"A Caring Touch" is a podcast dedicated to supporting seniors and caregivers through their golden years. It offers guidance, support, and uplifting stories on topics like health tips, elder care systems, emotional well-being, and aging gracefully. Each episode features conversations with geriatric care experts, caregivers, seniors, and advocates for elder community well-being. Tune in for practical advice, heartwarming stories, and a compassionate space to connect and learn about senior support.
Your mom stops eating halfway through dinner. You figure she just isn't hungry. But what if she can't distinguish the food from her plate? What if the fork no longer makes sense in her hand?
Mealtime changes in Alzheimer's and dementia care. Taste buds decline. Contrast sensitivity fades. Coordination slips away without warning. And sometimes, food enters the lungs with no coughing at all. This episode walks through what's actually changing, how to set up a meal that protects dignity, and the silent signs that swallowing has become dangerous.
The goal is more than getting food in. It's about preserving independence, recognizing physical discomfort before it's labeled stubbornness, and knowing when a messy meal that gets eaten is the real win.
Key Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Introduction.
[00:03:29] Vision, taste, and coordination changes
[00:05:43] Dental pain, dry mouth, and medications
[00:07:54] Adding flavor and natural sweetness
[00:09:02] Staying ahead of dehydration
[00:09:48] Setting up a supportive mealtime
[00:14:12] Supporting independence with hand-under-hand feeding
[00:17:47] Swallowing safety and silent aspiration
[00:18:15] Adjusting for swallowing difficulties
[00:22:51] Refusal and the physical causes behind it
Memorable Quotes:
"There's something called silent aspiration. So, where food can enter the lungs with no coughing at all. This can lead to aspiration pneumonia, which is a leading cause of hospitalization in older adults." – Avishka Sondapperumaarachchi
"A refusal usually has a physical cost. So, look before you label it." – Avishka Sondapperumaarachchi
Connect With Us:
Website: https://acthhs.com/ (https://acthhs.com/)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caring_touch_home_health/ (https://www.instagram.com/caring_touch_home_health/)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Caring-Touch-Home-Health-Services-Hospice-Care/100064240562985/ (https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Caring-Touch-Home-Health-Services-Hospice-Care/100064240562985/)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-caring-touch-home-health-services/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-caring-touch-home-health-services/)
Produced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com (about:blank)
15 Jun 2026
When Doing Less Preserves More: Collaborative Care for Dementia
Efficiency feels like kindness until it strips away the last thing someone can still do for themselves. We break down the difference between doing something for a person with Alzheimer's and doing it with them, and why that distinction protects dignity, capability, and connection.
This episode walks through three critical partnerships: collaborating directly with the person you're caring for, navigating the emotional complexity of family involvement, and communicating what you observe to the broader care team. From simplifying clothing choices to managing overstimulation from a television screen, these are the small shifts that change the entire experience of care.
If you're a caregiver or a family member trying to hold it together while someone you love slips away in front of you, this episode offers practical tools and emotional grounding for the road ahead.
Key Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Introduction.
[00:01:54] Alzheimer's Impact on Clients, Families & Care Teams
[00:03:47] Why Doing Too Much Can Do Harm
[00:06:24] Simplifying Daily Tasks & Decisions
[00:09:18] Reducing Overwhelm Through Fewer Choices
[00:11:03] Supporting Families Through Grief & Confusion
[00:13:25] The Caregiver's Vital Role
[00:15:47] Managing Environmental Triggers
[00:17:47] You Don't Have to Carry It Alone
Memorable Quotes:
"As a primary caregiver, you are often the person with the most eyes on your client. So you see them in the morning when they're groggy in the afternoon, when they're more alert at nighttime, maybe where they're when they're a little more sleepy. You're there when they're calm and when they're agitated. And that means you hold so much information that no one else has." – Avishka Sondapperumaarachchi
"Collaboration isn't just a professional skill. It's a way of saying to your client or loved one, to their family member, and to your team that we're in this together. That includes you. So no one carries this alone." – Avishka Sondapperumaarachchi
Connect With Us:
Website: https://acthhs.com/ (https://acthhs.com/)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caring_touch_home_health/ (https://www.instagram.com/caring_touch_home_health/)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Caring-Touch-Home-Health-Services-Hospice-Care/100064240562985/ (https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Caring-Touch-Home-Health-Services-Hospice-Care/100064240562985/)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-caring-touch-home-health-services/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-caring-touch-home-health-services/)
Produced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com
12 May 2026
Better Dementia Care Starts Here: Connection Before Care Tasks
Caregiving for someone with Alzheimer's isn't just about managing medications and meals. It's about showing up in a way that makes someone feel safe, seen, and not alone. In this episode, Avishka shares a story about a woman who received a stuffed cat during the holidays and how that simple gesture opened a door to connection, memory, and joy.
You'll hear why approaching from the front matters, how music can bypass damaged parts of the brain, and what happens when you invite someone into their own memories before jumping into the day's tasks. This isn't about perfecting a technique. It's about understanding that your presence, your tone, and your willingness to meet someone where they are can change the entire quality of their day.
If you're caring for someone with Alzheimer's or supporting those who do, this episode offers practical, research-backed tools wrapped in real human moments. Because connection doesn't require perfect memory. It just requires you.
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Key Timestamps
[00:02:15] The story of the stuffed cat and the Christmas visit
[00:09:18] How to approach someone with Alzheimer's from the first moment
[00:12:30] The power of inviting clients into meaningful conversation
[00:25:37] Pet therapy and the role of animals in caregiving
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Memorable Quotes
[00:08:52] "They can still feel. They still respond to kindness, to a familiar and gentle presence. And what they really need is to feel safe, seen, and not alone. And you have the power to give them that." – Avishka
[00:32:18] "Connection doesn't require perfect memory, it doesn't require perfect language. It just requires you showing up, staying present, and choosing to see your client as a whole person with a whole life, not a list of symptoms." – Avishka
Connect With Us:
Website: https://acthhs.com/ (https://acthhs.com/)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caring_touch_home_health/ (https://www.instagram.com/caring_touch_home_health/)
Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064240562985&_rdc=2&_rdr)https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Caring-Touch-Home-Health-Services-Hospice-Care/100064240562985/ (https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Caring-Touch-Home-Health-Services-Hospice-Care/100064240562985/)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-caring-touch-home-health-services/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-caring-touch-home-health-services/)
Produced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com
Who has been a guest on A Caring Touch
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Robert Linden
Daintee Hurst-Dietz
Daintee Hurst Dietz
Larisa Silveira
Charles Libby
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
69
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
Contact A Caring Touch
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about A Caring Touch
Who hosts A Caring Touch?
Avishka Sondapperumaarachchi host the show. Published by A Caring Touch Home Health and Hospice.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does A Caring Touch take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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