Parenting UP! Caregiving adventures with comedian J Smiles
Get engulfed in the intense journey of a caregiver who happens to be a comedian. J Smiles use of levity reveals the stress and rewards of caregiving interwoven with her own personal journey. Over 10 years ago, she was catapulted into caregiving overnight when the shock of her dad's death pushed her mom into Alzheimer's in the blink of an eye. A natural storyteller, her vivid descriptions and impressive recall will place you squarely in each moment of truth, at each fork in the road. She was a single, childless mechanical engineering, product designing, lawyer living a meticulously crafted international existence until she wasn't. The lifestyle shift was immediate. Starting from scratch, she painstakingly carved out useful knowledge and created a beneficial care plan for her mom. J Smiles will fly solo and have expert guests. You will get tips, tricks, trends and TRUTH. Alzheimer's is heavy, we don’t have to be. All caregivers are welcome to snuggle up, Parent Up!
Parenting UP! Caregiving adventures with comedian J Smiles
Who Caregivers Can Call: Real Life Resources
Welcome to the last episode of our 3 part 'Detroit Cares About Caregivers' Series!
What resources actually exist for caregivers, and how do you access them when you need support? This question haunts many people thrust into caregiving roles, often leaving them feeling isolated and overwhelmed. In this episode, we bring together powerhouse resources ready to lighten your load—without emptying your wallet.
The biggest revelation? Many people providing significant care don't identify as caregivers at all. "If you're providing services for a loved one, a neighbor, anyone that depends on you for assistance, advice, or expertise—you are a caregiver," explains Dr. McNeill, DNP, Project Director of Wayne State University's A.G.R.E.E.D-GWEP program. This critical identity shift opens the door to a wealth of support many never knew existed.
We dive deep with experts from three major organizations: Wayne State University's Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (a $5 million initiative), the Alzheimer's Association Michigan Chapter, and the Detroit Area Agency on Aging. Each shares concrete resources they offer completely free—from respite care options and support groups to innovative apps that help navigate the healthcare system and ensure accountability from providers.
Whether you're new to caregiving or have been shouldering responsibilities for years, this episode connects you with organizations that have already done the hard work of figuring out what caregivers need. As we wrap up our Detroit tour, we leave listeners with practical entry points to engage with these resources—websites, phone numbers, upcoming events, and most importantly, the encouragement to reach out.
Remember: Alzheimer's is heavy, but we don't have to be. Follow us for more conversations that bring light to the caregiving journey and subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode that might just change your caregiving experience.
For more information about the AGREED program, please visit http://agreed.wayne.edu.
"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
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This episode is all about the longest day and we are making sure that it will be a part of that movement of yours. The longest day for anyone who doesn't know, it is technically the summer solstice, which I don't know which scientists made that up, but it is the longest day of sunlight on the whole globe. But the Alzheimer's Association did say that it would be their biggest marketing fundraising day of the year, because we're going to shed light on this dark disease.
Speaker 2:You're going to be in a caregiver space some point in your life, whether you need it, whether you are it, you're going to be in that space. When you find yourself in that role, whatever the barriers are, whatever those feelings that you're feeling, just know that there is someone on the other end. Just know that there is that other helping hand. A lot of the times we think that there's not or we think that I won't be qualified or I won't. You know they don't want to hear my story. Yes, we do.
Speaker 3:I think that one of the things I would like to say is that people have to first own that they are caregivers. I think that that is one of the barriers.
Speaker 1:Parenting Up. Caregiving Adventures with comedian Jay Smiles is the intense journey of unexpectedly being fully responsible for my mama. For over a decade I've been chipping away at the unknown, advocating for her and pushing Alzheimer's awareness on anyone and anything with a heartbeat. Spoiler alert this shit is heavy. That's why I started doing comedy comedy. So be ready for the jokes.
Speaker 1:Caregiver newbies, ogs and village members just willing to prop up a caregiver. You are in the right place. Hi, this is zeddy. I hope you enjoy my daughter's podcast. Is that okay?
Speaker 1:Today's supporter shout out is Miss Jelana Hayes. She's with the Agreed Program. Yep, y'all know we still in Detroit and we about to do this thing. We about to keep doing this thing, she says. I really enjoy what I've seen so far on the podcast. Listening to the caregivers share their stories was very inspirational. Thank you for creating a platform where caregivers can get real information and know they're not alone. Exclamation point. You know what I'm saying we are not alone, you're not alone. I'm not alone, you are not alone. If you want to receive a supporter, shout out. Y'all know what to do. Leave a review. Apple Podcasts, on YouTube, on IG we are parenting up everywhere. Holler at your girl. We in Detroit.
