Aug. 14, 2026

What Remains When Memory Fades? Alzheimer's, Caregiving, and the Legacy of Storytelling

What Remains When Memory Fades? Alzheimer's, Caregiving, and the Legacy of Storytelling

What happens when the person who once cared for you begins to need your care? For many people in midlife, one of the most unexpected transitions isn't retirement, an empty nest, or a career change. It's becoming the caregiver for an aging parent. In this deeply moving episode of Message in the Middle, Marianne sits down with psychologist, memoirist, and poet Sarah Vosburgh to discuss her memoir, Who Will Name the Bees?, a powerful reflection on her mother's journey through Alzheimer's disease...

What happens when the person who once cared for you begins to need your care?

For many people in midlife, one of the most unexpected transitions isn't retirement, an empty nest, or a career change. It's becoming the caregiver for an aging parent.

In this deeply moving episode of Message in the Middle, Marianne sits down with psychologist, memoirist, and poet Sarah Vosburgh to discuss her memoir, Who Will Name the Bees?, a powerful reflection on her mother's journey through Alzheimer's disease and her own experience navigating the emotional realities of caregiving.

Together they explore:

• The moment a daughter becomes a caregiver
• The complicated emotions of loving someone through Alzheimer's
• Guilt, grief, and the weight of making difficult decisions
• The role reversal that happens when parents begin to depend on their children
• What remains when memory begins to fade
• The invisible emotional labor caregivers carry
• How writing became part of Sarah's healing journey
• Resilience, family dynamics, and finding meaning through loss

Through lyrical storytelling and honest reflection, Sarah offers a compassionate look at one of life's most challenging experiences while reminding us that connection, love, and identity often endure long after memories begin to disappear.

Whether you're caring for an aging parent, grieving a loved one, navigating dementia or Alzheimer's, or simply trying to make sense of a changing family relationship, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, understood, and a little less alone.

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