Patty's Place

A place to talk about grief, dementia and caregiving. A place to find comfort when you are going through a difficult time. A place to know you are not alone as you go through this difficult time.

Patty's Place is a education podcast hosted by Lisa, with 52 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Lisa hosts Patty's Place, a education show with 52 episodes published.

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  Patty's Place

  Turning Grief Into Kindness Through Music-Interview with Brad Wolfe

  Aug 12, 202638 min

  I would love to hear from you. Send me questions or comments. Grief can make us tender, but it can also make us sharp. When life breaks open through dementia, caregiving, or death, the pain doesn’t just stay inside our own hearts, it spills into how we treat ourselves and the people around us. I sit down with singer-songwriter Brad Wolf to talk about what it looks like to choose kindness anyway, especially when you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure what you even need. Brad shares the story behind his single “Why Wait,” written for his grandmother, who survived Auschwitz and lived to 102. Her belief in tolerance and kindness, grounded in the simple reality that we’re here for a short while, becomes the spine of our conversation. We explore Brad’s framework of kind grief versus destructive grief, why “there’s no wrong emotion” can still coexist with real harm, and how grief often sits underneath division in families and communities. We also get practical about what actually helps: creativity as an outlet for emotion, music as a form of connection, and why sound can matter so much at the end of life. I share a powerful moment from my mom’s dementia journey when music brought her back to herself, even briefly, and we talk about how laughter and presence can live right alongside the sadness. Brad also explains how Reimagine offers free community grief support through virtual events and a summit designed to make connection feel possible, even for people who don’t want to speak in a group. If you’ve ever said “I don’t know what to say” to someone in pain, you’ll take away a better option: wise witnessing. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and please leave a review so more caregivers and grievers can find us. https://www.bradwolfe.com // https://letsreimagine.org EMPOWERED Voices: Recovery to Resiliency A heartfelt podcast series that brings to light the challenges and triumphs of... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

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  Patty's Place

  How To Protect A Parent’s Finances As Dementia Advances-Interview with Dr. Fred Rouse

  Jul 29, 202640 min

  I would love to hear from you. Send me questions or comments. The hardest part of dementia caregiving is not always the hands-on care. Sometimes it is the moment you realize the bills are not getting paid, the mail is piling up, and your parent cannot explain what is going on. That is where money stress collides with grief and turns a family crisis into a full-blown scramble for information, access, and time. We sit down with Dr. Fred Ramos, a longtime certified financial planner with a PhD in taxation, a nine-time best-selling author, and a Vietnam-era Coast Guard veteran. After four decades in financial services, he walked away from the traditional model because he believes the industry is often built to generate commissions, not protect people. Together, we talk about why early dementia can make someone the most exploitable person in the country, how “help” can become pressure, and why even well-meaning institutions can block caregivers from doing basic tasks like checking a credit card balance or managing a bank account. We also get painfully practical: what to look for first (hint: it starts with the mail), how to track statements and subscriptions, why liquid cash matters more than paper assets during a crisis, and what memory care really costs. We break down estate planning essentials like power of attorney, trust vs will, probate realities, and why you may want 15 to 20 certified death certificates when you are settling accounts or dealing with a mortgage. Dr. Ramos also shares how to vet an advisor using FINRA BrokerCheck and the kinds of red flags that signal someone is not on your side. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a caregiver who needs it, and leave us a review so more families can find support when dementia turns money into an emergency. Here's the link if they want the 10 min check; https://drrousenow.com/check/ Support the show

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  Patty's Place

  What If The Most Spiritual Thing Is Presence-Interview with Matt Wolfe-Hospice Chaplain

  Jul 22, 202637 min

  I would love to hear from you. Send me questions or comments. Hospice is one of the most misunderstood words in health care, and that confusion can leave dementia caregivers carrying fear and guilt they never needed to hold. We’re joined by Matt Wolf, hospice chaplain at Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness in Joliet, Illinois, for a real conversation about what chaplains actually do when families hit the hardest moments. Matt explains his guiding principle in plain terms: he doesn’t do as much as he “be,” showing up with calm, attention, and support when the right words don’t exist. We talk about spirituality and end-of-life care without forcing neat answers. Matt shares why existential questions (Why is this happening? Why doesn’t faith erase fear?) are often a sign of honesty, not weakness, and why many patients open up more easily to someone outside the family. From there, we dig into the emotions caregivers know too well: anger that’s often rooted in fear, and guilt that shows up around starting hospice or not being present at the exact moment of death. We also touch on what families sometimes observe near the end of life, and how simple choices, like music and a peaceful room, can bring comfort. Along the way, we clear up hospice misconceptions, including the idea that hospice means “tomorrow,” and we come back to what matters most: you should not have to walk through grief, dementia, and caregiving alone. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with someone who needs support, and leave a review so more caregivers can find Patty’s Place. Support the show

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  Patty's Place

  Healing Headsets For Dementia Care-Interview with Kelly Willenborg

  Jul 15, 202639 min

  I would love to hear from you. Send me questions or comments. A song can do what arguments, reminders, and “just try” sometimes can’t: reach your loved one when dementia has made everything else feel impossible. We sit down with Kelly Willenborg, a brain health gerontologist and the founder of My Memory Works, to talk about why personalized music can spark connection, ease agitation, and bring back flashes of identity even in moderate to advanced stages. Kelly explains her drug-free Healing Headsets program, including what makes these devices senior-friendly (simple oversized buttons, built-in player, micro SD playlists) and why access matters when music therapy isn’t available to everyone. We also get practical about caregiving: how to build a meaningful playlist, how many songs families can expect, and when to turn music on so it actually helps rather than becoming background noise. We dig into real-world challenges like sundowning and bathing resistance, with a clear strategy many care partners can try immediately: start the right music about 15 minutes before the tough moment. Along the way, we talk memory cafes, peer support, Music Bingo, and how these tools can support people living with dementia or Parkinson’s while also giving caregivers a bit of much-needed respite and hope. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share the episode with a caregiver friend, and leave a review so more families can find these dementia caregiving resources. mymemoryworx Support the show

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  Patty's Place

  What If Your Loved One Is Still Your Light-Interview with Grief Counselor Nicollette Vazquez

  Jul 7, 202641 min

  I would love to hear from you. Send me questions or comments. Grief can make you feel like you have to be “fine” for everyone else, even when you are falling apart in the quiet moments. We wanted a conversation that cuts through the clichés and actually helps, so we invited Nicolette Vasquez, Team Leader of Grief Support at Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care in Joliet, Illinois, to walk with us through what grief counseling looks like in real life and why it can be such a relief to have someone simply hold space. We talk about the core purpose of grief counseling: not getting over the loss, not moving on, and not trying to fix what cannot be fixed. Instead, we focus on learning your grief, normalizing the roller coaster of emotions, and finding ways to keep a comforting bond with your loved one. We also dig into grief triggers and the surprising way they can change over time, like a song, a scent, or a familiar item in the grocery store that first knocks you over and later becomes a source of connection. Then we tackle grief myths that add pressure, including the idea that grief is linear, that grief is only sadness, and that time alone heals everything. Nicolette explains how grief support can include one on one bereavement counseling, support groups, grief education workshops, and community events and why connecting with other grievers can reduce isolation in a way nothing else can. We also share practical resource tips, including how hospice programs can be a smart starting point and how to search by zip code through national hospice networks, plus options like telehealth grief counseling for added access. If you are navigating loss, dementia caregiving, anticipatory grief, or the aftermath of a death, listen along and take what you need. Subscribe, share this with someone who could use a steadier hand, and leave a review so more caregivers and grievers can find this support. Support the show

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