Speaker 1:Detroit, this is our first tour and it's happening in Detroit. Okay, you just get ready, baby. You know how they do it up here. What up though, what up, though? And this is the day that we are bringing you that fire, that Detroit fire, woo. So, wherever you listening, wherever you watching, just get ready, baby. Sit down, drink something, sip on something, eat on something, but be safe.
Speaker 1:Today's episode who caregivers can call Real Life Resources? What's up? Parenting Up family? You see it? Yes, I am still in the Detroit city, baby. I like saying that what up though, what up though.
Speaker 1:This is our third and final episode in our Detroit tour around caregiving. Okay, right now, this is the thing, this is the one. So what we're talking about on this particular episode, we are going knee deep in three very specific areas, with organizations that are on the ground in Detroit making it happen for caregivers like right now, already they got resources for you. That means code, for you ain't got to spend no money. They already got some stuff and know how to do some stuff that you can lean on them. Okay, doesn't that sound good? Look at me blessing you for free. Come on now. Who's giving you that kind of stuff, this dead age people stealing stuff from you and taking your taxes, trying to take social security. Anyway, that's okay, I'm going too far. So welcome everybody. Now.
Speaker 1:They're going to tell you in a second more about they self, but I'm excited because I now know what some of these acronyms mean. So this is. I'm trying to. She wants me to be casual with her, but I can't. This is Dr McNeil. I call her Dr Detroit. I'm going to try to call her Dr C today, but I'm probably going to call her Dr Detroit. Okay, but the one and only she is here representing Wayne State. Specifically, the agreed program, y'all, it's a $5 million grant. I could spend an hour talking about how you get a $5 million grant, but I ain't going to do that, okay. And then we have Ashley with the Alzheimer's Association, detroit chapter. Right, I ain't lying, emma.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 1:I'm telling the truth. Oh, michigan chapter. See, I was lying. But ain't Detroit? All of Michigan? That's what Detroit thinks, but the rest of Michigan as well. And then Courtney D, triple A. Shout out to anybody who know what all the A's are in the right order. It's like playing a Scrabble board on the old school soul train. But where the A's go, where the A's at, what's up, courtney?
Speaker 2:What up, though, all right.
Speaker 1:So listen, caregivers are underappreciated. I'm a caregiver. I'm going to just tell you what we feel most of the time on our insides Family caregivers who are unpaid and untrained. Specifically, we feel unseen, unheard, unappreciated. But y'all and your organizations don't feel that way. Y'all love us, y'all appreciate us, y'all got stuff for us to help us. Please tell us about it.
Speaker 3:So I'll start with the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program, that's the GWEP in the state of Michigan. We were the only one in the state of Michigan funded for five million dollars to improve the care that geriatrics receive in the state of Michigan, and to do that, one of our elements is to empower our caregivers, so we actually have continuing education for them, we have training for them, we have resources like apps and programs, podcasts, programs, podcasts. We're actually taking programs to these senior apartment complexes and providing that right delivery right there where they live, to help them be more educated about falls or dementia, early detection, where resources are. So our particular grant covers the state of Michigan and we're compiling all of the caregiver and geriatric specific resources in one space so that we can then be able to enrich the training that we provide for our caregivers, our patients, our providers, everybody to be better equipped to care for our most valuable asset our geriatric population.
Speaker 1:I love the old people. As you said it in a really fancy, probably politically correct way, our most valuable asset are geriatric people. What I like to say is I love my grandmama and granddaddy more than I love my little bitty cousins. That's how I like to say it, you know what I mean Because my grandparents have been there for me.
Speaker 1:I don't know if these little bitty cousins going to act right. You know they cute now. Two, three, four, five is fun to play with them, but when they get older, are they going to do for me? My grandparents have already shown up and showed out, so I feel like it's my turn and my opportunity to care back for them. Something you just said, doc, that really caught my attention is apps. All right, so now, if y'all going to have apps and stuff, then that means that the current generation who only likes to deal in digital and technology, they don't have some help in caregiving, because it's a whole lot of people out there who are either having to come home from college, maybe not go to college, or do college part time because they're assisting as a part of the care village, and I think something like apps might make it easier for them to know how to help with the family or even just to feel a little more engaged.
