How To Help Kids Understand Dementia With Less Fear
From Real Talk with Tina and Ann · 59:47
Show by Ann Kagarise
Send us Fan MailMemory loss can feel like it steals the person you love while they are still sitting right in front of you. For Tina, that isn’t theoretical; her mom’s early onset Alzheimer’s has reshaped their whole family, including three kids with three very different memories of “grandma.” That’s why this conversation goes straight to what families actually need: language that helps children understand dementia without fear, and practical tools that make connection possible when the old rules no longer work.We’re joined by Evan Bass Zeisel, an author, educator, and improv trained creator of the “How You Are To Me” approach. He shares what he learned from interactive theater with people living with dementia, and why a few small shifts can change everything. We talk about his book, How to Play with Grandma, late stage dementia communication, slowing down, listening for what’s trying to come through, and echoing back meaning even when speech is limited. We also dig into emotional memory, why music and familiar routines often stay accessible, and how “connect instead of correct” can lower stress for everyone in the room.You’ll hear concrete strategies you can use right away: avoiding “Don’t you remember?”, validating feelings without reinforcing unsafe beliefs, offering two choices to reduce overwhelm, and “threading” conversations when stories jump or repeat. We also make space for the family side: grief that isn’t linear, kids who don’t want to visit because it hurts, and the quiet power of simply showing up with love.If you’re navigating Alzheimer’s, dementia caregiving, or how to talk to kids about a grandparent with memory loss, this one is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find these tools.Support the show
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