Good Faith Jim's Campfire Story: Connection in the Face of Dementia
Mar 30, 2026
John Swinton, theologian and former nurse known for work on disability and dementia theology, appears and inspires reflections on personhood. The conversation touches on caregiving sacrifices, worship and new ways of connecting, and the idea that being remembered by God grounds identity beyond memory. Short, tender stories illustrate presence and dignity amid cognitive change.
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Carolyn's Fiddle Hoedowns And A Spontaneous Road Trip
- Jim remembers Carolyn as a spirited fiddler who turned their kitchen into hoedown nights playing tunes like Turkey in the Straw and Arkansas Traveler.
- He recounts a spontaneous road trip to Michigan with seats removed from their minivan and a sleeping bag, surprising their adult children.
Diagnosis Led Jim To Leave Teaching And Provide Fulltime Care
- Jim shares Carolyn's diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia and that she's been on home hospice since 2023, prompting a long caregiving journey predicted to last about ten years.
- He resigned from his high school science teaching job to become her primary caregiver, prioritizing her care over his career.
Personhood Anchored In God's Memory Not Memory Loss
- Jim says John Swinton's book Dementia, Living in the Memories of God reframed dementia as a theological issue, emphasizing personhood beyond cognitive capacity.
- John Swinton argues we are defined by being remembered by God, not by our memory or intellectual abilities.
