Lisette Carbajal was sitting in her dorm room at the University of Virginia when her mother called, crying as she told her Lisette’s father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In that moment Lisette—the daughter of Peruvian immigrants who speak little English—knew her future would be very different from that of most of her fellow students. In today’s show, Lisette talks about how her career and first big job working for former VA Governor Terry McAuliffe were shaped by her caregiving responsibilities and sense of obligation to her hard-working parents. She tells us what she’s learned from juggling her education and work with caring for her father, she talks about her work as an Alzheimer’s advocate and she tells us why well-meaning articles with advice on how to prepare for your future aren’t much help for millennials. With her wedding imminent, Lisette is preparing for the reality that this special day is unlikely to include her father.
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Find support: Resources for Millennial Caregivers
USC / UsAgainstAlzheimer’s study: Millennials and Dementia Caregiving in the United States
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s
Lisette and her dad, Jose.
Lisette with her fiancee and her dad.
Music: “Spirit Body” by Ketsa | CC BY NC ND | Free Music Archive
Scattered: My Year As An Accidental Caregiver is available in paperback and eBook at
