Send us Fan Mail

We talk with Heather Nickerson, founder of Artifcts, about turning everyday objects into a clear legacy of stories, value, and wishes so families aren't left guessing in grief. We connect memory, privacy, caregiving, and photo organization into simple steps you can start today with just one object.

• Heather's story of losing her mother suddenly and facing a home full of "tangible assets"
• Why objects create stress during grief, and how documenting meaning reduces family conflict
• The "eldest daughter tax" and how caregiving can show up as estate and logistics work
• How Artifcts works as a personal digital museum with photos, stories, audio, and video
• Using a five-item Legacy List to capture identity without needing expensive heirlooms
• Recording "what happens next" for keepsakes — bequeathing, donating, or keeping in the family
• Downsizing and decluttering while keeping the memories and context
• QR codes that connect physical items to digital stories, including use in independent living
• Reminiscence support for dementia care through visual prompts and a flipbook view
• What Photo Managers do, and how Save Your Photos Month supports DIY photo preservation

Heather Nickerson is the Founder and CEO of Artifcts.com. She is an avid hiker, skier, baker, storyteller, and collector of memories. Prior to founding Artifcts Heather served as President of a private security company and authored a book on how to protect your privacy. She also served for nearly a decade as an intelligence analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency, including serving as a briefer in a war zone tour in Afghanistan. 

 Heather’s inspiration for Artifcts came after inheriting 6,000 square feet of ‘stuff’ from her mother’s estate and having to figure out not only what the ‘stuff’ was, but what her mother would have wanted to happen to it. 

Connect with Heather and learn more about Artifcts:  https://artifcts.com/about

The Photo Managers:  https://thephotomanagers.com/

Take a listen to the conversation with Whitney Myers:  https://capturingessenceforcare.buzzsprout.com/2460133/episodes/17615232

Thank you for listening!

Do you have a question or a topic related to "capturing essence for care" that you would like discussed on the podcast?  

Email:  [email protected]

Or use the "Send us Fan Mail" link at the top of the Episode Description to text the show!

Interested in learning more?  

• Check out my Etsy Shop
• Visit my YouTube channel or website

Intro and outro music with thanks:  Upbeat and Sweet No Strings by Musictown 

Lisa brings over 25 years of experience working in healthcare settings with older adults. The perspectives shared on this podcast are her own and do not represent the views of any past or current employer. Patient/resident stories are shared only with explicit permission or as anonymized composites for educational purposes.

Send us Fan Mail

We talk through why routines make or break our mental health and how the right time of day can change everything from focus to mood. We also share how daily habits connect to person-centered care, especially when we support people whose routines have been disrupted by big life transitions.  

• noticing how routines shape day-to-day well-being and emotional steadiness  
• matching tasks to energy patterns like morning versus evening focus
• building a realistic daily rhythm with exercise, reflection, and creative time
• adapting routines during transitions like travel, parenting, and new responsibilities  
• using routines to support personhood in healthcare and long-term care
• paying attention to personal care preferences like bathing timing and dressing order  
• shifting the podcast to monthly summer releases to avoid burnout while welcoming a new puppy  

Interested in hearing more?  Listen to the YouTube video about, Taking care of yourself so you can take care of others 

Thank you for listening!

Do you have a question or a topic related to "capturing essence for care" that you would like discussed on the podcast?  

Email:  [email protected]

Or use the "Send us Fan Mail" link at the top of the Episode Description to text the show!

Interested in learning more?  

• Check out my Etsy Shop
• Visit my YouTube channel or website

Intro and outro music with thanks:  Upbeat and Sweet No Strings by Musictown 

Lisa brings over 25 years of experience working in healthcare settings with older adults. The perspectives shared on this podcast are her own and do not represent the views of any past or current employer. Patient/resident stories are shared only with explicit permission or as anonymized composites for educational purposes.

Send us Fan Mail

What does it mean to truly see someone — not just their role, their rank, or what they survived — but the full, living, breathing human being behind it all? In this episode, 26-year-old Zach Dunn, shares his mission to interview and capture the essence of the world's last surviving WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans while he still can.   

