnosis — and how caregivers are often left to figure everything out alone. Through humor, honesty, and unfiltered storytelling, we share what it really looks like behind the scenes of caregiving — the frustration, the heartbreak, and the moments that somehow still make you laugh. If you’re navigating dementia, Alzheimer’s, or complex elder care, this episode will hit home. You’re not alone in this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Early Signs of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) + Misdiagnosis Story
Apr 700:34:25Tap to summarizeWhat are the early signs of frontotemporal dementia (FTD)—and how do you know it’s not just “personality changes”? In this episode, we’re joined by Beth, host of FTD Navigating the Crap, who shares what it really looked like before her mom’s diagnosis. Not memory loss—but subtle, shocking shifts in behavior. Comments that felt out of character. A tone that didn’t match the woman she had always known. Beth opens up about those early red flags, the confusion of a possible Alzheimer’s misdiagnosis, and the emotional reality of learning it was actually FTD—a completely different form of dementia. We also talk about how quickly things progressed—from personality changes to becoming non-verbal and fully dependent—and what it means to navigate that as an only child. And then there’s the part no one prepares you for:being diagnosed… and then sent home with no support. We talk about: Early FTD symptoms (personality + behavioral changes, not memory) Real examples of out-of-character remarks and why they matter Alzheimer’s vs FTD misdiagnosis Rapid progression and late-stage care realities The loneliness of caregiving—especially during the pandemic The global gap in post-diagnosis support for families If you’ve ever thought, “this isn’t my mom”—but couldn’t explain why—this episode will hit home. 🎧 Raw, honest, and deeply validating for anyone navigating dementia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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