Kelli Bradley

Hi, Thanks for approving me to join. I am a caregiver to my mother who has Lewy Body Dementia. If you're not familiar with LBD it is very intense. There is a LOT I could say about it but not now. I am in need of support from fellow caregivers. I am certain that my 5 years of caregiving might be useful to others in the same situation.

New comment 18d ago

Kelli Bradley

0 likes • 18d

@Roxanne Godair Thank you so much for being here and for sharing a piece of your story. It takes courage to speak up—especially when you’ve been carrying something as heavy and consuming as Lewy Body Dementia. LBD is incredibly intense and unpredictable, and the way you’ve shown up for your mom for five years says everything about your strength, devotion, and resilience. Please know: you are seen here. You are not alone here. Caregivers often do their work in the shadows, but this space was built so you don’t have to shoulder it all quietly. If (and only when) you feel ready, I know others would benefit so much from what you’ve learned along the way. Your lived experience is a gift—especially in a community where every single person “gets it” without lengthy explanations. In the meantime, here are a few resources that many caregivers navigating LBD find grounding: - Teepa Snow (Positive Approach to Care) — She is one of the clearest, most compassionate educators on Lewy Body Dementia. Her videos on hallucinations, fluctuations, and mobility changes are beneficial. - It’s Called Life – Awareness Journaling prompts — These can help you track the tiny shifts that LBD throws at you day-to-day, so you can advocate and plan without feeling like you’re losing your footing. - Community Threads — Feel free to ask questions, share a moment, or vent. Someone here will understand. Thank you again for trusting us with this first post. I hope you’ll continue to lean in and let us support you the same way you’ve so fiercely supported your mom. We’re delighted you’re here. 💕

Kelli Bradley

18d •

🤨General discussion🤨

When You Miss Who They Used to Be

There are days when caregiving feels less like a role and more like a split in time —the version of the person you remember, and the version you’re caring for now. I’ve been thinking about my mom today. Not the mom I supported at the end of her life…but the mom who shaped mine. The mom who waited in the car line and waved when she saw me was the best part of her day. The mom who sat in the bleachers at every volleyball game, cheering so loud it embarrassed me — and secretly made me feel invincible. The mom who was my first phone call, my first safe place, my first audience for every story. The mom who always answered when I called her name…or who I searched the whole house for when she didn’t. I miss her. And sometimes that ache surprises me. Caregiving isn’t only about what we’re doing now. It’s also about grieving the “before.”The version of our parents who held us long before we ever held them. If you’re feeling that way today,I want to hear from you. Who was your person before caregiving found you? What’s a memory you hold close — even if it hurts a little? You can share as much or as little as you want. This is a soft corner of the internet —and you don’t have to navigate this part of the journey alone. We’re here. And we see you. Always, Kelli 💕

Kelli Bradley

Sep 22 •

📰Monthly Newsletter📰

Fall Newsletter

Happy Fall, what a beautiful time of year. This year has been especially challenging for me. It got me thinking about how we move forward with grief and loss. How do we return to work? How do our colleagues, friends, and family respond? What will our employer think? Will I be given some grace at work? This conversation is directed to anyone who has experienced a loss, and especially for those folks who are managing employees. At the end of the day, we are all human beings. I would love to know your thoughts. If you know anyone who would benefit from our community, please share this information with them.💕 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/caregiver-brief-fall-2025-kelli-bradley-szrcc/

Kelli Bradley

Sep 15 •

🤨General discussion🤨

When Crisis Crashes Into Caregiving

Most of us don't prepare to be caregivers. We're simply living life—until a phone call, a diagnosis, or a hospital stay flips everything upside down. A dear friend has been battling some health issues since March. At first, it was diagnosed as a pesky tumor that needed to be removed and watched. No harm, no foul, but fast forward to August, and the pain returned with a diagnosis of cancer. Twelve days later, she was gone. My heart, along with many others, is broken. Why should someone be taken so early, so young, so full of life? It makes no sense, and I know many of you have been in this same position. My friend came home with grief, fear of what was next, and a brochure in her hands. Hospice services were arranged, but I don't think she was prepared to see a hospital bed, walker, wheelchair, potty chair—all at once. Her safe space became unrecognizable. Her friends wanted to help but had no roadmap. This is what unexpected caregiving feels like: overwhelming, messy, lonely. But this is why It's Called Life exists. Because here, you don't have to figure it out alone. I know we are just getting started, but please share this space with one person. That is how we build one person at a time. There are 63 million unpaid caregivers who need support. Let's be that lifeline! 💬 What was the most challenging part when caregiving first landed in your lap? Or, if you're in it now, what's one thing you wish others understood about what you're carrying? Your story could be the lifeline another member needs today. Alive, a little undone, and still devoted, Kelli💕

New comment 30d ago

Kelli Bradley

0 likes • Sep 15

@Beth Reed my heart is with you. Five minutes can redraw an entire life—and ALS brings a thousand more moments you never planned for. Thank you for sharing this here. You are not alone, and you are not invisible.

Kelli Bradley

Sep 1 •

🤨General discussion🤨

You Are Not Alone

Life doesn’t play fair. This year has been heavy. I’ve said goodbye to one dear friend and watched another face a heartbreaking diagnosis. It’s reminded me—again—that caregiving, illness, and grief don’t follow rules. They come suddenly, they turn life upside down, and sometimes there are no answers. No cure. No clear way forward. And in those moments, I’m struck by two truths:💔 Grief often begins long before goodbye.💔 The only thing that makes it bearable is not having to carry it alone. To anyone walking through the unimaginable right now: your heartbreak matters. Your strength is seen. And your fear, exhaustion, and love are all valid. This is why I created It’s Called Life. Because while we can’t stop the storms, we can stand beside one another and whisper, “You’re not alone.” Please share this community with anyone who might need a little extra support. Alive. A little undone. Still devoted. — The Devoted Daughter

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Kelli Bradley

@kelli-bradley-1806

Founder, The Devoted Daughter | It’s Called Life: A space for anyone navigating caregiving, grief & identity. Alive. A little undone.

Active 15d ago

Joined Oct 12, 2023

Bend, Oregon