Podcast recap featuring Cindy Fowler, Alzheimer’s Association Aloha Chapter
Caring for a loved one who shows signs of memory loss can be confusing and exhausting — especially when you’re trying to figure out whether what you’re seeing is normal aging or something more. On the Taking Care of Tutu podcast, host Meg Obenauf spoke with Cindy Fowler, Program Manager for Maui and Kauai County with the Alzheimer’s Association, about what families should watch for and what help is available here in Hawaiʻi.
What the Alzheimer’s Association Offers in Hawaiʻi
The Alzheimer’s Association Aloha Chapter provides free education, support, and practical help for caregivers and families across the islands.
Key resources include:
• Community education & awareness talks
Cindy and her team speak to churches, Rotary clubs, libraries, and other groups about dementia, early warning signs, and brain health.
• One-on-one care consultations
These are short strategy sessions for real-life caregiving challenges — like when a loved one refuses to shower, won’t attend adult day care, or insists on driving alone. Consultations help families define the problem, try practical approaches, and follow up with an action plan.
• Support groups (virtual and in-person)
Caregivers can connect with others who understand the day-to-day reality, share resources, and feel less alone.
A Caregiving Approach That Helps More Than Arguing
Cindy shared one of the most important shifts families can make:
As dementia progresses, facts matter less, and feelings matter more.
Instead of correcting or arguing, try responding to the emotion underneath the behavior. Cindy described comforting her own mother during a frightening hallucination by reassuring her fear rather than insisting on reality. Over time, the anxiety eased.
Takeaway: When caregivers validate feelings and offer reassurance, difficult behaviors often calm down — and relationships feel less combative.
Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s (Quick Clarity)
• Dementia is an umbrella term for many brain diseases that affect memory, thinking, and behavior.
• Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, but not the only one.
Cindy highlighted four leading causes seen most often:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Lewy body dementia
- Vascular dementia (often linked to stroke/TIAs)
- Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which can occur in younger, physically strong men and can be especially difficult for spouses to manage.
The 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s
The key is not whether a sign appears occasionally, but whether it is impacting daily life.
Watch for:
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life (missed meds, appointments, meals)
- Trouble planning or solving problems (unfinished tasks, piling mail)
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks (recipes, bills, taxes)
- Confusion with time or place (getting turned around, not remembering why they are somewhere)
- Visual/spatial difficulties (depth perception, narrowing field of vision, trouble recognizing doors)
- Word-finding problems (pointing instead of naming, using odd substitute words)
- Misplacing things and inability to retrace steps
- Poor judgment or decision-making (unsafe choices, grooming changes)
- Withdrawal from social activities or hobbies
- Changes in mood or personality (suspicion, anxiety, depression, short fuse)
If several signs are present and daily life is slipping, Cindy recommends starting with a primary care doctor.
Driving: A Common and Difficult Turning Point
Driving is deeply tied to independence on Maui and other neighbor islands, which is why this conversation can be so hard. Cindy explained that early dementia often affects:
• peripheral vision
• reaction time
• depth perception
• spatial judgment
• navigation and memory
Families may notice small dents, getting lost, or a loved one unable to find their car afterward.
One strategy Cindy loves is the “blame game.”
If a doctor can say, “I’m the one who recommends you stop driving,” it preserves the parent–child relationship and reduces conflict at home.
Hope on the Horizon: New Treatments & Better Testing
Two major developments:
• Two FDA-approved infusion medications are now available for early-stage Alzheimer’s. These are not cures, but they can slow progression — which is why early diagnosis matters so much.
• A new FDA-approved blood test can help confirm Alzheimer’s during evaluation, potentially replacing more invasive testing and helping families get answers sooner.
Maui Resources You Can Use Now
Virtual caregiver support group:
• Meets third Wednesday of every month on Zoom
• Great for caregivers who can’t leave home
To register, contact Cindy Fowler:
📞 808-518-6655
✉️ [email protected]
In-person caregiver support group (Kahului):
• Roselani Assisted Living
• Third Thursday of every month
• 4:00–5:30 p.m.
If dementia is touching your family, reaching out early can make the road less frightening. You don’t have to navigate this alone — and there are people on Maui ready to help.
