“It’s like a honey badger; dementia doesn’t give a shit. It doesn’t care about what you want to do.” — Kitty Norton
Tune into this episode of Uncorking a Story for an honest and inspiring exploration of the highs and lows of caregiving, the power of storytelling, and the unexpected paths life can take.
Meet Kitty Norton
In 2016 Kitty left her job as an NBC assistant editor in Los Angeles, CA, for her hometown of Portland, Oregon, to walk, stumble, crawl with her mother, Gloria, living with vascular dementia, to death’s door. While doing so, she authored the caregiver blog Stumped Town Dementia, writing tales of dementia life, not dementia death, which resonated deeply with readers around the world.
After her mother’s death in 2021, Kitty created and directed Wine, Women, & Dementia to honor this journey with her mother, to spread awareness of the caregiver side of the equation in the swinging dementia lifestyle, and to celebrate family caregivers – to let them know they are not alone, and that they are worthy of being seen and respected alongside their dementia person on this difficult road to the end of life.
Key Themes:
- Journey from Editing to Caregiving: Kitty discusses her transition from a career in network television to caregiving, detailing the emotional and logistical challenges she faced upon her father’s death and her mother’s dementia diagnosis.
- Empowering Through Writing: Kitty talks about starting her caregiving blog as a creative outlet to process her experiences and connect with other caregivers, emphasizing the blog’s growth into a supportive community.
- Exploring the Caregiver’s Perspective: The conversation delves into the creation of her documentary, which aims to highlight the often-overlooked struggles and resilience of family caregivers dealing with dementia.
- Therapeutic Power of Creativity: Kitty reflects on the therapeutic benefits of writing and filmmaking, not just for personal catharsis but also for helping others navigate similar experiences.
- Humor and Coping: Throughout the interview, Kitty underscores the role of humor in coping with the daily challenges of dementia caregiving, bringing a light-hearted perspective to difficult situations.
- Influence of Community and Culture: She shares insights into how cultural shifts, including the proactive voices of millennials and baby boomers, are changing the narrative and support structures for dementia.
- Vision for the Future: Kitty discusses her hopes for the documentary’s impact and its upcoming public release, intending to increase awareness and support for dementia caregivers globally.
See the Film: https://www.winewomenanddementia.com/copy-of-host-a-screening
Connect with Kitty
Website: https://www.winewomenanddementia.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WWDdocumentary
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WWDdocumentary
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winewomenanddementia/
Connect with Mike
Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@uncorkingastory
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory
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