Getting to know me...

I am a happy person who has lived a life of hardships and joy! Through it all, people have made a difference. I love being with people; learning more about them and especially serving them.

 

I started working as an 11-year-old, delivering newspapers.  At 16, family friends hired me to work at their bakery. While in college, I had fun spinning discs as a DJ and helping care for my grandmother with dementia. I married, earned an Associate degree and became a mother of five incredible children.

 

My working career has included behavioral health occupations and eventually over 13 years working for an airline.  I have loved volunteering at local schools, churches and in the community too.

 

My mother's dementia and my passion for people led me to a recent career in dementia care. I also returned to university studies. Over the past several years, I have researched better ways to communicate and care for those living with dementia. My desire to share my knowledge with others is how consulting began for me. 
 

My research, writing and master's work is devoted to dementia. In 2022, I looked at family caregivers and discovered an unmet need for support and resources for male caregivers. You can read about one of those caregivers in my blog, "Avoiding Blahs in Dementia." I currently serve as a consultant to memory care facilities and numerous people seeking assistance with understanding dementia. 

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In May 2023, I will travel to Finland to further my work. Finland has the highest rate of dementia-caused deaths in the world. While there, I will visit universities and meet with people to learn more about how the Finland addresses dementia in their country.  When at Lapland University, I hope to gain insight into the possible environmental causes that might affect dementia. 

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When I am not studying, I enjoy being with my family,  listening to podcasts and audiobooks, mountain hikes and fishing.  

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