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Dementia Can Be Beautiful with MJ Grant and Her Mom (Ep #026)

aging parents blog dementia interviews talking with kids Nov 20, 2019

In this first of a two-part interview, I have the incredible honor of interviewing Mary Jane, "MJ", Grant about her experiences with caring for her mom with dementia.

You may remember MJ Grant's video that went viral, called "Dementia Can Be Beautiful". It's had more than 2.2 million views (on Facebook alone!) and shows MJ and her mom sitting silently in a car signing with each other.

In the video, MJ's mom, Carmen (Wiggins) Grant, who is deaf and has dementia, doesn't remember that MJ is her daughter. During the conversation, MJ's mom comes to discover MJ and they share a warm embrace. The level of love and connection in this video is a sight to behold!

I start my interview with MJ Grant talking about the "Dementia Can Be Beautiful" video, including how and why she made it, and what makes it so special.

[Read transcript here!]

In this interview, MJ also opens up about her mom's history of depression and anxiety, her mom's dreams of...

I'm so glad you're here!

Older adults have mental health needs just like everyone else. But here’s the thing: Older adults are often left out of the conversation when it comes to mental health and wellness. Together we can change this.

I created the Psychology of Aging Podcast to have conversations about mental health and wellness that include older adults. We talk about common mental health concerns as we age, resources to help older adults live their best lives, and we have fun doing it.