A headline statistic claims care partners have a 63% higher mortality rate than non-caregivers the same age — but subsequent research tells a very different story. In this episode, dementia care educator Teepa Snow breaks down what the science actually shows, why your attitude and circumstances at the start of your care journey matter more than most people realize, and what the key differences are between care partners who thrive and those who burn out.

Whether you're a family care partner or a professional, Teepa’s Positive Approach to Care® offers practical guidance on the questions you should be asking yourself right now — and where to turn if the answers concern you.

If this episode raises questions about where you are in your own journey — or where to go next — we'd love to help. A no-cost 30-minute consultation with our team can help you find the right path forward for your specific situation. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute consult

When someone we’re supporting is living with dementia, it's easy to start cataloging the losses. They can't remember the name of the restaurant. They can't find the word. They can't follow the plan. But what if can't is only half the story?

In this episode of the Dementia Care Partner Podcast, Teepa Snow and host Greg Phelps reframe one of the most quietly damaging habits in dementia care: noticing what's lost instead of noticing what's changing. The word dementia itself points to loss — but the brain is also doing something else. It's adapting. It's rewiring. And the way a care partner responds can either expose the loss or build a bridge to what's still there.

In this conversation:

• Why brain change is a more accurate — and more useful — frame than brain loss
• Neurodegeneration versus neuroplasticity, and why both are happening at once
• A real-time example of how the same question, asked two different ways, either shames or supports
• How to listen for the data a person is giving you, even when the words aren't clear
• Why forgiving yourself as a care partner isn't optional — it's an essential skill
• Where to start when you don't know where to start: training, community, and the resources Positive Approach to Care® offers across YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and beyond

This episode is an invitation to stop swinging at every pitch and start learning the game. You won't hit a home run every time. Neither does Teepa. The true skill is in what you do after the miss.

For more dementia care resources and support for care partners, visit teepasnow.com.

#DementiaCare #PositiveApproachToCare #TeepaSnow #CarePartner #BrainChange #Neuroplasticity #PAC

Three hearing aids. Two sets of dentures. Glasses that keep going missing. If you're a care partner who feels like you're throwing money away on devices that get rejected or lost, this episode is for you.

In this conversation, Teepa and Greg unpack one of the most frustrating patterns families face: when a person living with dementia refuses the very devices meant to help them. The surprising insight? The problem often isn't the device — it's brain change.

In this episode, Teepa explains:

• Why hearing loss is sometimes actually brain change — and why simply turning up the volume makes things worse
• How switching between near and far vision creates brain fatigue (and why an individual might stop eating because of it)
• Why dentures can block the sensory feedback a person relies on to chew and enjoy food
• When to put the hearing aid in — and when to take it out
• How to shift from giving care to partnering in care

You'll walk away with a new lens for understanding refusal, and practical ways to support the person you love.

If today's episode opened up more questions than it answered, here's a great place to keep learning. Accepting the Challenge is a three-hour on-demand training led by Teepa Snow and Melanie Bunn, RN — an effective resource whether you're new to dementia care or refreshing what you already know. Across sixteen modules, you'll learn how to use the Positive Physical Approach™ in real moments, how to navigate mealtimes and personal care without conflict, and how to build meaningful days together, and how dementia changes memory, language, and impulse. It's the foundational knowledge a lot of care partners wish someone had handed them on day one: Accepting the Challenge.

🎧 New episodes of the Dementia Care Partner Podcast every week.

Have a question you'd like Teepa to explore on the show? Email Greg at GTPhelps@shaw.ca and cc info@teepasnow.com.

Learn more about Teepa Snow and Positive Approach to Care® at teepasnow.com.

#DementiaCare #PositiveApproachToCare #TeepaSnow #CarePartner #PAC