About 
Hello.
My name is Karen Stobbe.
My Dad, Manfred died from Alzheimer’s disease. My Mom, Virginia, is living with Alzheimer’s disease. 
My life is not what I had ever imagined it to be and yet couldn't imagine it any other way.

I have been sharing what I know, think and feel since my Dad's diagnosis. 
I have written a show about caregiving , a training program, consulted on a National Alzheimer's Association training program and was the co-developer for the Hand in Hand Training Program produced by CMS and distributed to every nursing home in the country. 

I have spoken to families and to doctors; a group of 12 and an audience of 1300; in a teeny town in Texas and in downtown Toronto. 

I know I have a unique perspective. 

I am very passionate about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.  The biggest compliment is someone saying to me, " Now, I get it. " 
I am honored to speak to others about my experiences and how to be with persons with Alzheimer's disease. 

If I am privileged to live long enough, I have a very big chance of developing Alzheimer's disease and 
part of what I am doing now,  is actually a little self serving. 

I was born in Elmhurst, Illinois. 
I am the youngest of six kids and we span the actual Baby Boomer generation. 
I love the sound of water. I do not like beets.  I love every kind of berry. And bell peppers are not my friend. 
If I lived alone I would turn into a dog and cat lady. Seriously, it would not be good. 

I am married to my best friend. His name is Mondy.  
He is a fabulous actor and a very funny improv comedian. 
According to my Mom, Mondy is the funniest, sweetest and best person who has ever walked the Earth. Most of the time I agree. 

We live in Black Mountain, NC with our daughter Grace, 
who is full of grace but not graceful and Mom Virginia who was actually born in West Virginia.
We have a sweetheart of a beagle/blue tick hound mix named Ginger, a little mutt named Gus and now a puppy named Pixie.

Mondy & I met performing a show together and we are still going strong. Mondy and I wrote and perform the two-person show: Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh. I wrote the book by the same name, which is in its third printing. I  developed a 6-week training program called In the Moment, which uses creativity, improvisation and theatre as training tools. It’s available for free on the web at www.in-themoment.com.  

Mondy is an accomplished actor starring in over 100 stage productions, 
many commercials, voice-overs, 4 films, industrial videos and improvisational shows. 
He is also an accomplished writer including 4 comic books and 7 plays.  
We really like being onstage together.  
We have a found a way to do what we love and bring what we know to each moment onstage. 

I have realized this is what I am supposed to be doing. 

My Go Fund Me Campaign

Here is a link to my campaign to raise funds to start a free website for families.


It will include 
video clip of real life scenarios, tips, a Q&A page and more...


Check it out and see our sample video.

http://www.gofundme.com/beinginthemoment