Speaker 3:Yes, that is the goal. So this particular app is called the Remember my Elder or Remember Me app, and so what that app does? It uses AI to identify resources in your particular area. It also allows you to hold healthcare systems accountable. So one of the evidence-based programs is called the Age-Friendly Health System and every time a 65 and older person enters the healthcare system, they should get a certain type of care. And when we're looking at medications, mentation, mobility and what matters and all four of those M's should be addressed every time you go to see a provider. So the app will help you keep track of that and even if your provider doesn't ask you, you can tell them. Violent told that you can. Violent told them to say this is what's been going on with me and my mobility, or this is what's been going on with me and my mentation and I want to have a conversation. So she's a tracker to kind of help that conversation happen a little better.
Speaker 1:I need a tracker. Okay for my mama, maybe for me too. Hell for all I know. I know my mama hadn't gotten but one of them m's. We ain't got no four m's. I can tell you that right now we have definitely not gotten four m's. Thank you so much. All right, who want to go next and tell me what a little bit about what y'all got going on for resources in Detroit or in all of Michigan? There I go again. Y'all know how it is my bad Michigan.
Speaker 4:I can't go. Yeah, ok. So yeah, we have our programs team and what we do is we have education programs for anyone who wants to learn any information about Alzheimer's or dementia. We have things that goes over. Some of our topics go over dementia conversations and also like legal and 10 morning signs and understanding. So we have like about like 15 topics, I would say.
Speaker 4:And then also we have support groups. There are support groups all over Michigan. They can be virtual or in person, and then they also they're for caregivers or for people in early stage, or they're also some support groups for other types of dementia that we have. And I would also say that we have care consultations. So we work with master's level social workers. They're available for families for up to six weeks, for a family that may want a little more guidance on, like, what to do or how to set up the best possible position for their loved one. And then also we have social engagement activities and those social engagement activities include, like we have a partnership with the Detroit Orchestra. They come out once a month to play for the loved ones with Alzheimer's or dementia, and we also and they also do things like go to the Henry Ford Museum or the Detroit Zoo, just to really keep them active in the community.
Speaker 1:Detroit is always a party. I don't know if all the I mean I'm not calling nobody out but I don't know if I've heard of other chapters. You know, partying with their folks with dementia.
Speaker 4:But I think that's a great idea.
Speaker 1:I think everybody deserves a party. Actually, we should just all be partying more, right? It probably would just make a lot of stress feel like it's melting off our backs Now with these things. Ashley, is there a fee or a membership? Do you have to be a? Like? You got to sign up for the Alzheimer's Association? You got to pay $5? What does it take?
Speaker 4:No, all of our programs are free to the community. Hello, all you have to do is call us. Y'all hear that.
Speaker 1:We giving y'all this good. Good, it's how many things that are free and useful free and useful.
Speaker 4:Keep going, baby. Oh yeah. So yeah, they're free to the community. All you have to do is call our helpline, 1-800-272-3900. I have to memorize that at this point, I say it so many times. But yeah, you can just call the helpline and they can direct you anywhere you want. I know we also are doing like. One thing I also want to highlight is the DEI that we're doing In particular. We do Jewish outreach, Hispanic, Latino outreach, Me I do African-American outreach and then we also do MENA community outreach. So we're really trying to reach out to those vulnerable populations that may not get the information and resources.
Speaker 1:They know of them less. I would say yes, a huge moment, and say thank you to the Alzheimer's Association for standing 25,000 toes down in DEI. And it is amazing that you even share that and bring that up, because this episode is all about the longest day and we are Making sure that it will be a part of that movement of yours. The longest day for anyone who doesn't know, it is technically the summer solstice, which I don't know which scientists made that up, but it is the longest day of sunlight on the whole globe. But the Alzheimer's Association did say that it would be their biggest marketing fundraising day of the year, because we're going to shed light on this dark disease.
Speaker 4:See, I was listening to one of them webinars.
Speaker 1:And so I know that is something that people can rally around. And if you're looking for community as a caregiver within the Alzheimer's Association, that's a time and a place where everyone gets together. Whether you want to do a walk or you want to do crocheting or something, somebody is doing something fun and free. Fun and free. We love both of those. We love both of those. All right, courtney over there.
