In Episode 81, Jeff welcomes you to the unofficial kickoff of the holiday season—because if Thanksgiving 2025 is already here, that means the Big Guy in Red isn’t far behind… and thankfully, no, he’s not from the government. (We think.)

This episode blends humor, heart, and holiday reality checks as Jeff reflects on gratitude—from family and a sometimes-affectionate Chi-weenie, to the daily blessings found in a stranger's smile. Whether you’re feasting on turkey or grabbing cold convenience-store pizza, Jeff reminds listeners that if there’s breath in your lungs, there’s still something to be thankful for.

He also tackles a universal topic: holiday stress. This week’s conversation offers a general roadmap for surviving the season with sanity intact, with a more in-depth stress-management breakdown coming in a future episode.

Jeff also unveils a new 2026 initiative: listener Q&A. Caregivers can send in their burning questions—big, small, baffling, or heartbreaking—and Jeff will bring in pros (doctors, neurologists, researchers, caregivers) to deliver real answers next year. Questions can already be sent to GUTPUNCHEDAC@outlook.com.

All this, plus a shout-out to the show’s sponsor, Heart Body & Mind Home Care, in an episode that reminds caregivers everywhere that gratitude, humor, and community matter—especially when life hits hardest.

Navigating the insidious illness of Alzheimer’s is something nobody asks for. The disease sneaks up on you and your loved one, and it feels like you’ve been sucker-punched in the gut when you get the diagnosis from a doctor. So many things race through your mind: why us? What do we do? We worked so hard to get to this point in life. We just moved here after we both worked for 30 years, sold our house up North, and retired to Florida to enjoy our “golden years”. It’s not fair! Who’s going to take care of her/him? I don’t know a thing about this illness. She’s always done the cooking; I don’t even know how to boil water. He's always taken care of me and everything else like Finances. I don’t even drive! And it goes on and on. Facing this disease will bring you to your knees. Once you get over the initial shock (GUT PUNCHED), the questions and fears take hold. Where do we turn for help? Who do I call? What do I do? How do you take care of someone with Alzheimer's? Are there support groups? And questions like these just keep coming.

Welcome (and brace yourself), host Jeff Edwards is back with another dose of truth, humor, and heart for those in the trenches of caregiving.

This week, we’re tackling the latest buzz around GLP-1s and Alzheimer’s. Are these new drugs the next big thing in brain health, or just another fad with a fancy acronym? Plus, we’ll lace up and count our steps, literally, as Jeff breaks down how many daily steps it actually takes to slow Alzheimer’s decline.

Of course, it wouldn’t be GutPunched without revisiting the sacred caregiver commandments, those five brutally honest tenets that keep you (and your sanity) intact when life gets messy. From self-care as survival to creating a “help signal” your loved one actually remembers, Jeff reminds us that caregiving isn’t just hard, it’s heroic, hilarious, and heartbreakingly human.

We’ll also shout out the amazing folks at Heart, Body, & Mind Home Care, and celebrate the community wins from the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Lee County, with Collier County’s walk just around the corner.

So hit that Subscribe button, share the show with someone who needs a laugh and a lifeline, and remember: You can’t pour from an empty cup, but you can refill it right here, one episode at a time.

🔗 Listen now at GutPunched.com

In this heartfelt episode of GutPunched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers — The Not So Sexy Podcast, host Jeff Edwards sits down with returning guest Molly Phillips to explore the impact of Lewy Body Disease (LBD)—a complex and emotional form of dementia. Molly shares her deeply personal story and how her experience has inspired an upcoming fundraising concert to raise awareness and hope for those affected.

Jeff also reminds caregivers of the GutPunched tenets: take care of yourself, ask for help, use your support network, and create a “help signal” to make your loved one’s care experience easier.

The episode closes with information on local Alzheimer’s walks in Fort Myers and Naples, and a call for listeners everywhere to visit Alz.org to find support and community events near them.

A touching, educational conversation that reminds every caregiver they’re not alone.

