Happy & Healthy with Amy

Alzheimer’s Diagnosis: What to Put in Place Now with Sandra Newsome (Part 3 of 3)

• Amy Lang • Season 2 • Episode 48

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0:00 | 37:20

After an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, the conversations are only part of the work.

The next step is making sure the right plans, documents, passwords, wishes, and decision-makers are in place — before a crisis forces your family to guess.

In Part 3 of this three-part series, Amy and end-of-life doula Sandra Newsome talk about the practical details families need to consider, including healthcare proxy, advance directives, Five Wishes, dementia-specific directives, legal documents, subscriptions, pets, death care plans, and legacy wishes.

What To Listen For

  • [00:15] Continuing the Conversation After an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
  • [01:39] What to Have in Place: The High-Priority Documents
  • [3:00] Why a Healthcare Proxy Matters
  • [3:44] Knowing and Communicating Your Wishes
  • [10:33] Using “The Five Wishes” as a Guide
  • [12:51] Dementia-Specific Advance Directives
  • [15:00] Asking: “What If We Did Nothing?”
  • [20:24] Planning for Death Care and End-of-Life Preferences
  • [22:20] Legacy Projects: Letters, Books, and Videos
  • [26:13] Keeping Documents Updated Over Time
  • [29:12] Why These Conversations Matter Now
  • [33:01] Living Fully While Preparing for the End
  • [34:05] Closing Quote on hope, dreams, and the future

An Alzheimer’s diagnosis can bring so much uncertainty, but planning ahead can reduce the guessing, guilt, conflict, and chaos your family may otherwise face. These conversations and documents are actually about agency, dignity, and love in action.

Listen to this episode, choose one next step, and make sure the people who may one day speak for you know what you want and where to find what they need.

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