Inside STAT: For dementia caregivers, a place to share with strangers — and be honest

(HYACINTH EMPINADO/STAT)

“It was living hell.” That’s how Barbara Metcalf described her experience being a caregiver for her husband, who has dementia. And even though much didn’t change with her daily routine, something did change when Metcalf found Mary Smallwood. Smallwood, whose husband also has dementia, seemed to truly understand the daily struggles and frustrations of caring for a dementia patient, from being blamed for the condition to being accused of having an affair with the mailman. But theirs wasn’t a chance meeting in person. Instead the women — who live nearly 1,000 miles apart and have never met offline — met through caregiver groups on Facebook. And more are starting to do the same. Through reporting the story, it became clear “how much some caregivers need that space to be honest and open,” STAT’s Megan Thielking tells me. Read more here.