PERSONAL:

Following the death of her husband, Susan wanting a life change, moved to San Diego to be near family. She loves walking on the beach with her dog, Lulu, hiking, book club, and volunteering. Most of all she loves never having to shovel snow.

She served briefly on the San Diego Alzheimer’s Task Force, but realized then that her time would be better spent finishing the book she had started and stopped many times over the years. With a little distance from caregiving, and with the urging of her children and teenage grandchildren, she re-committed herself to writing. This was to become a two year process, which she would start and stop due to its painful memories. Nonetheless, it was a labor of love, a joy to do, and a commitment she made to her late husband to continue to be part of the fight against a disease that steals something from everyone it touches.

EDUCATION:

Susan holds an MS in counseling, and has been a corporate trainer and counselor in both Corporate America and the Healthcare Industry.

PERSONAL CAREGIVING EXPERIENCE:

Husband: Susan was a caregiver for over ten years to her late-husband, Don. Prior to his diagnosis, she spent four years trying to make sense of his erratic behavior that occurred off and on, making it her think she was imagining it all.

Father: Susan’s father had a heart condition and prostate cancer, which entailed numerous trips to Florida to meet with physicians and ensure everything that could be done was in place.

Mother: She also was a long-distance caregiver to her Mother, who showed signs of dementia after her husband’s death.

Mother-in –law: Susan’s mother-in-law, who over a lifetime had every medical malady known to man, just not to doctors, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and was a hypochondriac.

Companion: Years after the death of her husband, Susan met a lovely widower and enjoyed many happy years with him until signs of dementia (that she didn’t want to acknowledge) resulted in a diagnosis of MCI and later progressed to dementia.

PROFESSIONAL ALZHEIMER EXPERIENCE:

Alzheimer Caregiver Advocate

Author
* My Life Rearranged
* Where is Boompa? (To be released)

Speaker
* Alzheimer conventions & symposiums
* Assisted livings & nursing homes
* Libraries
* Book Clubs
* Women’s Clubs
* Senior Centers

Media
* Appeared in CBS 3- part segment on EYE ON AMERICA
* Appeared on local TV and radio stations