In This Episode:

• How Zach's mission began — and what first compelled a young man in his twenties to seek out the stories of those who lived through history's defining conflicts
• What it's actually like to sit across from a 100-year-old veteran and ask them to open up — the preparation, the nerves, and the unexpected moments of laughter and tears
• Why Zach believes these interviews are about so much more than war — and how veterans light up when asked about their families, hobbies, loves, and everyday lives
• The profound connection between veteran storytelling and person-centred care — and why knowing someone's full story changes the way we see and treat them
• Zach's process for earning trust quickly — how he creates a safe, warm space that allows veterans to share stories they may never have told anyone before
• The urgency behind this work: why time is running out, and what we all risk losing if these voices go uncaptured
• How Zach's project grew from a Canadian mission into a global effort spanning 16 countries — and what that reveals about the universality of human experience
• The emotional impact of this work on Zach himself — what it's taught him about life, sacrifice, gratitude, and the responsibility of being a keeper of stories
• Practical insights for family members, healthcare workers, and storytellers who want to start capturing the stories of the elders in their own lives
• Why engaging with life stories isn't just about preservation — it's about honouring the whole person, right now, while we still can

Zach Dunn is the 26-year-old Toronto-based founder of Global Veteran Stories, a documentary and oral history project that has captured over 165 veteran interviews across 16 countries. Each interview is edited into a full-length documentary gifted directly to the veteran and their family — along with a personalized birthday video every year.

Connect with Zach: 

www.rememberingcanadasveterans.com 

youtube.com/@GlobalVeteranStories 

TikTok: @ww2veteraninterviews 

Facebook: Global Veteran Stories 

Thank you for listening!

Do you have a question or a topic related to "capturing essence for care" that you would like discussed on the podcast?  

Email:  [email protected]

Or use the "Send us Fan Mail" link at the top of the Episode Description to text the show!

Interested in learning more?  

• Check out my Etsy Shop
• Visit my YouTube channel or website

Intro and outro music with thanks:  Upbeat and Sweet No Strings by Musictown 

Lisa brings over 25 years of experience working in healthcare settings with older adults. The perspectives shared on this podcast are her own and do not represent the views of any past or current employer. Patient/resident stories are shared only with explicit permission or as anonymized composites for educational purposes.

Send us Fan Mail

Zoe Martin joins us to talk about how a family loss reshapes her work and her urgency to preserve voices, stories, and everyday rituals. We share practical ways to capture legacy on video, protect family archives, and start now even if you feel unprepared. 

• Meeting Zoe through the Personal Historians community and why legacy work matters 
• Her sisiter, Kristina’s stage four breast cancer diagnosis and the meaning of “Go get the letters” 
• Using a phone to record a parent’s message when time is short 
• Shifting from brand photography into legacy interviews, oral history, and memorial storytelling 
• “Day in the life” family videos that capture routines rather than posed events 
• Journaling, reading journals aloud, and turning writing into audio keepsakes 
• Why heirloom prints and wall art strengthen belonging, especially for kids 
• Simple recording basics: window light, quiet rooms, test audio, start with your phone 
• Restoring old photos and digitizing memorabilia without risking originals 
• Giving back through the Bridge Breast Network and sharing the story in upcoming books 

Connect with Zoe Martin: [email protected]

• Website:  https://www.thezoemartin.com/
• LinkedIn 
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Substack

Thank you for listening!

Do you have a question or a topic related to "capturing essence for care" that you would like discussed on the podcast?  

Email:  [email protected]

Or use the "Send us Fan Mail" link at the top of the Episode Description to text the show!

Interested in learning more?  

• Check out my Etsy Shop
• Visit my YouTube channel or website

Intro and outro music with thanks:  Upbeat and Sweet No Strings by Musictown 

Lisa brings over 25 years of experience working in healthcare settings with older adults. The perspectives shared on this podcast are her own and do not represent the views of any past or current employer. Patient/resident stories are shared only with explicit permission or as anonymized composites for educational purposes.

Send us Fan Mail

We talk with Bob Millar about the messy reality of long-distance caregiving during dementia, and why communication failures create fear, burnout, and constant second-guessing. We also dig into how a familiar one-touch video “clock” can reduce loneliness, simplify care coordination, and help families stay present when distance and transitions get in the way.