Speaker 2:Yes, I'm from the Detroit Area Agency on Aging. You're right, it's a whole lot of A's Detroit Area Agency on Aging You're right, it's a whole lot of A's, and we do a whole lot of work as well. Our caregiving team is we have a dynamic caregiving team, and one of the things that I find most important is that we are a listening ear. You can always give us a call. Our caregiving team is on staff, ready to receive. Whether you're in a crisis, whether you just need to talk to somebody, whether you need to figure out how you're going to navigate this new role, or you've been in it for a while and just don't know the resources available. Our team is there to help you figure that out.
Speaker 2:Some of the resources that DAAA can directly provide we allow you to choose what kind of respite care you want to or which way you want to go. Whether that's an adult day program, we have some overnight programs that are available to our caregivers, and we offer training and education in those areas as well. So you won't be alone when you go to the doctor. You'll have either one of our caregiver members or you'll have a script. You'll have all of the necessary information that you need to feel confident as a caregiver to go in and take care of your loved one. In addition to that, we provide so much reprieve. We have events. We just had hosted our caregiver pamper day Wait wait wait, wait, hold on now.
Speaker 1:I didn't get that invitation. I could have come up here a couple days early and pamper me it was beautiful.
Speaker 2:We had a beautiful comedian come in.
Speaker 3:We had a meditation moment.
Speaker 2:We had yoga there, beautiful dj, and we stepped, because detroit does step okay, that's true.
Speaker 1:Now, where them fans at, where them fans at.
Speaker 2:Okay, and we, had a blast doing that as caregivers and just taking our minds off of, uh, the role that it is. Um, some of our caregivers had to even bring their loved ones with them and guess what? We were right there. You don't have to worry about a thing. We got your mama, we got your auntie, we're fine, we're over here. You go do that, and so that's just one of the many ways that DAAA is supporting our caregivers out here.
Speaker 1:Okay, now listen, I'm sitting here and I'm listening to y'all and I feel like every caregiver at least in Michigan, okay should be fully fortified. But obviously at times people just might not be aware. They may not be aware as much work as you all are doing and as much effort as you have put in to supporting the community and each of your organizations have been around for. When I say a minute, I mean y'all didn't start last year, right? And for those who know about you, they sing your praises. But there are others who may be so new to caregiving or to this space and to this universe that they just don't even know where to start and how to find you like at all.
Speaker 1:So if you could go back just a tad to before you were fully entrenched in this space, what would you tell a person like that? What's the first thing to do? To feel welcome? Or to reach out to one of your organizations, like they, their family member, maybe just fail for the first time. Or they're thinking about maybe going to a primary care place to get a diagnosis, but they're too scared to go by themselves. But and they're like, yeah, I heard that girl, courtney, say they would go with me to the doctor, but my mama, but I don't even know if I want to take my mom to the doctor and I how the hell Courtney going to go with me? You know what I'm saying. People could have those types of hesitancies. What can you offer to help them? Let their guard down?
Speaker 2:Just to tell them that they're not the only ones. We are here. You're going to be in a caregiver space some point in your life, whether you need it, whether you are it, you're going to be in that space. When you find yourself in that role, whatever the barriers are, whatever those feelings that you're feeling, just know that there is someone on the other end. Just know that there is that other helping hand. A lot of the times we think that there's not, or we think that I won't be qualified or I won't. You know they don't want to hear my story. Yes, we do. We absolutely do. When you go to pick up that phone, we're going to be there. Google us, you know D-triple-A, d-a-a-a, and as soon as you do, we're going to pop up Soon as you call, we're going to answer the phone. Only thing I can tell you is just make that step, do it, don't be afraid.
Speaker 1:That's better than police. They didn't say it, all right. So any any federal, city, state or county funds or resources to support their organizations, don't don't harm them. That's me. All I'm saying is it sounds to me like there's more I can count on y'all better than the Popos. Anyway, I'm not about to talk about the Atlanta Police Department, so what do you have to say about that, doc, for individuals who just may be a little hesitant because they literally are so new to this space of being a caregiver?
Speaker 3:I think that one of the things I would like to say is that people have to first own that they are caregivers.
Speaker 3:I think that that is one of the barriers.
Speaker 3:If you just see yourself, as I'm just a daughter, doing what a daughter is supposed to do, when you hear DAAA or Alzheimer's Association say we have these caregiver resources, you may not connect the dots because that's for those caregivers, maybe people that are trained or people that that's not for me.
