By Christy Byrne Yates, M.S., California, USA
“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” -Booker T. Washington
When I was first approached in 2021 to join AlzAuthors, I was honored and excited. I also thought, “Well, maybe they’ll help me sell some books!” Typical self-published author thought process.
What has transpired for me is that the people behind AlzAuthors continue to impress me. They certainly embody the sentiments of Booker T. Washington, quoted above. When we work to lift others, we too are lifted up.
Another oft quoted line is generally attributed to John F. Kennedy, “A rising tide lifts all boats,” which fits, as well.
The founders and management team of AlzAuthors, who celebrate eight years together this June, continue to amaze and inspire me, and I do feel lifted up by their energy and purpose. They came together to support their individual writing endeavors, but soon learned that finding and elevating other writers with stories to tell about a personal dementia journey made them stronger, more focused, and energized. And helped to sell their own books in the process.
If you’re reading this blog post, you may already know that AlzAuthors promotes the work of authors writing about dementia. But do you know the origin story? That’s the story that moved me to ask for one on one interviews from the three principal founders, Jean Lee, Marianne Sciucco and Vicki Tapia, and then to record an AlzAuthors Board meeting so other team members who now work to advance the work of fellow writers could have a chance to chime in about how they became involved.
The conversations were moving, impressive and fun. I weaved the videos together to help them tell their own story, and I hope you watch and share widely.
From all over the U.S. and Canada, this group of volunteers works hard. I hope when you watch that you too are reeled in by the energy and love this group shares with each other.
I don’t want to give too much away, but in preparing this anniversary video it was refreshing to hear about cooperation and collaborative effort in a world where it feels like many have retreated to individual strongholds, and competitiveness rules the day. The thought that one author, who certainly wants to sell their own book, would seek out others who write in the same topic area seems foreign. Yet it’s the secret sauce of AlzAuthors. It feels counter-intuitive, but it’s not. It’s genius.
Watch our Anniversary Video
Another truly impressive element of AlzAuthors that I’ve found as I’ve become more involved is the group’s tech savvyness. They’ve dialed in social media, creating beautiful graphics for any AlzAuthor to use (so nice when you don’t have the bandwidth to create your own each day), launched a YouTube channel, and developed a very successful podcast. They “meet” on Slack channels. The group literally does not have a physical address where everyone meets to collaborate. They don’t zoom multiple times each week to check in on everyone. They rely on each other to quietly carry through with the mission – to support other AlzAuthors and provide solace to those facing a dementia journey. It’s beautiful.
So happy 8th Anniversary to AlzAuthors! I’m delighted and inspired to be a part of this amazing team.
Win a bag of books! Enter our Anniversary Giveaway!
Our 2022-2023 Highlights
- 30 new authors joined us
- 30 new books were added to the collection
- We also added one film
- 25 new podcast episodes were published
- Podcast downloads: 51,901
- Total all time downloads to date: 91,625
- Named one of the 25 Best Alzheimer’s Podcasts for the second consecutive year
- Our YouTube Channel had 1,296 views.
- 26 Custom Caregiver Collections were delivered across the United States
Three authors joined our all-volunteer team:
- Christy Byrne Yates is a podcast co-host and producer and manages our YouTube channel
- Andrea Couture is an acquisitions editor
- Ruth Stevens is an acquisitions editor (fiction only)
We have many needs. If you’re interested in working with us please visit this page.
We presented four virtual events:
- Four Daughters Explore When Dad Has Dementia
- Dementia Care Around the World
- Dementia with Difficult People
- Poetry for the Dementia Journey
We partnered with HFC for another successful Summer Book Series featuring three authors:
- Christy Byrne Yates, MS, author of Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving in the Sandwich Generation
- Renee Harmon, MD , author of Surfing the Wave of Alzheimer’s, Principles of Caregiving That Kept Me Upright
- Ruth Stevens, author of Stage Seven, a novel
We published three helpful booklets so caregivers can more easily find the resources they seek:
We launched our own Six Word Memoir Project, where you can tell your dementia story in just six words
Please stick with us as we continue our mission to provide carefully vetted, quality resources for those caring for a loved one with dementia.
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About the Author
Christy is a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP), retired school psychologist, author, speaker and coach/consultant. She manages AlzAuthors YouTube presence and is a co-host and producer for our podcast, “Untangling Alzheimer’s and Dementia.” Her book, Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving in the Sandwich Generation recounts her journey as a working mother of two who also managed the care of her parents, both of whom had some form of dementia. Combining her lived experience with her professional expertise in human development, wellness, and a strengths-based approach to finding solutions, Christy develops content, workshops and coaching to support Sandwiched families. She incorporates meditation, mindfulness, and other evidence-based mind/body practices into her work. She’s worked with care communities, financial professionals, estate planners and employers. Christy has a master’s degree in counseling psychology, and graduate credentials in both education and school psychology.
One Response
Thank you for all that you do to educate and support those caring for a loved one with dementia! It is not an easy road, and one that should never be walked alone. Partnering with a professionally trained dementia caregiver is the best way to ensure a healthy life balance for family members and safety and comfort for the person diagnosed. More details here: https://allcarelivingservices.com/services/alzheimers-and-dementia-care/