‘Just Ask Dr. Macie’: Author hosts YouTube, Saltbox TV show

Due to her dedication to continuing her own education and her passion for sharing her knowledge as a content developer on her YouTube channel, “Just Ask Dr. Macie,” this small-town girl caught the attention of one of the co-founders of Saltbox TV. The popularity of her channel and her dynamic demeanor as a genuine personality and host led to her receiving a broadcast spot on the free, streaming digital platform that features the lifestyles of older adults and is available on Roku and FireTV.

“I was always the one who protected the underdog, so I knew from high school that I wanted to be a social worker,” said Macie, jokingly stating that the fact that she got into trouble for “talking too much in class” made that career choice a no-brainer for her.

As a young woman being close to her parents, Macie said she didn’t want to venture too far from home when choosing a college.

“I grew up in a small town where opportunities were limited, except when it came to a quality higher education experience,” said Macie.

“South Carolina State University was only about 20 minutes from my house, and I knew it was prestigious and rich in history. I applied and was admitted. It was my first and only choice, hands-down. I obtained my bachelor’s in social work and my master’s in rehabilitation counseling from SCSU.”

“While achieving both degrees, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but since I was working for a disabilities agency in Columbia, I decided to use what I had to get what I wanted, and that means mastering the art of person-centered care,” she said.

As she worked and learned, she began to realize that she had something special that allowed her to brighten someone’s day.

“With that simple piece of information, that could be life-changing for the caregiving experience. You see, caring for someone with a disability takes a lot of patience and the ability to connect to resources, but only if you know what the resources are, where they are and how to request those resources.”

“That was my job — to lift someone’s spirits and to improve the quality of life for those with disabilities and those caring for them with useful, timely and relatable information.”

She said that during her time working with the state’s disabilities and special needs agency, many of her patients began developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, so she started researching and learning in earnest.

“I began taking classes to perfect my craft of dementia-competent care. While I was on that journey, my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, so I had the opportunity to learn to grow and develop both professionally and personally.”

Her quest led her to pursue and earn a doctoral degree in higher education leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

“I knew that one day I would want to teach and train college students to become effective gerontology social workers. Because of the knowledge that I gained during my course of developing dementia-competent care practices, I started creating professional development courses for organizations and communities,” she said.

It was then that she wrote and published, “A Dementia Caregivers Guide to Care,” specifically with family caregivers in mind.

“My passion for supporting this vulnerable population brought me into the field, but my purpose to build community and champion legislations to better support those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and their caregivers, keeps me in the industry.”

Today, Macie says she spends her time developing content for Saltbox TV, serving as an assistant professor t Benedict College and as an elected member of the board of trustees at South Carolina State University.

You can join the more than 5,000 subscribers who watch video segments on her YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/JustAskDrMacie, where she is described as “The Social Gerontologist” who offers valuable, realistic training to both family and professional caregivers of those diagnosed with dementia.

If you enjoy reading, you can order a digital version for your Kindle reader or purchase a copy of her paperback book on Amazon.com.

Macie has been featured in several media outlets, from ABC Columbia to WIS TV and WLTX, has been a contributor to the OnPoint segment of WACH FOX 57, and she has written columns published in the Carolina Panorama newspaper.

To find out more about Macie and different platforms where you can find helpful advice on caregiving for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, visit https://linktr.ee/drmaciep. If you are interested in booking Macie for professional development and training purposes, visit https://www.bookdrmacie.com/.