Both grandparents diagnosed with dementia on the same day
Overnight, Leah Stanley was thrust into the role of caregiver. No experience. No idea what to do...But boy did she learn--and fast!
Now Leah can Encourage, Equip & Empower you on your own caregiving journey.
As an Author...
Leah shares her story in her book, Goodnight Sweet: A Caregiver’s Long Goodbye, a 2022 Firebird Book Award winner. In 2023, she released her book’s educational companion piece, Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s or Other Dementia: Everything I Wish I Had Known, which is now a Best Book Awards finalist.
As a Speaker...
Leah engages with caregivers in a variety of settings including conferences, workshops and long-term care communities which feature both independent & assisted living as well as memory care.
Caregiver Tips
No two caregiving experiences are exactly alike, but these tips may be able to help get you through your day.
Use a calm voice when talking with the person living with dementia.
Use photographs from their past to help stimulate conversation.
Play music; it bypasses the brain's reasoning center triggering emotions & memories without conscious deliberation.
Never argue; the person living with dementia isn't being deliberately uncooperative. Dementia has diminished their capacity to understand.
Don't ask, "Do you remember...?" Instead, tell them what you remember.
Take regular breaks; time away helps you maintain a healthy perspective.
Leah's books
Twenty-nine years old. Married eight months. Suddenly tapped to be the caregiver for her grandparents, both diagnosed with dementia on the same day. Follow Leah's "baptism of fire" as she learned to navigate the complicated world of elder care through trial and error.
Leah's second book takes an informative look at several of the complex issues involved in elder care, sharing in easily understood language things every potential caregiver needs to know. Legal, medical, financial, family relationships, safety and self-care questions are addressed.
Upcoming Events
Catch Leah at an upcoming event. She shares valuable insights for current and future caregivers on a range to topics including legal, medical, financial, family relationships, care-recipient safety & caregiver self-care. It's a great opportunity to connect and learn together.
Engaging Opportunities
Leah travels across the street or around the globe to help caregivers and potential caregivers navigate their journeys. Here's a few of the places she's been recently. She's also developed a continuing education class for healthcare and social work professionals.
Bridgewater
New Jersey
Waco
Texas
Our Annual
Certified in Dementia Doll Therapy
As a "Grand Baby Ambassador," Leah is
delighted that her work is able to overlap with
The Grand Baby Project, a non-pharmacological approach to dementia care. People living with dementia have shown very positive responses to these beautiful "grand babies," including:
**Less outbursts
**Less anxiety & agitation
**Improved appetite & communication skills
For more information visit thegrandbabyproject.org