Inspired 8/2

Finding a Calling: A Passion for Serving Those with Dementia

Lynn Casteel Harper shares what drew her into chaplaincy and how an unexpected message sparked a curiosity and passion for serving those with dementia. Introducing her personal experiences with her grandfather, Harper wrestles with guilt and the challenges caregivers too often face alone. 

Rethinking Darkness:  Getting Comfortable with the Shadows
The conversation continues as Harper reflects on how language around memory loss reveals a society that prioritizes the young and healthy. She challenges faith leaders to rethink the metaphors and practices of institutional care through a social justice lens.

 

Ageism and Covid-19: A Social Justice Issue

Harper shares how her own risk for dementia inspires her efforts to educate the public and advocate for changes in policy and practice.  From the Trump Administration’s reduced oversight and relaxed fines for infection control violations in long-term facilities to the underpaid caregivers who are disproportionately women of color, Harper calls for a change in social policy.  A change she argues will only happen if it’s a public demand.  


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