Call to Mind

About Call to Mind

Audio diaries of love and memory loss, recorded by caregivers of family members living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Join Mariko Sakamoto, assistant professor of nursing at the University of Victoria, for a second season of intimate stories recorded by spouses, children and grandchildren journeying alongside a loved one living with dementia. Family caregivers are the lifeblood of the healthcare system for the more than 750,000 people in Canada currently living with dementia. Every year, they provide more than 580 million unpaid hours of care both at home and in long-term care settings. Whether you’re a caregiver, or know someone with dementia, we hope this podcast series helps you feel heard or gives you a deeper understanding and empathy for the family caregiving experience. This series is part of a UVic research project that explores storytelling, different ways of listening, and the power of being heard. Go to CalltoMindPodcast.com to see storyteller photos, read episode transcriptions and learn more about our research project. The multi-award-winning first series, released in 2022, was hosted by Debra Sheets, UVic professor emerita of nursing. Produced by Jenni Schine; sound design by David Parfit; executive producer, Suzanne Ahearne. This podcast series is made possible by the generosity and creativity of the participants in this research project, as well as by the University of Victoria, with funding support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Michael Smith Health Research BC and The Alzheimer’s Society of BC.

Publisher

University of Victoria

Category

education · society & culture · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Jan 2022

Latest episode

30 Jan 2025

Latest episodes

10 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Jan 2025

   Sleep well my little pussycat

   Marjorie shares her audio diary, recorded over six weeks, detailing her unwavering love and support for her mother, Alexandria, in long-term care, demonstrating the enduring bond between a daughter and her mother until her last breath.

2. 

   30 Jan 2025

   It takes a village

   Lana-Michele shares her experience of caring for her father Reynold who lives with dementia on a rural ranch with family support, in an interview with Mariko Sakamoto.

3. 

   30 Jan 2025

   The long dance

   Gerri shares her emotional journey of caregiving for her husband Don who has dementia, highlighting how she finds rest and renewal through nature, friends, art, and music in this episode.

4. 

   30 Jan 2025

   Becoming a granddaughter again

   Ashley shares her experience as a young caregiver for her grandmother Devki, highlighting the challenges of racism and healthcare gaps, and rediscovering her role as a granddaughter in an interview with Mariko Sakamoto.

5. 

   29 Jan 2025

   Welcome to Call to Mind, Season 2

   Mariko Sakamoto introduces season two of "Call to Mind," a podcast sharing stories from caregivers of family members with Alzheimer's and dementia, highlighting the power of storytelling and being heard.

6. 

   30 Jan 2022

   Every Minute of Respite: Wendy and Judith

   Wendy and Judith share their experiences of moving in together to cope with confusion and sadness, revealing the importance of self-care and rediscovering the meaning of home in this interview episode.

7. 

   30 Jan 2022

   Intelligent Noises: Margie and Brian

   Married couple Margie and Brian share how music and singing help them cope with dementia and find joy, with Brian explaining his secrets to happiness in this interview episode with Debra Sheets.

8. 

   30 Jan 2022

   Snowstorm: Daphne and Miki

   Daphne and Miki recount their 42-year love story, highlighting their shared dedication to advocacy, social justice, and mental health, as they discuss forging families and staying in love; this is an interview.

9. 

   30 Jan 2022

   Beautiful Morning: Brenda and Dot

   Brenda shares her experience of bringing her mother Dot home from long-term care during the pandemic, revealing the joys and challenges of caring for someone with dementia in this interview with Debra Sheets.

10. 

    21 Jan 2022

    Introducing Call to Mind

    Host Debra Sheets introduces the "Call to Mind" podcast series, which shares audio diaries and conversations from people living with Alzheimer's and dementia during the pandemic, revealing challenges, rewards, and ways to find joy.

Who has been a guest on Call to Mind

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Marjorie
• Lana-Michele
• Gerri
• Ashley
• Wendy

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

4.3 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 27 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

41

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

31

Contact Call to Mind

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.