Awards:
Featured on Positive Talk Radio!
Marilyn Raichle, author of Don’t Walk Away, grew up in the shadow of Alzheimer’s. Nearly everyone in her father’s family and many in her mother’s developed the disease. Her mother Jean told her, “When we get Alzheimer’s, walk away. There is nothing you can do, so live your life and don’t sacrifice it for us.” Instead, Raichle became transformed, embracing the value and joy of people who are living with, not suffering from, dementia.
Listen to the full episode on Positive Talk Radio.
Featured on Printed Word Reviews!
In “Don’t Walk Away, A Care Partner’s Journey,” Marilyn Raichle offers a deeply personal and transformative account of her experience caring for her mother, Jean, who lived with Alzheimer’s. The book is structured as a series of touching vignettes with her mother’s paintings and photos, but it is far more than a simple memoir. It is a testament to the enduring human spirit and a revolutionary guide for redefining the caregiving experience, beautifully illustrated by Jean’s own vibrant artwork.
Read the full review here on Printed Word Reviews.
Featured on AlzAuthors Podcast!
In this episode, Marilyn Raichle, author of “Don’t Walk Away: A Care Partner’s Journey,” provides valuable insights into the impact of Alzheimer’s and dementia on family relationships, drawing from her personal experiences. Her focus on the power of art therapy for Alzheimer’s patients offers a unique perspective on navigating the complexities of dementia care. Through her book, Marilyn shares a compelling narrative that emphasizes the significance of embracing joy and creativity in the caregiving journey.
Listen to the full episode on AlzAuthors or YouTube.
Featured on Green House Podcast: Elevate EldercareBeautiful Things Podcast!
Raichle, who responded to her parents’ dementia diagnoses by dedicating herself to caregiving and advocacy, is a force to be reckoned with. Her experience led her to her work as an author and head of Maude’s Awards, which supports people currently walking the same path she did with her parents. We discuss her journey from a theater career to becoming a caregiver. Initially reluctant, she found joy and purpose through her mother’s art, which transformed her perspective on caregiving.
Listen here to episode “From the Theater to Dementia Advocacy”.
Featured on Behind Beautiful Things Podcast!
Marilyn is the author of the inspiring book “Don’t Walk Away: A Care Partner’s Journey”. This week, we discuss her childhood, how her family has always dealt with death, her mother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, her role as her mother’s caretaker, and the absolute joy Marilyn experienced spending every day of her mother’s journey with her. Marilyn has the goal of changing the view of dementia — please join us!
Listen to the full episode here.
Featured on Ira’s Everything Bagel Podcast!
In this caring episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Marilyn talks about how her mother, Jean, told her and her siblings that when she got Alzheimer’s, they should just “walk away”; why Marilyn didn’t walk away; how an art class showed her that her that Jean was “still there”; how she was still living with invention, wit and joy; Jean’s new “family”; the “enduring personhood” of people who live with dementia; why she wrote the book; sharing joy; the framework of loss: care partners; how she became the family caregiver; the “ladies of assisted living”; why “sometimes your brain just gets in the way”; letting go of the person who used to be; and learning to relate by slowing down.
Listen to the full episode on Ira’s Everything Bagel or YouTube.
Featured on the willGather Podcast!
“For many, a diagnosis can bring loss. What if, instead of focusing on what’s lost, we saw the creativity and art that continue to flourish, revealing the fullness of life that still lives within? Today, we’re joined by Marilyn Raichle, Author of “Don’t Walk Away: A Care Partner’s Journey” and Executive Director of Maude’s Awards for Innovation in Alzheimer’s Care, whose personal journey with her mother’s dementia offers a story of discovery, love, and the power of art.“
Listen to the full episode on Apple or Spotify.
Featured on Alzheimer’s Weekly!
“At times like these, when the world seems to be about people moving apart, the title and the message truly resonate with a message that needs to get out there. This book should make the world a better place.”
Read the full review here on Alzheimer’s Weekly.
A rave review from BookLife!
“Raichle’s description of her journey into this new space of joy, gratitude, and presence is both visceral and reflective. Her anecdotes of her visits to her mother’s assisted living facility depict the residents’ lives of abundance, despite all they’ve lost.”
Read the full review here on BookLife.
Praise for Don’t Walk Away
“With openness and humor, Raichle guides us along the transformative path that she traveled with her mother, as art becomes a new medium of communication. Communicating through art is nonlinear and emotional – and it reveals Jean’s inner vibrance. This lovely story shows that it is possible to live with joy and spark while living with dementia…but only if the environment around the person allows and supports this. This is a critical message for all of us.”
Beth Soltzberg, LICSW, MBA, Director, JF&CS Alzheimer’s/Related Dementias Family Support Program
“An insightful guide for staying present, adapting, and learning in the face of
Bonnie Wattles, Hilarity for charity
dementia. A profound exploration of the nuanced beauty inherent in loving someone
with Alzheimer’s.”
“Filled with joy, laughter and lessons learned, this is a perspective that offers a
Carin Mack, Director of Memory Loss Programming,
different and inspiring view of the Alzheimer’s experience.”
The Gathering Place, North Seattle
“Don’t Walk Away touches me deeply—it is simply so loving, full of gratitude and authenticity. What you speak resonates as truth for me…proven, lived, experiential truth.”
Daniel C Potts, MD. FAAN
“A remarkable book—illustrating that dementia does not only destroy, but also spares. Marilyn brings out her mother’s retained strengths, acting as a sort of scaffolding on which her mother Jean’s moments rest; providing a scaffolding for us, too, to understand Jean’s behavior in the moment. Would that everyone living with memory loss had such a curator.”
Tom Grabowski MD, Medical Director and Neurologist, Memory and Brain Wellness Center, University of Washington
“She is a master at showing us what I call being a CAR Egiver™. CAR stands for Conscious Awakening of Relationships and the Egiver is about being an Emotional Giver, one who appreciates individuals for who they are and realizes our relationships never end, they just change and can become deeper than we ever imagined when we let go and learn to play again as adults.”
Lori La Bey, Founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks, Co-founder of Dementia Map and Co-host of Conscious Caregiving with L & L
“This marvelous book inspirationally provides a new perspective on the retained strengths of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and how those can be utilized for their benefit and for the benefit of care partners alike.”
Marcus E. Raichle, MD, Neurologist and neuroscientist at Washington University in St Louis and member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine
“I love, love, love it!! Written with an authentic voice from a personal space — it definitely resonated with me. A great read for someone who is a caregiver and/or family member of someone with dementia or cognitive issues.”
Susan R. Law, Executive Director, I’m Still Here Foundation, & Care Partner who didn’t walk away
“There is so much wisdom and beauty on the pages of Don’t Walk Away. Marilyn has masterfully put into words the shared experiences of care-givers whose loved ones are living with Alzheimer’s.”
John Sharify, Award-winning broadcast journalist
Don't Walk Away 