About Sue: Sue Dickey is a retired registered nurse and healthcare leader whose career has focused on aging, hospice, oncology, and dementia care. As a member of the Giving Voice Foundation Board of Directors, she continues her lifelong passion for supporting individuals and families impacted by dementia. She believes that even when we cannot change a diagnosis, we can always help make someone’s day a little better.

I’ve always had a passion for older adults. That’s because I loved listening to their stories, which started with my grandparents. We had a wonderful relationship. It wasn’t until I was in nursing school that I realized my dad’s father probably had Alzheimer’s disease, although back then it wasn’t even called Alzheimer’s. As grandchildren, we weren’t allowed to be around him because he had fits of anger. Looking back now, I’m positive that he was experiencing sun downing..

In the beginning of my nursing career, I worked on an oncology floor. People often stayed in the hospital for weeks because they couldn’t be cared for at home. My first year as a nurse, I worked Christmas Day. There was a gentleman who was dying. It was just he and his wife – no children. I sat with them as he died. It was peaceful. It was one of the greatest privileges of my career to share that moment with his wife. People are sometimes surprised when I say this, but I love being with people when they die. It is such a sacred time. It reminds you what really matters.

Over the years, my career evolved into nursing leadership, staff development, aging services, hospice, and dementia care. No matter what my title was or where I worked, I always found myself coming back to older adults and the families who loved and cared for them. I think that was always where I was meant to be.

One of the things I loved most was conducting family care consultations. I remember sitting in a family’s home one Christmas. Twenty-one people – representing three generations – were gathered together. Some family members believed their loved one had dementia. Others were convinced nothing was wrong. My role wasn’t to convince anyone. It was to help bring people together around one shared purpose: doing what was best for the person they loved.

I always wanted families to leave with something positive. Maybe it was a new way to communicate. Maybe it was learning about an adult day program. Maybe it was simply knowing they weren’t alone.

As you all know, dementia isn’t like other diseases. There can be good days and difficult days, but the disease is progressive. Because of that, I’ve always believed that if I can offer one thing that makes someone’s day a little better, I want to do it.

My cup has always been half full. While I can’t offer a cure, I can offer hope. I can offer encouragement. And I can offer connection. Sometimes it’s just that simple.

Giving Voice Foundation has given me so much hope for the future of dementia care. Being even a small part of an organization that is changing the caregiving experience for individuals and families impacted by dementia is an incredible privilege.

I’ve spent my entire career believing that even when we cannot change a diagnosis, we can still change someone’s day. Sometimes all people need is a little more understanding. A little more connection. A little more hope.
And if I can be part of that, then I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

Did this story remind you of one of your own?

Whether you’re living with dementia, supporting someone you love, working alongside families, or carrying a memory that matters, we’d be honored to hear it.