• Bob’s caregiving path through dementia, distance, and constant transitions 
• Why communication breakdown drives caregiver anxiety and emergency decisions 
• Who Bob’s mom is beyond her diagnosis, and why music still connects 
• How Paige works as a one-touch video calling device with a closed circle of care 
• Real stories from families using Paige in long-term care and memory care 
• Using simple routines to reduce distress and support staff and residents 
• The difference between being alone and feeling lonely, and why it matters 
• Caregivers as the only consistent “glue” across the healthcare system 
• Practical advice: breathe, ask for help, find the right resources, protect your time

About Our Guest:

Bob Millar is the co-founder of Paige, a simple video communication platform designed to help families stay connected when traditional technology stops working. His perspective and path today is shaped by firsthand experience caring for his mother from a distance, while balancing a demanding job and caregiving responsibilities at home. During that time, communication broke down quickly and staying connected became unexpectedly difficult.  Bob brings 20+ years of experience across telecom, SaaS, and enterprise sales, with a focus on building teams, growing partnerships, and turning ideas into
real-world solutions. Today, his focus is on reducing caregiver anxiety and
making connection simple again.

Paige Frame:  paigeframe.com

Contact:  [email protected]

Thank you for listening!

Do you have a question or a topic related to "capturing essence for care" that you would like discussed on the podcast?  

Email:  [email protected]

Or use the "Send us Fan Mail" link at the top of the Episode Description to text the show!

Interested in learning more?  

• Check out my Etsy Shop
• Visit my YouTube channel or website

Intro and outro music with thanks:  Upbeat and Sweet No Strings by Musictown 

Lisa brings over 25 years of experience working in healthcare settings with older adults. The perspectives shared on this podcast are her own and do not represent the views of any past or current employer. Patient/resident stories are shared only with explicit permission or as anonymized composites for educational purposes.

Send us Fan Mail

Wake Up Maggie: The Film Giving Dignity and a Voice to Frontotemporal Dementia with Katie Prentiss

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) can enter a family like a false accusation — sudden personality shifts and years of misdiagnosis. Actor and filmmaker Katie Prentiss knows this firsthand. She opens up about caring for her mom through FTD, the loneliness of uncharted waters, and the challenges of Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA).

From grief came a question that changed everything: what makes you feel alive? That question led Katie to acting — and to her debut feature film, Wake Up Maggie — built from lived experience and designed to bring FTD to audiences who rarely see it on screen.

In this episode:

• What FTD looks like before diagnosis — and why it's so often misread
• Primary progressive aphasia and the communication challenges families face
• Why Wake Up Maggie speaks to caregivers and midlife "unraveling" moments
• Storytelling as edutainment and film as an empathy machine

A question to sit with: What would you want others to know about you — to capture your essence — if you could no longer speak for yourself?

If this episode moved you, please leave a rating and review and share it with someone navigating dementia or supporting a caregiver.

Resources mentioned:

• Katie's Sunshine Soul Podcast  
• Listen to Katie’s podcast interview on Caregivers Compass with Stephanie Muskat
• Seniors Making a Horror Movie: How Filmmaker Sean Cisterna Turned Rejection Into a Global Movement Agains Isolation 

Connect with Katie Prentiss:

• https://www.katieprentiss.com/wake-up-maggie

Thank you for listening!

Do you have a question or a topic related to "capturing essence for care" that you would like discussed on the podcast?  

Email:  [email protected]

Or use the "Send us Fan Mail" link at the top of the Episode Description to text the show!

Interested in learning more?  

• Check out my Etsy Shop
• Visit my YouTube channel or website

Intro and outro music with thanks:  Upbeat and Sweet No Strings by Musictown 

Lisa brings over 25 years of experience working in healthcare settings with older adults. The perspectives shared on this podcast are her own and do not represent the views of any past or current employer. Patient/resident stories are shared only with explicit permission or as anonymized composites for educational purposes.

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Description:

We talk with Linda Wiebe about loving and caring for her husband Herb through Alzheimer's disease and Lewy Body Dementia, and how digital storytelling helps others see the person behind the diagnosis. We also name the hidden load caregivers carry — from isolation and stigma to the practical decisions that protect a family before crisis hits.

• the digital story When Words Fade, and why it helped others understand
• Herb's zest for life and the early changes that signalled something was wrong 
• delays in diagnosis and how uncertainty compounds caregiver stress 
• deciding what to share publicly while protecting dignity and privacy 
• why speaking up can bring relief to those who already notice changes 
• caregiver advocacy through COVID and the realities of 24-7 care 
• financial and legal basics — power of attorney, health care directives, and account safeguards 
• emergency planning and the complexity of family-managed care at home 
• the difficult first year after moving into long-term care 
• helping staff know the person through photos, routines, humour, and respectful communication 
• connecting without words using eye contact, touch, tone, and presence
• how friends can help by showing up with simple gestures and time

Guest Bio:

Linda Wiebe is a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and lifelong servant-leader whose life has been shaped by a deep commitment to people and community. She has worked and served in several countries, primarily in administrative roles, supporting organizations and ministries.  Alongside her husband, Herb, Linda shared a life rooted in ministry, mentoring, and hospitality. Together, they trained and invested in young people and leaders, creating welcoming spaces where others felt seen, valued, and encouraged.

