Experts Dig in with Doggies for Dementia Guest Today is Vicki Tapia, Author and Founder of AlzAuthors
Family Memoir of Dementia
Welcome to Experts Dig in with Doggies for Dementia with our special guest Vicki Tapia author and founder of AlzAulthors, a nonprofit ever-growing global community of over 250 authors. Vicki’s story will make you stop
and wonder to yourself, “What would I do?” Her parents were diagnosed with dementia within months of each other and didn’t live particularly near her. No family is without some kind of “drama” and conflict, and Vicki’s family is no different. I couldn’t help myself from being drawn into her journey with her parents, each of whom had a different response to the slow cognitive decline of dementia. While there are a variety of symptoms consistent with dementia, each person’s experiences are unique. Each person’s response to their family and other caregivers is also unique as is their caregiver’s response.
Adapting to Dementia
Dementia is typically a long course, and often the personality of the person pre-dementia gets bigger as the disease progresses. It often begins with how we learn to adapt. We are often forced to adapt when faced with difficult experiences or changes. We may not even realize it as we slowly or rapidly adapt. We can adapt in a healthy way or perhaps we adapt with lingering frustration, anger, or sorrow. As dementia progresses, the person impacted and their family must adapt. This is a very fragile time filled with uncertainty and second-guessing. This is also when guilt and shame enter the picture. In this episode, we talk about her caregiving journey, how her relationship with her parents impacted her, and how she coped.
Vicki cared for her parents and after some time to heal, wrote her first book, Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia. Her book was named one of the “Best Alzheimer’s Books of All Time” by Book Authority, and reminds her readers they are not alone, which is perhaps one of the greatest gifts of all.
The Gifts Her Parents Gave Her
Vicki describes Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia as the book she yearned to read when she was living through her caregiver journey. She also co-founded a nonprofit, AlzAuthors which is dedicated as a library and reference for all books dementia-related.
She considers this to be the last gift her parents unknowingly gave her. Vicki is one of those down-to-earth people with a quiet way of telling her story which is anything but quiet. You will be moved by this episode of Experts Dig in with Doggies for Dementia.
I LOVE talking with people who followed their caregiving journey with some kind of project or product, like a book or podcast created to heal their wounds and to help others. After struggling, some people are driven to do something so others may not have an experience like theirs.
Basic Spiritual Needs
Two of our most basic spiritual needs are having meaning and purpose in life. Who could live believing there was absolutely no meaning in their struggles and triumphs? People who were caregivers or care partners for someone they loved are driven to do something bigger than they ever imagined and in fact, something they never imagined period. Most were not writers, and knew little about the process of writing, editing, publishing or marketing their book. Most had no dream of writing a book or creating podcasts or doing art. Most knew little about caregiving before they were called to become a caregiver or care-partner for someone they loved. Most had little time to prepare. How can we not be mesmerized by their courage and drive? Vicki’s book began as journal entries she began as part of her own self-care and healing.
During difficult times, I kept a journal as a way of pouring my worries onto paper. As I began writing, I began getting more and more clear about the issues of my life. I could also close the book, and put it and my anxieties away for the night. At times I also kept a video diary. With technology as it is, recording a video for ourselves is easy to do. It doesn’t need to ever be seen by anyone. It is meant to help you document the time for yourself, and in my case was how I could leave some clues for my family in the event I was harmed. I’ve got boxes of old journals from years past also. I’m not sure I’ll ever look at them, but writing in them was always helpful.
About Doggies for Dementia Foundation
About Doggies for Dementia: Doggies for Dementia is a 501c3 corporation with a mission to provide beautiful experiences and memories for those impacted by dementia using photography. We are also advocates with sights on raising awareness through education, so nobody has to experience the pain of stigma, isolation, and loneliness. Experts Dig in with Doggies for Dementia is our program with interesting and informative interviews with experts from all realms including family members and professional caregivers. Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and join us!
About AlzAuthors
This ever-growing global community of over 250 authors is united in an effort to light the way for others, with a vision to lift the silence and stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and other dementias through the sharing of personal stories. You’ll find my book, “Just See Me-Sacred Stories from the Other Side of Dementia.” See it HERE.
Our Experts Dig in with Dogies for Dementia Interview!
Where to Find Vicki Tapia’s Books and Contact
Vicki’s second book, the award-winning Maggie: A Journey of Love, Loss and
Survival, is a tribute to the intrepid life of her great-grandmother, written in remembrance and
recognition of a time when women had few rights.
Find Maggie: A Journey of Love, Loss and Survival HERE on Amazon