My Life with Dementia
My name is Gerda Saunders. Since I was diagnosed with early-onset dementia at age 61, I have publicly spoken about my mental deterioration in a blog, book, and short films produced by RadioWest. Using footage from 2016 to 2022, RadioWest and PBS Utah jointly produced an hour-long documentary, The Gerda That Remains. It portrays how I, my husband Peter, my children, my grandchildren, and friends experience the erosion of my identity through memory loss. While revealing what remains of my former self and what I continuously have to let go, it also shows how we have lived joyously for over a decade with the d-word.
Blog Posts
The gift of the Magi, sort of
When dementia had shrunk my mother’s world to a bedroom, corridors to walk, a dining room and—on weekends, holidays, and other celebratory occasions—the homes of her children, food remained for her a compelling interest. She would sit at the table, deaf to attempts at communication, but very attentive to what was on her plate or […]
Utah rebroadcast of the PBS film “The Gerda That Remains” on May 5, 7 pm AND May 9, 11 pm
As you, my readers, may have noticed, I have not posted on my website for over two months. Part of the reason was happy: after the February release of the PBS film The Gerda That Remains, (a documentary about how Peter and I and our family manage to still live joyfully 11 years after my dementia diagnosis), I […]
You can now stream “The Gerda That Remains” on PBS Utah
Dear friends, The film about how my family and I live joyfully with my dementia is now available for streaming. For those of you who were unable to watch the premiere yesterday, follow the link below. Thanks so much for your years of supporting me and my family with your love. Below, click the image […]
Pre-interviews re PBS/KUER’s “The Gerda That Remains,” which premieres 7 pm MT Thu Feb 17 on PBS Utah Channel 7
Featured image: Videographer and friend Kelsie Moore’s selfie I have recently been involved in events related to tomorrow’s broadcasting of The Gerda That Remains: ONE Click HERE for podcast host Sally Vallarta of City Cast Salt Lake’s interview with Gerda TWO Click HERE: producer Sally Shaum and videographer/filmmaker Kelsie Moor discuss The Gerda That […]
The Salt Lake City Saunderses celebrate Peter’s 74th birthday and preview “The Gerda that Remains”
Featured photo: Aliya Saunders takes a selfie of the whole family celebrating Peter’s birthday. Many thanks to Peter for all your help in sizing and editing the photos, and putting them in a place where I could find them. (Photo, Aliya.)O Don’t mess with these women! As part of Peter’s 74th birthday celebration, PBS […]
PBS TV film “The Gerda that Remains” premieres Thu Feb 17, 2022, on Utah TV Channel 7; also streams online
Featured photo and all other photos (except where otherwise indicated) by Kelsie Moor (former KUER-, now independent videographer); and by other members of the filming/directing crew. My family and I are so grateful for the amazing work Doug Fabrizio of KUER‘s RadioWest, Kelsie Moore (formerly KUER RadioWest-, now independent videographer), Josh Weathers (former KUER RadioWest-, now independent videographer) Elaine […]
Doña Quixote, aka my dementia, doesn’t get the joke; Peter despairs, no-longer-Gerda desponds
Featured image: Illustration from Brian Froud and Alan Lee’s Faeries, depicting Mr. Despair and [Ms] Despondency. When loved ones with dementia become tactless, rude, or offensive, people who have known them in better days will often observe that “X is no longer X.” Over the past months, “no-longer-Gerda” behavior has been creeping into my daily life […]