"If there's one thing worse than Alzheimer's, it's ignorance of the disease," says Martin Schreiber, former governor of Wisconsin.

He joined us to share the story of his two Elaines- his wife before her Alzheimer's diagnosis and after. Marty was her primary caregiver and has since made it his mission to support and educate people about dementia.

This heartfelt episode explores the changes we experience as caregivers and offers reassurance that, lonely as it may be, we are not alone.

Resources www.mytwoelaines.com www.carefullist.com

There are commonalities in caregiving, regardless of duration. With that said, long-term caregiving is a marathon, not a sprint.

Beth Meek knows this all too well. She cared for her mother, who had Parkinson's and dementia, by flying back and forth from Western NY to Western Canada.

She tells her story, and we discuss her program, The Burnout Breakthrough, to share snippets of care from a larger toolbox she's creating. You don't have to do mid-life caregiving alone.

Resourceswww.carefullist.com https://bethmeek-wg.xperiencify.io/self-care-isnt-selfish/order/ https://bethmeek.my.canva.site/the-burnout-breakthrough-sales-page

Brian Bradshaw was, like many, an accidental caregiver. His mom developed a rare disease called Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), which is like having MS and Parkinson's at the same time.

It is fast-moving and requires a lot of support. While his dad was the primary caregiver, Brian lived nearby and helped frequently. Their community came together to support this vivacious former teacher and her family.

February 28th is Rare Disease Day, and we discuss what it's like to care for someone with a rare disease in this episode. Having a rare disease is common! Over 300 million people worldwide are living with a rare disease.

Brian has taken what his family learned and started Northside Home Care, serving the state of Indiana. Learn more: https://northsidehomecare.org/

Additional caregiving and grief resources: www.carefullist.com

Kelly Baarley is a military wife who has lived all over the United States. As a result, she's held multiple jobs in healthcare and gained a broad perspective of the system- where it works and where we need to bridge the gaps.

After her grandparents required care before and through the covid lockdowns, Kelly put everything she's learned into a program to help others navigate caregiving.

Join us for this discussion about family, loss, and what comes next.

Resources

The Carefullist: www.carefullist.com

Kelly Baarley Bridging: www.kellybaarleybridging.org

Barry Jacobs and Julie Mayer are clinical psychologists, caregiving experts, and authors of multiple titles, most recently "The AARP Caregiver Answer Book".

In this episode, we discuss their personal caregiving journeys and their professional perspectives on caregiving, including how to distinguish between depression and burnout.

Their new book offers practical advice, coping strategies, and resources for those caring for parents, spouses, or others, aiming to help caregivers navigate the overwhelming aspects of their role with dignity and less burnout.

Join us for this thoughtful conversation that comes from a place of deep empathy and understanding.

For more information, visit www.carefullist.com

Erin Whalen's older sister, Gina, had severe cerebral palsy. Erin knew, in her bones, that she would outlive her. Gina died at the age of 45, exactly two weeks after Erin turned 40. That's forty years of anticipatory grief.

Erin has spent almost 20 years as a facilitator, trainer, and actor, including extensive work helping medical professionals communicate more compassionately.

She has been a practitioner of Playback Theatre - the signature art form used at Compassionate Coaching - on some illustrious stages in DC, including The Kennedy Center.

Our conversation centers around Erin's caregiving-adjacent experience growing up and how that translated into helping others process their grief through Improv Theater.

Learn more: https://www.compassionatecoaching.org/

Additional resources: www.carefullist.com

Patrick Cawley served as Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee in Pennsylvania, meeting regularly with experts on the legal and financial threats facing older Middle-Class Pennsylvanians.

Now, he owns Keystone Elder Law and works with clients to establish essential planning tools, such as the power of attorney, health care power of attorney, living will, and trusts.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of having an elder law attorney, planning ahead before there's a crisis, and common misconceptions about what documents cover and what they don't.

Learn more: https://keystoneelderlaw.com/

Resources: www.carefullist.com

Dr. Rachael Piltch-Loeb's day job is as a public health professor. She is an expert in public health emergency preparedness and response and risk communication.

She is the recent author of The Millennial Caregiver- a book inspired by her experience caring for her dad, who had early-onset Alzheimer's disease, while also being a new mom and a professional. Her goal was to create a resource for people in that same situation.

Our discussion centered on the common experience we share: career, parenting young children, and caregiving for a parent decades before we expected to.

If you're a sandwich generation caregiver, especially someone in their 20s-40s, this episode is for you.

Get The Millennial Caregiver book: https://www.carefullist.com/caregiving-resources/books

Life would lead Lisa McFarland on a journey shaped by profound loss and unexpected turns. The pain of experiencing the loss of her daughter Alexis, and later, the passing of her second son Emmanuel, along with the challenges of raising Zach, who was born with special needs, altered the course of her life in ways she could never have foreseen. These heart-wrenching moments became the catalyst for a transformative path. From a career in management training to embracing the role of a pediatric ICU nurse after Alexis' passing, and later transitioning to become a Legal Nurse Consultant, each step was a response to the evolving needs of her family, particularly Zach.

We discuss the many layers of Lisa's lived experience that revolve around one key idea: resilience. She took that knowledge and wrote the first in what will be a series of books on the subject, starting with The Healing Path: Stay Present.

Get the book: https://www.carefullist.com/grief-support/books

Deanna Gerstel-Harris is a writer, director, and producer. Her latest project, When We Care- an animated short film, shines a spotlight on the caregiving and climate crises. Her caregiving story began with chronic conditions in both of her children, and then she developed one herself.

Monica Lund is vice president and producer at MY Productions. She is working closely with Deanna and team on When We Care. Monica's caregiving story centers around dementia and the challenges of living far away from those receiving care.

When We Care is a portrait of the connectedness and perseverance that can be found at the intersection of the caregiving and climate crises — and the beauty that results when we care for one another and the spaces in which we live.

Additional Information

Website: https://www.whenwecarefilm.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@whenwecarefilm

Tax-Deductible Donation Link: https://my.filmindependent.org/WhenWeCare

Instagram & TikTok: @whenwecarefilm

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-gerstel-harris