A Deeper Perspective on Alzheimer’s and Other Dementia’s - a podcast by iOM Radio Network - OMTimes

Aired Sunday, 7 February 2016, 2:00 PM ET

Allayah is excited to introduce you to a way shower in the field of Dementia.

Megan Carnarius has had more than 25 years of working with patients living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Her vast experience as a licensed carer has lead her to see her patients as essentially timeless beings and argues for a full reframing of the disease by those who care for sufferers. Through her insight, Carnarius can give your listeners an entirely new perspective on the disease. She will demonstrate how creating a positive, loving, compassionate and supportive environment for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementia can provide a quality life for patients but also opportunities for our own healing.

“A person with dementia has a whole and well spirit and, in the broadest sense, their brain is a vehicle of self-expression; it does not define their essence” – Megan Carnarius, RN, NHA, LMT

Do we need to revise our current methods for taking care of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias? How do we create a quality life for each person during the various stages of the illness? Does this disease, that at initially appears hopeless and destructive, actually provide opportunities for insight, inspiration and a greater understanding of ourselves, and those we love?

In her beautiful book, A Deeper Perspective on Alzheimer’s and Other Dementia’s: Practical Tools and Spiritual Insights Megan Carnarius urges a move away from ageism and dementia-ism to the recognition that as we age we are all still essentially timeless beings within our physical packages.

The book is written both for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and their carers. It provides practical information about creating a supportive environment around the various stages of the disease as well as its spiritual dimensions. Carnarius, who has worked for years as a carer, provides a new perspective along with a clear understanding of the various forms of dementia and what to expect from the patient as the disease progresses.

What’s new here is Carnarius’ take on the “fall-out blessings” of Alzheimer’s. She compassionately describes various opportunities for reframing the disease. For example, she describes it as a way of living more than one life experience within a lifetime, as allowing matriarch and patriarch roles to transition to the next generation, and an opportunity to share the role of time keeper.

The book is designed to assist those caring for loved ones and patients with Alzheimer’s to be conscious and open to the blessings of the journey of the disease. She explains how an openhearted approach, nurtures compassion, and ultimately enables each of us to be better human beings. It is also written for those brave individuals living with memory loss illnesses, so that they can be supported and allowed to live their experience fully in their own unique way; to express themselves, to love and be loved, and to be sheltered from harm.

About Guest Megan Carnarius

Alzheimer’s specialist Megan Carnarius, RN, is known for her warm human touch in working with people with dementia and those who love them. Trained in Europe and the United States, she has international perspective and 25 years’ experience in designing and running memory care settings. She started consulting in memory care design in 1996 and continues to assist owners with building designs as well as program and operational development. Megan also served on the Alzheimer’s education committee for 15 years. She is a sought-after family consultant, professional trainer, and lecturer.

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