When Herb was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia and Early-Onset Alzheimer’s, the couple made the courageous decision to continue living outwardly, sharing their journey with honesty and compassion. Through storytelling, including the digital story When Words Fade, Linda now supports and encourages others walking similar paths. Her voice carries empathy, wisdom, and hope, reminding others that love, connection, and dignity endure—even when words fade. 

Thank you for listening!

Do you have a question or a topic related to "capturing essence for care" that you would like discussed on the podcast?  

Email:  [email protected]

Or use the "Send us Fan Mail" link at the top of the Episode Description to text the show!

Interested in learning more?  

• Check out my Etsy Shop
• Visit my YouTube channel or website

Intro and outro music with thanks:  Upbeat and Sweet No Strings by Musictown 

Lisa brings over 25 years of experience working in healthcare settings with older adults. The perspectives shared on this podcast are her own and do not represent the views of any past or current employer. Patient/resident stories are shared only with explicit permission or as anonymized composites for educational purposes.

Send us Fan Mail

What does it actually look like to age with a sharp, resilient, and deeply connected mind? Dr. Angela Roberts — a dementia researcher leading Canada's first Super Ager cohort joins us to explore what science is learning from people in their 80s and 90s who maintain exceptional cognitive abilities. Rather than focusing on what goes wrong, her team studies what goes right.

About Dr. Angela Roberts Dr. Roberts leads Canada's Super Aging Research Program, part of a North American initiative anchored at the University of Chicago. She is also developing CareFit, a wellness program for dementia caregivers inspired by Super Ager research.

What Is a Super Ager? Someone 80+ whose memory rivals that of people in their 50s and 60s — without being physically exceptional. Their brains simply don't show the expected shrinkage and cortical thinning for their age.

"They're not studying ahead of time. Their brains actually are different."

What Shapes a Super Ager?

• Physical activity — ~40 minutes daily of moderate to vigorous exercise, often hobby-driven
• Sleep quality — consistent, uninterrupted sleep is one of the strongest distinguishing traits
• Depth of social connection — it's not the size of the circle, it's the depth of the relationships
• Intergenerational friendships — exposure to new perspectives keeps Super Agers engaged
• Resilience — defined not by an easy life, but by how they move through hardship

Practical Takeaways Move your body, prioritize sleep, invest in deep relationships, pursue meaningful hobbies, seek intergenerational connection, and cultivate a resilient, positive mindset.

Links & Resources

• Super Aging Research Program — Western University
• CareFit — NeuroConnect, Western Institute for Neuroscience
• Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Podcast Index

Connect with Dr. Angela Roberts on Linked In

Thank you for listening!

Do you have a question or a topic related to "capturing essence for care" that you would like discussed on the podcast?  

Email:  [email protected]

Or use the "Send us Fan Mail" link at the top of the Episode Description to text the show!

Interested in learning more?  

• Check out my Etsy Shop
• Visit my YouTube channel or website

Intro and outro music with thanks:  Upbeat and Sweet No Strings by Musictown 

Lisa brings over 25 years of experience working in healthcare settings with older adults. The perspectives shared on this podcast are her own and do not represent the views of any past or current employer. Patient/resident stories are shared only with explicit permission or as anonymized composites for educational purposes.

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Description

What if one simple question could transform healthcare? In this episode, Lisa talks with Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, the renowned psychiatrist who developed the Patient Dignity Question: "What do I need to know about you as a person in order to take the best care of you possible?"

Dr. Chochinov shares the research and stories behind this deceptively simple yet profound question, explaining how it shifts healthcare from treating a diagnosis to caring for a whole person. Through moving stories—including one about his sister Ellen—he illustrates the "platinum rule": doing unto patients as they would have done unto themselves, not as we would want for ourselves.