Speaker 3:But we're here today as a unified community to say that if you're providing services for a loved one, a neighbor, anyone that kind of depends on you for your assistance, your advice, your expertise, then you are a resource and to support you are these other resources here, to kind of help you identify okay, what do I need now? And when that changes, okay, what do I need now? So again, you're not feeling like you're in a silo and I think that that's kind of what happens initially is that people get into this role and then they feel overwhelmed. They feel like, okay, I'm recreating the wheel every time somebody gets into the space, but we have been there enough and been there in that space a long enough where you don't have to feel like you have to recreate the wheel. There's resources already established in your community.
Speaker 1:I love it and I'm going to say look for anybody who is. Uh, for those of you who are hearing us, you can't see these facial expressions that me and Dr Detroit are throwing over here on court. We're throwing them hard. It's a no-look pass from Magic Johnson or from Isaiah Thomas.
Speaker 1:I'm going to shout out the Detroit Pistons, Because before we started recording, we were just chit-chatting casually and I was asking if any of these um sisters here on the couch Deus with me. We're currently in a caregiving role and we're just going to fast forward to the good part. Courtney, everybody says no and then Courtney says but I dig a little deeper, as I've been known to do, and Courtney says well, I mean, I, I did every so often as a neighbor these late and she's and I'm shooing my hands off, she's like this is the neighbor couple I have. I just do I mean a little bit, so I dig a little more, y'all. This couple is in their seventies. She and her truants made themselves responsible for taking care of their trash bins and going over to their house couple three times a week just to see if they need something. And then if they do need something, they do it, whatever the something is.
Speaker 1:But Courtney is sitting right here on this couch as involved as she is, she over the D-Triple-A, she in the D-Triple-A, neck deep, and still told me not 10 minutes ago oh, I'm not a caregiver.
Speaker 1:So listen y'all. Psychologically for all of us in these United States of America, on this hill planet earth, we have to go ahead and acknowledge we're caregivers Even when we're not the primary giver of care to a person. You're still a part of that caregiver circle, which matters, and the resources are available to you Because, as you said, at some point you may need to do more. And it does make a difference if your caregiving load has been building and building and building over decades and decades and then when you get hit with the big one, maybe you don't have the capacity because you haven't been taking care of yourself, because you've been a caregiver, a little bit, for neighbors for 12 years and you didn't even know it. So, thank you so much. Now that I want to, I want to go ahead and say thank you for being such a good team player, for taking that one for me, courtney.
Speaker 4:She said hustle big time.
Speaker 1:We do hear so much, even within the parenting up community, from the United States and abroad, individuals who say you mentioned this earlier, dr McNeil, that's the best I can do for you. Okay, that, what is what I'm supposed to do. It's my husband, or it's my child, or it's my mom or it's my daddy, even when that other person on the end of that relationship has treated them poorly. It's just I'm supposed to, so I'm doing it. It's very obligatory. Therefore, they don't wear or accept that caregiver role responsibility. It turns to burnout. It turns to maybe not the best level of caregiving. I'll be honest as a caregiver, right, if you're not accepting of the role and if you're not getting whatever resources possible maybe better practices or communicating with the doctors, what if you're a shitty caregiver? Just because you're doing it, just because you're going to your mama's house, just because you're picking up her medicine, doesn't mean you're doing it with love.
Speaker 3:Are you the best person to do that particular role?
Speaker 1:I'm not pointing at you, y'all, I'm pointing my. I'm snapping my finger over here at Dr McNeil, because just because you're doing it doesn't mean you should be doing it, OK. So all of that is to just digest, first and foremost. Are you a caregiver, like, just really sit with yourself, and we want people to think about that. Are you a caregiver, like, just really sit with yourself, and we want people to think about that? Are you a caregiver? Are you providing care and concern to someone who can't do it for themselves?
Speaker 1:I'll tell you one way to put it If you stop doing it, would it make a difference in their life? Could they do it for themselves? Is there anyone that's going to automatically step in and do it if you stop, or do you have to call somebody and tap them and say, hey, this is now your responsibility. Hey, other neighbor, you got to go get the trash cans because I'm going on vacation. That means that's your responsibility, so you're caring for that area. What can you all suggest, as two caregivers who are in Metro, detroit, michigan, as hey, this is how you really get involved in your community. Is it best to come to your websites? Is it best to call for people who may be a little more trepidatious. What is literally the best point of entry? To come to an event, to give you a call, go to a website, go to a clinic, open house, a group session, what y'all think?
