Carlos L. Olivas Jr., known affectionately by family and close friends as Charlie—or playfully as “Charlie Robot” -has lived a life defined by creativity, dedication, and love. Born and raised in modest means in Oroville, California, he carried the values of hard work, humility, and family close to his heart from a young age. Those early experiences shaped the man who would become a father, a veteran, a lifelong learner, and a creative soul whose art continues to inspire.
Charlie’s career and life journey are a testament to his ingenuity and discipline. From 1960 to 1965, he proudly served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Bluegill, contributing as an illustrator draftsman and working on nuclear weapons planning during a pivotal time in history. After completing his service, he pursued higher education at California State University, Sacramento, and launched a career at CSUS in Media Services, applying his technical skill and creative vision to support education and communication across the campus.
Through it all, art remained a constant thread in Charlie’s life. A lifelong “busy body” and creative thinker, he has always found purpose and joy in creating—whether in sketches, drawings, or explorations of form and color. Eight years ago, as he began navigating life with Alzheimer’s, his art became even more essential. Charlie describes his process simply: “This is my brain today.”
Each line, shape, and stroke is a moment captured in time - a personal testament to his enduring mind, spirit, and creative will. Using primarily ink in recent years, he works with whatever materials he can access, creating pieces that are at once intimate, expressive, and profoundly alive. His work now hangs proudly at Artbeat Gallery in Downtown Sacramento, a living record of creativity meeting courage.
Family has always been the center of Charlie’s universe. As a father, he has imparted invaluable lessons of heart, humor, and resilience. He has taught his son, Carlos L. Olivas III, and others around him to live with integrity, to honor relationships, and to approach life with dedication and love. He leads quietly, through example rather than proclamation—instilling conviction, discipline, humor, and a steadfast sense of responsibility that have shaped generations.
Navigating Alzheimer’s with grace and humor, Charlie’s spirit remains unshaken. The disease has altered the daily rhythms of life, yet it has not diminished his essence. He continues to embrace each day with curiosity, creativity, and a gentle joy that permeates his interactions with family, friends, and the broader community. His journey is a vivid demonstration that while memory may fade, character, creativity, and love endure.
Carlos proudly walks beside his father as his caregiver and partner in this chapter of life. Their bond is the heartbeat of their shared journey, blending care with connection, laughter with resilience, and daily challenges with profound purpose. Together, they navigate the complex landscape of Alzheimer’s with a combination of dedication, humor, and unwavering love, creating a model of
of caregiving rooted in respect and shared humanity.
Charlie’s life and work are now celebrated beyond the private spaces of family. As a docent at Artbeat Gallery, he represents and curates his artwork, giving visitors a window into the mind of an artist courageously living with Alzheimer’s. His presence and creations offer inspiration not only to those experiencing cognitive change, but also to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of creativity, perseverance, and the human spirit.
This website exists to honor Charlie’s life and legacy. It showcases his art, preserves his story, and highlights the human side of Alzheimer’s—illuminating the person behind the diagnosis. Here, Charlie is the central figure; his artistry, humor, and wisdom take center stage. And while his son and caregiver supports and amplifies his journey, it is Charlie’s creativity, courage, and enduring spirit that remain at the heart of the project.
In every line he draws, every story he shares, and every interaction he nurtures, Charlie reminds us that life, even when complicated by Alzheimer’s, is still full of color, curiosity, and connection. His legacy is one of strength, creativity, and love—a vivid portrait of a man whose spirit continues to shine brightly, inspiring all who have the privilege of knowing him.
In 2015, Carlos L. Olivas III made a life-altering decision that would transform not only his future, but the landscape of Alzheimer’s caregiver advocacy. With deep devotion and unwavering love, he left his career in Ventura, packed up his life, and returned 400 miles north to Sacramento - back to the home where he grew up, and where his father now needed him most. His dad was courageously navigating life with Alzheimer’s dementia, and Carlos stepped fully into the role of primary family caregiver, determined to walk with him through every stage of the journey.
