Episodes

Concerned about recent bank financial failures? Your aging parent may be too, but they might not tell you. When you’re on a fixed or reduced income, every penny counts. In this episode, my guest, Philip Van Doorn from Marke...

If you’re working full time but also caring for an aging parent, the stress and feeling of isolation can be significan t. Adding to that stress can be a fear (real or imagined) of potential retribution from your boss or …

Being a caregiver has its joys and tough times, too. Sometimes we step into the role thinking that we are knowing what our job will be. But it’s hard to foresee how being a caregiver will interrupt our families, jobs, …

What happens when you get a call from your dad who says: “ don’t worry, Mom’s just been taken to the ER ,” then hangs upon you? You’re 1200 miles away and on your way to work! The first you …

What happens when your father, who appeared to be just fine, surprises you by telling you he has Alzheimer’s Disease? Watching anyone’s steady cognitive decline is always difficult. However, my next guest, Peter Maeck took, ...

What’s Senior Dumping and can it happen to your parents without you even suspecting? In this episode, I share a conversation that I had with a GoDaddy customer service person who had this issue with his dad. While running f...

Your parent or loved one has always been there for you but has now passed. Is there a way to still contact them? Knowing what to do might help you manage through some tough days a bit easier. How do …

In this episode you might be surprised to learn how often chemical restraints are used on our folks to keep them calm, sleepy, and complacent, and easier to care for in hospitals, rehab facilities, nursing homes, and even in ...

Can you still get support, guidance, and love from a parent, spouse, or even a family member that died before you were born? Turns out, that might be true if you know about how spiritual guides or mediums work. This …

In this episode, we'll be discussing how to get rid of those crappy, crummy, pissy moods that can come with caring for an elderly parent. It's normal to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and frustrated when caring for someone you l...

In this episode, my guest, James Hagerty, the Wall Street Journal Obituary writer , and I discuss how to capture the most interesting parts of our parents and loved ones’ life stories. Too often, those final days come about,...

In this episode, I share how even a whiny five-year-old can help us become better advocates and caregivers for those we love. It starts with one key question that adults often forget to ask, themselves. That simple question,...

What happens when the quality of care provided by your mom’s care facility was great, but then declined to a point where you’re worried that she’s suffering? Do you just suck it up and hope the quality of aides and …

Personal treasures or talismans have been used for a long time by caregivers, and those grieving, to reduce pain and stress. In this episode, I share a bit of history and some ways that you can use personal items to …

This episode is Part Two of my discussion with attorney Dan Frith. The quality of care our aging parents receive can vary by which hospital they use. The one closest to home might not be the safest, or even appropriate …

How do you prepare your home, or a parent’s home, so it’s safe for them to return to after a hospitalization or long-term rehab stay? They might have recovered, but the last thing you want is for another issue or …

In this episode, we discuss how to learn if your doctor is the right one for your parents, or you. Sometimes we base our trust on a doctor’s “likeability,” or bedside manner. But someone who seems good doesn’t mean they …

In this episode, I share some research done on the most challenging days of the week for those who care for an aging parent or spouse. From this, I learned that there really is an official calendar day called Blue …

What happens when you’re both a caregiver and, at the same, disabled yourself? In this episode my guest Daniel Hodges, JD, who is blind, was a caregiver for his parents and children while needing special care himself from ...

Caring for those we love is tough enough. When toxic people enter our lives wanting more of our time, attention, energy, and even money, offering nothing in return, they make caregiving even more difficult. In this episode, I...

In this episode, I share tips on how caregivers can overcome those holiday blues when you’re alone and away from those you love. The show mentions how to make your days brighter when you start feeling a little dark. Below …

This show is in memory of J ames Degenheardt who was a gift that showed up on my dad's doorstep one New Year's Day. Finding that special, thoughtful gift for an aging parent , or loved one can be tough. …

Imagine not being able to eat, swallow or enjoy your favorite foods. Or feeling so tired you could fall headfirst into your soup bowl! Or, even worse, getting your tongue cut, and rebuilt due to cancer, and having to learn …

In this short episode, we talk about how to protect your parent’s credit cards from getting skimmed while in their wallets. RFID chips are now embedded in almost all our credit cards. For those of us caring for aging parents …