"Dementia is not just a medical journey, but it's a financial and emotional one." – Devon Banning, CFP

Are you avoiding the financial conversation with your loved one because it feels uncomfortable or overwhelming? Do you find yourself wondering how you'll afford care as your loved one's needs increase?

Are you concerned about making the right financial decisions during this challenging time?

We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, we know that money is often the last conversation we want to have, but it's inevitable. We have to have it.

Today, we're sharing five essential tips for navigating the financial aspects of dementia caregiving with Devon Banning, a Certified Financial Planner with Moran Wealth Management. Devon has more than 15 years of experience across a range of roles in the financial industry, and he brings invaluable depth of experience with dementia family caregiving. He's spent the majority of his career managing financial lives for individuals and families, many of whom were suddenly thrust into the caregiving role due to dementia.

Here's what makes this conversation easier: it'll be much more manageable when we respect our loved ones' dignity, independence, and their wishes throughout all of our conversations. Today is about helping you learn options for taking your next step—options that are going to make you feel more confident without needing to have all the answers at one time.

This episode supports step three of our Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap Guide: understand the financial situation. If you've been putting this conversation off, you're definitely not alone. This is an area many caregivers hesitate to step into. It's deeply personal, and it can feel intimidating—especially if we wish we'd addressed it sooner.

Connect with us and share your tips:

Website: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/

Donate: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiversjourney/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecaregiversjourneys/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancytreaster/

Email: sue@thecaregiversjourney.org, nancy@thecaregiversjourney.org

Full Show Notes

https://thecaregiversjourney.org/53-the-dementia-care-financial-conversation-five-essential-tips-alzheimers-and-other-dementias-2/

Additional Resources Mentioned

Moran Wealth Management https://moranwm.com/

Disclaimer:This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice. The views expressed are those of the participants as of the date recorded and may change without notice. Nothing discussed should be considered a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any security or to engage in any particular investment strategy. Listeners should consult their own financial, legal, or tax professionals before making any financial decisions. Moran Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

Support the nonprofit The Caregiver's Journey: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney

Takeaways

Get the Financial Conversation Started

Use these 8 steps to guide the conversation

Understand the different stages of financial considerations

Understand The Financial Position of Your Loved One

Consider Leveraging a Financial Planning Expert

Read More in This Blog

https://medium.com/@sueryansolutions/financial-planning-for-dementia-caregiving-five-essential-tips-edf00b98be82

Are you struggling to pull your family together to create a working support system for someone living with dementia? Do you find family members disagreeing on what needs to be done or how to help? You're not alone, and there's a path forward.

We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, we've learned that transforming family dynamics into effective teamwork is one of the most challenging—yet most rewarding—aspects of the caregiving journey.

In this episode, we spoke with Dr. Barry Jacobs, a clinical psychologist and family therapist who brings both professional expertise and personal caregiving experience to this conversation. Barry cared for his mother with vascular dementia and his stepfather with Alzheimer's disease for seven years, and he co-authored the AARP Caregiver Answer Book with his wife, psychologist Julia Mayer.

This content aligns with Step 8 of our Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap: Start Planning for the Next Stage of Care, particularly when building your personal support network of family and friends.

Connect with us and share your tips:

• Website: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/
• Donate: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiversjourney/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecaregiversjourneys/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancytreaster/
• Email: sue@thecaregiversjourney.org, nancy@thecaregiversjourney.org

Full Show Notes

https://thecaregiversjourney.org/50-family-dynamics-in-caregiving-four-essential-tips-alzheimers-and-other-dementias/

Additional Resources Mentioned

• Barry’s website www.caregiveranswerbook.com
• Buy the Caregiver Answer Book on Amazon https://amzn.to/4i9V9ZL
• Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap guide https://thecaregiversjourney.org/guides/#guides
• Support the nonprofit The Caregiver's Journey: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney

Takeaways

Transforming your family into an effective caregiving team isn’t easy. It’s worth the effort — not just for your loved one with dementia — but for every member of your family.

These four tips provide a framework:

1. Create consensus (everyone on the same page).
2. Define an ongoing format for decision making (regular meetings with clear rhythm).
3. Build a family caregiving plan (who does what and when).
4. Plan to deal with conflict (don’t let disagreements become disrespectful).