Speaker 4:I would say it's. There's a couple of points of entry depending on how they're comfortable with. I think the biggest one I like to push is our walk at the Detroit Zoo. We have it annually, every year, and it's just a place with a whole bunch of like caregivers. I think we had like over 3,000 people came and it's just a big support system. Like you can see people on very different parts of their journey and it's free to register, free to attend, Like I feel like it helps capture how big this cause is and how important and how much it is affecting so many families. So I think, like if it's something that they're willing to like try out just to see, I would say go there. If they're a little more, you know they don't want to. You know meet too many people. I would definitely say, like our helpline is the best way to like find out information. Or even if you don't want to talk to a person, like our website ALZorg is another good way.
Speaker 1:OK, when is does the walk? Or you say this annually, oh this year at the Detroit Zoo.
Speaker 4:It's going to be September 21st.
Speaker 1:OK, so you haven't missed it. No, all right, there it is, there it is so you haven't missed it.
Speaker 2:No, all right there, it is there. It is okay, courtney, for DAAA, you can always reach out to us via phone, 313-446-4444. You can visit our website, detroitseniorsolutionorg either. One of those avenues are best way to reach out and just come on out. You can follow us on our socials as well. We have Facebook, youtube and Instagram.
Speaker 1:OK, all right, dr McNeil.
Speaker 3:I would say that, with the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program, our goal is to bring in partners and these are our partners as well and collect resources and put them in one centralized location for you, so you can go to agreedagreedwayneedu, you'll be sent to Wayne State University, which is committed to improving the care of geriatrics in the Metro Detroit area as well as the state of Michigan, especially with the support of this particular funding, and we are collecting these resources and putting them into one space for you the website, as well as also the app, as well as also providing you podcasts, partnerships, so that you can get this information any which way you like. We just want you to get it.
Speaker 1:Okay, whatever you like, whatever you like, I would shout out that hamburger joint, but since they didn't give a sponsorship, you're not about to get no free shout out over here. But we will say whatever you like. That's for the culture.
Speaker 4:You know what I mean. We're going to always do that.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, this has been such a phenomenal conversation. Without even being a resident here, I already know a few people who I think is incumbent upon me to make sure that I call and let them know, like, about the walk hey, how, you need to get in touch with D-Triple-A, because there's so many individuals as caregivers who really are not ready to turn that corner into saying, yeah, it's time for me to get involved with my parent or my grandparent. Yes, they are still living independently, but I'm starting to do a little bit more for them. How can I do that intentionally? Well, I'm going to say get with these organizations and they're going to walk you through that stuff. Don't figure it out for yourself. There's way too many other people who already have it figured out for you. So thank you. Thank you, ladies, so much for being here. Thank you so much for being here.
Speaker 1:The Snuggle Up what's up? Parents and all family what up? Though? This is our final Snuggle Up for the Detroit tour. Oh my God, I had so much fun being here learning, connecting, sharing. I've got some phenomenal experts here, some very loving experts. It matters that you are loving and knowledgeable if you're going to be an expert. That's, in my opinion.
Speaker 1:Okay, now to the actual snuggle up. All right, so we had some, you know, pretty powerful women here from DAAA, alzheimer's and the AGREE program. You know what I took away? The central snuggle up is they got your back. If you are in Detroit or anywhere in Michigan, they already have the resources most likely that you need. Now let me just say I know, as a caregiver, the first thing and the only thing we really need or want is a cure. So don't come at me in my DMs. They don't have a cure, but resources for caregivers. Whether you want to know how to be a caregiver, how to treat your loved one better, how to take better care of yourself, how to manage the medicine, how to connect with other caregivers, they got all that written down. They got ways for you to go and have a night off and party and dance and get the hell out of here. They listed it. I ain't going to try to lie and tell y'all I remember those websites or telephone numbers.
Speaker 1:But the point is press rewind, whether you're watching this on video or you're listening to it. They out here y'all. You don't have to do this alone. You should not do it alone. They in the trenches getting this grant money, getting this funding, getting these donors to make these pledges in order to walk this walk with you, man. Don't make this burden harder than it has to be. Lean on them, lean on these organizations. Go ahead and get some lemonade out them lemons. All right, I'm your girl, jay Smiles, and you know like I always say, alzheimer's is heavy, but we ain't got to be what up though. Thank you for tuning in. I mean really, really, really. Thank you so very much for tuning in, whether you're watching this on YouTube or if you're listening on your favorite podcast audio platform. Either way, wherever you are, subscribe, come back. That's the way you're going' know when we do something next. Y'all know how it is. I'm J Smiles. I might just drop something hot in the middle of the night. We'll see you next time.