A Caregiver’s Alzheimer’s Journey: Edward O’Day on Family Decisions, Grief, and Advocacy

This week on Mind What Matters, Elizabeth Humphreys revisits a powerful conversation from the archives with Edward O’Day, whose family faced the devastating impact of Alzheimer’s disease soon after losing his father to brain cancer.Edward shares the deeply personal story of navigating his mother’s early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis, the difficult safety decisions that followed, and the emotional weight of becoming the person responsible for protecting a parent’s dignity while watching the disease unfold.From recognizing the earliest warning signs to making the painful decision to move his mother into memory care, Edward reflects on the realities many families face but rarely talk about openly: isolation, guilt, family tension, and the constant second-guessing that comes with caregiving.Along the way, he also shares how his experience ultimately led him toward advocacy, determined to help improve care and support for families navigating dementia.This conversation is an honest look at what Alzheimer’s caregiving asks of families, the strength it demands, and the compassion that can grow from even the most difficult experiences.To learn more about Mind What Matters or to support our mission head to our website. Connect with us on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube-----------------Mind What Matters is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.