Do you know what you need to do immediately after your loved one passes? Many caregivers don't. Are you worried about missing important tasks or feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of administrative, financial, and legal responsibilities?

We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, we've navigated the challenging process of handling death-related responsibilities firsthand. Between us, we've experienced the loss of multiple loved ones and learned valuable lessons about what needs to be done and when.

Connect with us and share your tips:

Website: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/

Donate: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiversjourney/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecaregiversjourneys/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancytreaster/

Email: sue@thecaregiversjourney.org, nancy@thecaregiversjourney.org

Full Show Notes

If you are following along with our 20 step Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap guide this is part of Step 20. This is the first guide listed on our guides page.

There are many things that can be done ahead of time. We covered these in podcast episode 30 - End of life preplanning and blog as well as in the matching worksheet you can find on our website in the guides section called ‘End of Life Service Worksheet’. Click here to get to the Guides page, scroll down to find the sheet.

Tip 1: Prioritize these things immediately after death1.

Tip 2: Move to this list within the first few days and weeks

Tip 3: Over the next few weeks and months - manage their estate

Tip 4: Focus on the things to prioritize once the estate has been closed

Are you feeling overwhelmed trying to care for aging parents while raising children? Do you find yourself stretched thin between different generations, each with their own unique needs?

My name is Sue Ryan. As a caregiver for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, I understand the unique challenges faced by those in the sandwich generations. I recently spoke with Christy Byrne Yates, a licensed educational psychologist and author of “Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving in the Sandwich Generation.” Christy has personally navigated the challenges of caring for aging parents while raising her own children, and she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to help families thrive during this demanding season of life.

Connect with us and share your tips:

• Website: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/
• Donate: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiversjourney/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecaregiversjourneys/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancytreaster/
• Email: sue@thecaregiversjourney.org, nancy@thecaregiversjourney.org

Full Show Notes

Additional Resources Mentioned

• Chirstyyates.com - https://www.christyyates.com/
• Support the nonprofit The Caregiver's Journey: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney

Takeaways

Tip 1: C — Choose Your Role as a Caregiver

The first step in successfully navigating the sandwich generation is making a conscious choice to embrace your caregiving role. Many people say “I didn’t choose this.” or “I had no choice.” We always have a choice. Even not making a choice is still a choice.

Tip 2: A — Address the ‘Elephants’ in the Room

Successful sandwich generation caregiving requires having difficult conversations early and often. These are the ‘elephants’ dancing in every family room that everyone sees — but no one wants to discuss.

Tip 3: R — Recharge Through Ruthless Self-Care

Recharging takes on critical importance when you’re caring for multiple generations. Self-care isn’t selfish — it’s essential for everyone you’re caring for.

Tip 4: E — Enlist Your Support Team

You’re not meant to journey alone, and this is especially true for sandwich generation caregivers who face multiple competing demands. Building a comprehensive support team is essential for sustainable caregiving.

Tip 5: S — Surrender Control and Embrace Grace

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of sandwich generation caregiving is accepting that you cannot control everything, even though you desperately want to. If everyone could just do things your way, life would be so much easier — but that’s not reality.

Read More in This Blog here

Have you noticed yourself feeling sad when your loved one can't remember their phone number? Do you find yourself withdrawing from friends or losing patience more easily? These feelings might be grief—and you may not even realize it's happening.

We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, we've learned that grief doesn't only come after our loved one passes away. It's present throughout our entire caregiving journey, from the moment of diagnosis through each individual change along the way.

The good news is that understanding grief—recognizing it, honoring it, and learning to move through it without getting stuck—can transform how we experience our caregiving journey. Today we're sharing six essential tips to help you navigate grief with grace and compassion.

Connect with us and share your tips:

• Website: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/
• Donate: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiversjourney/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecaregiversjourneys/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancytreaster/
• Email: sue@thecaregiversjourney.org, nancy@thecaregiversjourney.org

Full Show Notes

https://thecaregiversjourney.org/47-navigating-grief-throughout-caregiving-six-essential-tips-alzheimers-and-other-dementias/

Additional Resources Mentioned

• Guide: Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/guides/
• Support the nonprofit The Caregiver's Journey: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney

Takeaways

Read More in This Blog here