Susan Troyer, Author at A Beautiful Voice

Ms. Digest for Dementia Carers
No Longer a Private Family Matter: The caregiving crisis hiding in plain sight — and what it’s really costing American families

Somewhere tonight, a daughter is learning to insert a feeding tube using YouTube. Her mother, who once taught her how to tie her shoelaces, no longer recognizes her face. The home health aide hasn't shown up in three days. That image stopped me mid-scroll. Not because it was [...]

Susan Troyer2026-07-02T17:33:19-05:00June 28th, 2026|Categories: Creating Community|Tags: Alzheimer's, Caregivers, Dementia, Family caregivers collectively provide $1.01 trillion in unpaid labor, More direct-care workers needed, Policy infrastructure built for earlier time, Society suffers from "cultural dementia", Unpaid care work is not counted in GDP, Women caregivers in their late forties lose an average of $324K over their lifetime, Women provide 61 percent of all unpaid caregiving|0 Comments

What is it? Remarkable!
Scientists found a hobby that ages your brain BACKWARDS. It costs nothing. What is it?

Neal Shah states in a short video: "Walking reverses brain aging, according to neuroimaging research. But...," he continues...: "Bird watching is better!" Neal K. Shah is a Johns Hopkins- and NIH-funded caregiving researcher and CEO of CareYaya. Scroll down for his 2.14 min. video. Having received reports on this research [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-30T06:52:37-05:00June 26th, 2026|Categories: A Sense of Place|Tags: A no-cost prescription, Alzheimer's, Bird watching ages your brain BACKWARDS, Dementia caregivers, Neal called it "The cheapest medicine ever!", The National Audubon Society|0 Comments

365 Ways to Say I Care
Way #14: Make a Simple Bird Feeder

Why this helps: Creating something with your hands that invites birds into your yard connects your loved one to the living world outside. Watching birds visit a feeder you made together brings ongoing joy and a sense of purpose. The activity itself—spreading peanut butter, rolling in seeds—engages fine motor skills [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-25T21:00:02-05:00June 25th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: 365 Ways to Say I Care, Alzheimer's, Creative therapy for a calm mind, Dementia caregivers, Making a simple bird feeder, Novelty journaling, The effects of bird-watching on brain aging|0 Comments

Featured Voices in Caregiving
No Longer a Private Family Matter: Conversations with professionals transformed by family caregiving

Bella DePaulo, PhD, agreed to help us set the stage and lead the conversation for our series of interviews on the topic, "No Longer a Private Family Matter: Conversations with professionals transformed by family caregiving." She is a social scientist, author, blogger, teacher, speaker, and consultant who has authored and [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-23T14:24:13-05:00June 22nd, 2026|Categories: Creating Community|Tags: Alzheimer's, Conversations about aging in the US, Dementia caregivers, First in a series of conversations with professionals transformed by family caregiving, Foundation for the Empowerment of Single People, Interview with Dr. Bella DePaulo, Leading researcher on Singlism, Psychology Today Blog: Living Single, Single at Heart, Singlism in family caregiving, The "Available Person" in family caregiving, The term "singlism" coined by Dr. Bella DePaulo|0 Comments

This is happening now!
New feature – bulletin board announcements

On a trial basis, we are introducing a new feature for the magazine. Why? ... For readers to stay abreast of what is unfolding. Let us know if it is helpful! Posted by: Susan Troyer, MS, BA

Susan Troyer2026-06-24T13:33:54-05:00June 22nd, 2026|Categories: Creating Community|0 Comments

Moving forward: Featured Voices
To friends and readers who may have wondered why I suddenly disappeared from Facebook

"Facebook suspension" - What...?! In late March, both my personal Facebook account and my ABeautifulVoice.org page were suspended without warning or meaningful explanation. After considerable research and consultation with experienced technology professionals, I learned that this type of abrupt suspension has happened to many others as well — often through [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-22T16:42:22-05:00June 22nd, 2026|Categories: Creating Community|Tags: Abrupt Facebook suspension, Moving forward following Facebook suspension|0 Comments

Living in a grief illiterate world
We don’t move on… We move forward

David Kessler is an American author, public speaker, and grief expert. He has published many books, including two co-written with psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, MD. Looking to him as a leading grief expert when seeking support, we can be comforted knowing he is well-informed and providing reliable information on the topic. [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-22T14:42:47-05:00June 20th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: Alzheimer's, Caregivers, Dementia, Grief illiteracy, Grief. Death, Loss, Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Suffering|0 Comments

Transforming thoughts
See me – hear me

We hold this space for “transforming thoughts.” All are included here because the message is appropriate for the care of someone living with dementia. The messages speak to the monumental need for societal change in our approach to caring. From old narratives To new narratives. From impossible To what [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-09T11:32:59-05:00June 9th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|0 Comments

A Sense of Place
God’s Gardener

I found this poem among Mother’s papers following her death. Typed with her best Smith-Corona - on paper which is now yellowed, she had used her red ink pen from the classroom for her greeting and signature. The words entered in her handwriting were, “To My Loving Farmer Husband” and [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-08T22:38:08-05:00June 8th, 2026|Categories: A Sense of Place|Tags: A poem about my father and the land he farmed|0 Comments

365 Ways to Say I Care
Way #13: Read a Short Summer Story Aloud

Why this helps: Reading aloud is different from poetry (Way #2). A short story—just a few pages—offers a narrative arc, characters, and a gentle plot. This can be more engaging for some people while still being low-pressure. Summer-themed stories about beaches, gardens, or family gatherings can spark seasonal memories. [...]

Susan Troyer2026-06-06T23:57:53-05:00June 6th, 2026|Categories: Literary Companionship|Tags: Activities requiring very minimal preparation to engage a person living with dementia, Alzheimer's, Calming and soothing activities to engage a person living with dementia, Caregivers, Dementia, Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Reading aloud to each other in dementia care|0 Comments

stroyer

About Susan Troyer