Dr. Barbara Ella Milton Jr. Untangles Caregiving While Battling Cancer

Caring for a mother with Alzheimer’s can be difficult. Compound that with your own cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as 90 miles between you, and the experience borders on impossible. But Dr. Barbara Ella Milton Jr. heeded her mother’s call to step in and offer her support throughout her journey. She asked herself three important questions when she got the call: Could I? Should I? Would I? The answers were yes, yes, and yes. So began their dementia journey, after lifelong relationship struggles and difficulties encountered due to poverty, racism, and homophobia. She tells her story in her memoir, Heeding the Caregiver Call: The Story of Barbara Ella Milton, Sr. and Alzheimer’s Disease. Barbara is a disabled, retired clinical social worker who, for forty years, worked on behalf of children and communities and for progressive causes. She writes about her life, her social work career, and her research on African American resilience. Her goal is to use her energy for personal healing, advocacy, and to put love and hope into the world. She was born in Camden, New Jersey as the only child of Barbara Ella Milton Sr., who died from Alzheimer’s in January 2019. Barbara lives in North Jersey with her wife, Kay. They enjoy a life rich with family and friends. In this episode, we discuss how she managed her mother’s care while managing her own, dealing with deep-rooted trust issues, becoming the conductor of an orchestra of help, and the 40 first dates of iterative grief. Editor’s Note: With our deepest sympathies and great sadness, we must add that Barbara passed away on October 9, 2023. After the Podcast Read Barbara’s AlzAuthors Post Start reading Heeding the Caregiver Call: The Story of Barbara Ella Milton, Sr. and Alzheimer’s Disease now! Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission from book sales. About the Podcast AlzAuthors is the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer’s and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Our podcast introduces you to our authors who share their stories and insights to provide knowledge, comfort, and support. Please subscribe so you don’t miss a word. If our authors’ stories move you, please leave a review. And don’t forget to share our podcast with family and friends on their own dementia journeys. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please donate here. Ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the speakers and not AlzAuthors. Always consult your healthcare provider and legal and financial consultants for advice on any of the topics covered here. Thanks for listening. We are a Whole Care Network Featured Podcast. Proud to be on The Health Podcast Network. Want to be on the podcast? Here’s what you need to know. Shop our Store Join our book club