Navigating the insidious illness of Alzheimer’s is something nobody asks for. The disease sneaks up on you and your loved one, and it feels like you’ve been sucker-punched in the gut when you get the diagnosis from a doctor. So many things race through your mind: why us? What do we do? We worked so hard to get to this point in life. We just moved here after we both worked for 30 years, sold our house up North, and retired to Florida to enjoy our “golden years”. It’s not fair! Who’s going to take care of her/him? I don’t know a thing about this illness. She’s always done the cooking; I don’t even know how to boil water. He's always taken care of me and everything else like Finances. I don’t even drive! And it goes on and on. Facing this disease will bring you to your knees. Once you get over the initial shock (GUT PUNCHED), the questions and fears take hold. Where do we turn for help? Who do I call? What do I do? How do you take care of someone with Alzheimer's? Are there support groups? And questions like these just keep coming. I am a caregiver. I wasn’t before. Well, not this kind of caregiver. My wife was officially diagnosed in January of 2018. I had a sneaking suspicion that she might have something like this about 2 years earlier. So, when I brought it to my Neurologist, he sent us to a very nice Psychologist who specializes in testing patients to determine more accurately what is going on. It was a question-and-answer session, followed by a very detailed testing procedure that usually takes 3 or more hours. The patient has to complete the test comprising of questions, simple actions, and memory tests, then give them a couple of numbers or words then move on, going back to the numbers or words a short time later.

So moving forward, I asked all the same questions as mentioned earlier. What are my options? So I “sucked it up”-Manned up so to speak. It's part of the deal for better or worse, right? So began my quest for information on support groups, doctors, anything I could get my hands on. It's been 6 years, and I am still looking for everything and anything that will help me crawl through this unchartered path to enlightenment. I was very fortunate to live in a city that has numerous resources to tap into. Most importantly, it's a place named after someone who suffered from Alzheimer’s. His wife provided the money to start the Alvin Dubin Center: The Dubin Center for short. Their mission is to achieve caregiver health, strength, and resilience by providing education, information, hope, and compassion. And boy do they. I leaned on them for everything I could find. Took all kinds of classes to learn what I needed to do to be the caregiver I have to be. Their caregiver class took about 6 weeks. The material we learned from, and the instructors, were top-notch. I still go back to the notes I took, and the books we used: both as refreshers and inspiration. Hopefully, no matter where you are listening to this, there will be a place like the Dubin Center. If not, don’t despair. The info is out there. That’s what this podcast is about. We’d like to share our resources, our experiences, our heartbreak, and our little victories. From time to time, we’d like to bring in Physicians, Nurses, Experts, and people like you and me, who are going through this disease with our loved ones who are willing to share their journey. The first thing that really stuck with me, and hopefully it will be with you. If you are a caregiver, you must first take care of yourself. Because this is not a sprint, but a marathon. And if you are run down, get sick, or worse.... Who’s going to take care of your spouse, mother, father, or child? Think about that for a few seconds. It’s you, the Caregiver. It’s me the Caregiver. That’s why we’re here. Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers! Thanks for joining us...now let's get going.

Welcome back, caregivers, fighters, and listeners walking this tough road with love and grit. In Episode 76, host Jeff Edwards dives headfirst into the gut-wrenching yet vital world of Alzheimer’s and caregiving, where the emotional toll is real, but so is the power of community, knowledge, and self-care.

💥 This week’s episode hits hard and informs even harder with three must-know articles making waves in the Alzheimer’s world:

• The FDA has cleared the first-ever blood test for Alzheimer’s screening in primary care—what this means for earlier diagnosis and better outcomes.

• Why are women at a higher risk of Alzheimer’s? We unpack the science and the implications for future research.

• And a wake-up call: Even light drinking may increase dementia risk. We dig into the new study that challenges old assumptions.

But that’s not all...

🔥 Jeff brings it back to the core tenets of GutPunched, the rules every caregiver needs to survive this relentless journey:

• Take care of YOU first.

• You cannot do this alone.

• Make your lists. Use your lists. Get things done.

• Create help signals that bring dignity and trust into caregiving.

💜 Whether you love caregiving or feel like it’s swallowing you whole, this podcast reminds you: it’s your life, until it’s not. So give it your all, and remember, you are not alone.

🌟 If this episode hits home, share it. Leave a 5-star review. Spread the word to friends, family, or anyone watching someone they love slowly fade into dementia. There IS help. There IS hope. That’s why we’re here.

👉 Let’s do this. Episode 76 starts now.

In this eye-opening episode, host Jeff Edwards dives into the realities of caregiving with honesty, heart, and a touch of humor. Kicking off with reflections from a recent men’s caregiver support meeting, Jeff explores tough, but essential, topics like legal planning, death, grief, and guilt. It’s not “sexy,” but it’s crucial education for anyone on the caregiving journey.

