Finding the Right Words: Cindy Weinstein on Grief, Memory, and Dementia Care

📝 Episode Overview:

In this deeply moving episode, Laura sits down with Cindy Weinstein, author and English professor, to discuss her experience as a long-distance caregiver for her father who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Together, they explore themes of grief, memory, storytelling, and how language can help us understand—and cope—with dementia. This conversation blends personal reflection with powerful insights into neurology and the emotional complexity of caregiving.

👤 Meet Cindy Weinstein:

Cindy Weinstein is the Eli and Edythe Broad Professor of English at the California Institute of Technology. Her academic work focuses on U.S. literature, and she has authored several books. Most recently, she published Finding the Right Words: A Story of Literature, Grief, and the Brain, which interweaves her family’s Alzheimer’s journey with accessible explanations of brain science and emotional healing.

📌 Topics Discussed:

- Alzheimer’s through the lens of literature and science

- What long-distance caregiving looks and feels like

- Understanding depression in dementia care

- Why language matters in grief and medical conversations

- The healing power of writing and storytelling

- How caregivers can advocate for themselves through knowledge

⏱️ Timestamps (Approximate):

00:00 – Introduction and meeting Cindy Weinstein

02:04 – Cindy’s early exposure to neurology as a literature student

04:20 – Her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and long-distance caregiving

07:48 – The emotional toll of depression and dementia

10:55 – How caregiving restructured her life and perspective

14:12 – The power of naming and understanding what’s happening in the brain

18:03 – Why Cindy wrote Finding the Right Words

21:00 – The importance of storytelling and sharing your journey with medical providers

26:10 – Navigating grief and finding moments of beauty and humor

32:34 – Reflections on memory, language, and letting go

37:45 – How she bridges literature and science in her work

42:10 – Final thoughts and message to caregivers

💡 Key Takeaways:

- Caregiving changes your relationship with time, memory, and identity

- Grief can coexist with moments of humor, beauty, and connection

- Sharing your story is not only healing—it’s essential in medical settings

- Understanding the brain helps caregivers feel more empowered and less alone

- Literature and neuroscience can work together to help us process loss

📚 Resources Mentioned:

Finding the Right Words: A Story of Literature, Grief, and the Brain by Cindy Weinstein

→ weinsteinandmiller.com

🤝 Connect with Cindy Weinstein:

Website: weinsteinandmiller.com

Mastodon: @CindyWeinstein@zirk.us

🌿 Connect with Laura Vaillancourt & the Life on Repeat Podcast:

Website: https://lifeonrepeatpodcast.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/lifeonrepeatpodcast

Facebook: https://facebook.com/lifeonrepeatpodcast

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeonRepeatPodcast

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