When Words Are Gone: Helping Children Understand Dementia with Sarah Maguire Marston

This week on Mind What Matters, Nikki DeLoach and Elizabeth Humphreys sit down with author, educator, and caregiver Sarah Maguire Marston to talk about one of the hardest conversations many families never expect to have: explaining dementia to children.After Sarah's mother was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Primary Progressive Aphasia, she struggled to help her young children understand why their grandmother could no longer speak, play, or tell them she loved them. That experience inspired her to write When I Can't Say I Love You, a children's book created to help families navigate dementia with honesty, compassion, and hope.Together, Sarah, Nikki, and Liz share their own caregiving experiences, discuss the unique challenges of Frontotemporal Dementia, and explore why children often understand more than we realize. They also talk about anticipatory grief, family communication, memory care, and the lasting connection that remains even after words are gone.This episode is a reminder that while dementia changes how we communicate, it never changes the love that remains.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.