179: The 'D' Word with Pete Hill and guest Glenna Hecht179: The 'D' Word with Pete Hill and guest Glenna Hecht
UK Health Radio Podcast
Pete Hill talks with author and HR professional Glenna Hecht about her nine-year journey caring for her mum with dementia and the simple ‘How old are you today?’ game that reshaped their relationship. Their conversation reflects on guilt, acceptance, and finding connection in the middle of decline.
35:43•7 Aug 2026
Time Travel, Dementia and a Daughter’s Game of Connection
Episode Overview
- You can’t fix dementia, but you can choose how you show up and face it alongside your loved one.
- Focus on connection rather than correction; meet the person where they are, including the age they feel.
- Take caregiving one step at a time and avoid trying to plan too far ahead when so much is uncertain.
- Give yourself grace when you react in ways you regret; learn from it and aim to do better next time.
- Simple rituals, like asking “How old are you today?”, can open meaningful moments even in advanced dementia.
“Dementia is not something you fix, it's something you face.”
That’s the journey shared here, as Glenna Hecht talks with host Pete Hill about her nine-year experience supporting her mum after a shocking phone call: “Your mother is missing.” You’ll hear how Glenna went from believing she could “fix” anything to realising, as she puts it, “dementia is not something you fix, it’s something you face.” She describes the early panic of juggling work, distance, and sudden responsibility, the guilt of missing early warning signs, and the harsh moment a doctor first used “the D word” — dementia — about her mum.
What happens when a high-powered HR executive swaps corporate problem-solving for caring for a parent with dementia? The conversation is especially helpful for anyone caring for a loved one with cognitive decline. Glenna openly shares the times she lost her temper, sat crying in her car, or hid in her wardrobe because she didn’t like the daughter she’d just been.
From that low point came a new inner message: “observe and be patient and listen and travel,” which led to a gentler, more present way of being with her mum.
The heart of the episode is Glenna’s simple but powerful game, born from one question: “How old are you today?” By meeting her mum at whatever age she felt she was, Glenna created a form of ‘time travel’ that brought joy, connection, and even moments where her mother, aged 39 in her mind, cradled an imaginary “miracle baby” — Glenna herself.
This warm, often moving conversation speaks directly to exhausted carers who feel they should be getting it right all the time. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m trying my best, but I’m failing,” this one gently suggests you’re doing far better than you think. What might change for you if you stopped trying to correct your loved one and started trying to connect instead?
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