What began as a private act of family loyalty evolved into a public calling. Over the years,
Carlos discovered that caregiving is not just a responsibility - it’s a commitment to dignity, connection, and the preservation of a loved one’s story. Through this lived experience, he became a voice for millions of families facing similar challenges, using storytelling, advocacy, and creative expression to lift others out of isolation and into community.
Today, Carlos is widely recognized as an Alzheimer’s Family Caregiver & Advocate, Mental Health and Men’s Well-Being Advocate, Fellow with Caring Across Generations, and Media Guest & Storyteller whose work reaches caregivers, healthcare leaders, and policy influencers across the country. His message is clear: caregivers deserve support, understanding, and acknowledgment—because behind every act of care lies strength, courage, and a profound depth of love.
Carlos’s caregiving journey reached national audiences through the acclaimed PBS documentary Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s, where he and his father were one of three families featured. Their segment quickly became a standout for its tenderness and its honesty—showing the complex emotional terrain of caregiving, the beauty of intergenerational bond, and the resilience required to face the daily shifts of dementia. Families across the country saw themselves in his story, and many have since reached out to say that Carlos helped them feel seen for the first time.
His storytelling does not end on screen. Carlos is the author of The Caregiver’s Advocate, Volume 2, released in 2025, a resource-rich guide designed to ease the burdens caregivers face and bring clarity to systems that are often overwhelming. The book blends personal narrative with practical tools, encouraging readers to adopt what he calls The Caregiver Mindset Project - a framework built on agency, grace, learned wisdom, and a willingness to “wing it with style” when caregiving becomes unpredictable.
Carlos’s advocacy work is equally far-reaching. He was handpicked to serve on the California Health and Human Services Agency Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee, where he contributes lived-experience insight to shape statewide policy and improve caregiver support infrastructure. As a Fellow with Caring Across Generations, he champions the needs of family caregivers and elevates national conversations around long-term care reform. His volunteer leadership includes collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association and ambassadorship with Into the Dark Blue, a men’s mental health and well-being group committed to reshaping narratives around emotional strength and vulnerability.
His presence extends into creative community spaces as well. As a docent at Artbeat Gallery in Downtown Sacramento, Carlos represents and curates his father’s artwork - spanning decades of creativity, storytelling, and colorful expression. This role is both personal and public: it preserves his dad’s legacy while highlighting art as a form of memory-keeping and connection for people living with cognitive change.
Carlos is also a trusted figure in media. He has been a featured speaker at Carefest 2025, highlighted in a short film through WellBeings.org, and interviewed across numerous podcasts, blogs, and local media outlets. His speaking engagements reach caregivers, clinicians, nonprofits, legislators, and men’s mental health communities. With each audience, he blends vulnerability with authority, offering a grounded mix of lived truth and practical insight.
Themes of strength, resilience, courage, and love shape his core message. He encourages communities to step into caring roles with openness and awareness, reminding them that caregiving - though demanding - has the power to deepen one’s humanity. His voice resonates because it comes from a place of lived experience, cultural pride, and steady hands-on commitment.
Across social media, Carlos continues to grow a strong and loyal following. His videos, photos, and reflections on caregiving reveal daily life with his dad: tandem bike rides, neighborhood walks, art projects, long drives through rolling hills, and moments of self-discovery found in the quiet between routines. His content proves that love does not fade in the face of dementia—it adapts, stretches, and reforms itself into new shapes, often becoming more profound than before.
Carlos is part of We Are HFC’s Care Squad and a celebrated Champion Caregiver with Caregiving.com, further amplifying his national influence within the caregiving community. Whether he is speaking on stage, contributing to policy discussions, mentoring another caregiver, or documenting his father’s creative legacy, his mission stays the same: to uplift the voices of caregivers and bring light to the emotional, systemic, and spiritual realities of elder care.
Through his work, Carlos L. Olivas III stands as a steady beacon for families navigating Alzheimer’s and aging. He brings hope, connection, and clarity to an experience that is often misunderstood. His story continues to inspire—and his commitment to caregivers ensures that no one has to walk this journey alone.