Key Topics

• The Patient Dignity Question and its impact on care
• The platinum rule vs. the golden rule in healthcare
• Seeing patients as whole people, not just diagnoses
• The story of Ellen: why personhood matters in medical decisions
• Preventing iatrogenic (healthcare-caused) suffering through dignity

Memorable Quotes

"What do I need to know about you as a person in order to take the best care of you possible?"

"If we fail to see our patients as persons, we're going to be letting them down and complicit in iatrogenic suffering."

"He can see her blood gases falling and her scoliosis, but he can't see Ellen."

Resources

• Canadian Virtual Hospice
• Book: In Search of Dignity
• Related: Episode with Dr. Sammy Winemaker

About Dr. Chochinov

Distinguished professor of psychiatry at the University of Manitoba and senior scientist at CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute. Developer of Dignity Therapy and co-founder of Canadian Virtual Hospice. Officer of the Order of Canada and Canadian Medical Hall of Fame inductee (2020).

Latest Book: In Search of Dignity: A Lifetime of Reflections (Oxford University Press).  Listen to the recorded book launch:  https://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/event-18875/Harvey-Max-Chochinov-Book-Launch

Connect with Dr. Chochinov:

• Websites:  dignityincare.ca  and virtualhospice.ca
• LinkedIn:  Harvey Max Chochinov
• X @HMChochinov

How do you capture your own essence? 

To connect with Lisa, text using the link above in this Episode Description or:

• [email protected] 
• facebook.com/AWEStruckAspirations

Thank you for listening!

Do you have a question or a topic related to "capturing essence for care" that you would like discussed on the podcast?  

Email:  [email protected]

Or use the "Send us Fan Mail" link at the top of the Episode Description to text the show!

Interested in learning more?  

• Check out my Etsy Shop
• Visit my YouTube channel or website

Intro and outro music with thanks:  Upbeat and Sweet No Strings by Musictown 

Lisa brings over 25 years of experience working in healthcare settings with older adults. The perspectives shared on this podcast are her own and do not represent the views of any past or current employer. Patient/resident stories are shared only with explicit permission or as anonymized composites for educational purposes.

Send us Fan Mail

Kristy Wolfe, digital storytelling facilitator and Co-Created podcast host, interviews Lisa in this episode!  They explore how short, intentional stories help clinicians see the person behind the patient and why clarity, consent, and ownership make storytelling safer and more effective. Along the way, we share tools from Waiting Room Revolution, VR training, and Lisa's wish to grow a hub for life‑story resources.

Episode Key Messages
• year‑in‑review on Story Slam, Beth’s digital story, and lessons learned
• defining the podcast’s mission to capture essence for care
• building a directory for storytellers, facilitators, and DIY resources
• crafting clear elevator pitches and consent frameworks
• using AI for drafts while keeping human voice
• highlights from Waiting Room Revolution’s seven keys and workbook
• practical personhood tools for end‑of‑life planning
• VR training for person‑centered communication in dementia care
• identity, voice, and finding assertiveness through story
• simple ways families can start private podcasting

Other Links Mentioned

• Beth's Capturing Essence for Care Episode (#21 - From Love Letter to Legacy)
• The Waiting Room Revolution and practical workbooks, Capturing Essence for Care Ep 16
• VR training for person-centred communication and reading environments, Capturing Essence for Care Ep 17
• Check out the upcoming Common Language Story Slam (April 30th in person or online)
• Listen to Kristy's original podcast interview on Capturing Essence for Care

About Kristy:  

Kristy Wolfe is a digital storytelling facilitator and a Wolfe Pack Warrior. She believes there is beauty in every story and she champions real stories in marketing and communication. Kristy exposes the human side of any organization, with consideration for ethics in storytelling, as well as storyteller wellness every step of the way.

Connect with Kristy

• Learn more about Kristy Wolfe's work
• Listen to the Co-Created Podcast

Thank you for listening!

Do you have a question or a topic related to "capturing essence for care" that you would like discussed on the podcast?  

Email:  [email protected]

Or use the "Send us Fan Mail" link at the top of the Episode Description to text the show!

Interested in learning more?  

• Check out my Etsy Shop
• Visit my YouTube channel or website

Intro and outro music with thanks:  Upbeat and Sweet No Strings by Musictown 

Lisa brings over 25 years of experience working in healthcare settings with older adults. The perspectives shared on this podcast are her own and do not represent the views of any past or current employer. Patient/resident stories are shared only with explicit permission or as anonymized composites for educational purposes.