Jeff welcomes Dr. William Justiz of Aqualane Critical Research, a deeply knowledgeable expert in Alzheimer’s care and research. Even Jeff, a seasoned caregiver and podcast host, found himself scribbling down notes. Listeners are guaranteed to walk away with new insights into Alzheimer’s that they probably didn’t know before.

🎺 Special Announcement: GutPunched is proud to welcome its first official sponsor, Heart, Body & Mind Home Care, an award-winning provider specializing in Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s care. Check them out at HBMHomeCare.com or via the link on GutPunched.com.

As always, Jeff walks through the GutPunched Tenets of Caregiving—practical, empowering rules for every caregiver:

1. Take care of yourself first.

2. You can’t do it alone, build your support network.

3. Make (and use) your help lists.

4. Create a help signal your loved one understands.

💬 "Caregiving: Love it or hate it, it will be your life until it’s not. Give it your all."

If you find value in the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with anyone navigating Alzheimer’s or dementia care. Information and support are out there, and GutPunched is here to help you find both.

#AlzheimersSupport #CaregiverLife #DementiaCare #GutPunchedPodcast #CaregivingJourney #AlzheimersAwareness #MenWhoCaregive #HomeCare #ElderCare #PodcastRecommendations

New Episode available on The Podcast Playground, PodBean, and all major platforms, including Spotify, Pandora, Google, iHeart, Apple, and more. Don't forget to like and subscribe! Check GUTPUNCHED.COM for the latest information.

Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Navigating the insidious illness of Alzheimer’s is something nobody asks for. The disease sneaks up on you and your loved one, and it feels like you’ve been sucker-punched in the gut when you get the diagnosis from a doctor. So many things race through your mind: why us? What do we do? We worked so hard to get to this point in life. We just moved here after we both worked for 30 years, sold our house up North, and retired to Florida to enjoy our “golden years”. It’s not fair! Who’s going to take care of her/him? I don’t know a thing about this illness. She’s always done the cooking; I don’t even know how to boil water. He's always taken care of me and everything else like Finances. I don’t even drive! And it goes on and on. Facing this disease will bring you to your knees. Once you get over the initial shock (GUT PUNCHED), the questions and fears take hold. Where do we turn for help? Who do I call? What do I do? How do you take care of someone with Alzheimer's? Are there support groups? And questions like these just keep coming. I am a caregiver. I wasn’t before. Well, not this kind of caregiver. My wife was officially diagnosed in January of 2018. I had a sneaking suspicion that she might have something like this about 2 years earlier. So, when I brought it to my Neurologist, he sent us to a very nice Psychologist who specializes in testing patients to determine more accurately what is going on. It was a question-and-answer session, followed by a very detailed testing procedure that usually takes 3 or more hours. The patient has to complete the test comprising of questions, simple actions, and memory tests, then give them a couple of numbers or words then move on, going back to the numbers or words a short time later.

So moving forward, I asked all the same questions as mentioned earlier. What are my options? So I “sucked it up”-Manned up so to speak. It's part of the deal for better or worse, right? So began my quest for information on support groups, doctors, anything I could get my hands on. It's been 6 years, and I am still looking for everything and anything that will help me crawl through this unchartered path to enlightenment. I was very fortunate to live in a city that has numerous resources to tap into. Most importantly, it's a place named after someone who suffered from Alzheimer’s. His wife provided the money to start the Alvin Dubin Center: The Dubin Center for short. Their mission is to achieve caregiver health, strength, and resilience by providing education, information, hope, and compassion. And boy do they. I leaned on them for everything I could find. Took all kinds of classes to learn what I needed to do to be the caregiver I have to be. Their caregiver class took about 6 weeks. The material we learned from, and the instructors, were top-notch. I still go back to the notes I took, and the books we used: both as refreshers and inspiration. Hopefully, no matter where you are listening to this, there will be a place like the Dubin Center. If not, don’t despair. The info is out there. That’s what this podcast is about. We’d like to share our resources, our experiences, our heartbreak, and our little victories. From time to time, we’d like to bring in Physicians, Nurses, Experts, and people like you and me, who are going through this disease with our loved ones who are willing to share their journey. The first thing that really stuck with me, and hopefully it will be with you. If you are a caregiver, you must first take care of yourself. Because this is not a sprint, but a marathon. And if you are run down, get sick, or worse.... Who’s going to take care of your spouse, mother, father, or child? Think about that for a few seconds. It’s you, the Caregiver. It’s me the Caregiver. That’s why we’re here. Gut Punched: Alzheimer’s & Caregivers! Thanks for joining us...now let's get going.