Carefullist, The Podcast

Ethan Wechtaluk is no stranger to caregiving. His dad had Parkinson's. His grandfather was in a car accident and needed help afterward. He worked across Medicare, the FDA, the Health Insurance Marketplace, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, helping untangle broken systems and make public services actually work for the people who depend on them.

Now, he's running for a seat in the US House of Representatives for the MD-06. This is an in-depth discussion of his personal experiences, professional knowledge, and how he wants to lead the country to properly care for its citizens.

Wynter Johnson watched her mom carry the weight of caring for her grandmother. Appointments were missed, communication was scattered, and when her grandmother was hospitalized, the family didn't know for a week.

When you're in the throes of caregiving, conversations often get stuck on day-to-day task updates rather than focusing on how your loved one is doing as a person.

In this episode, we discuss how this experience became the backbone of Caily, the HIPAA-compliant app she co-created with McKenna McCormick. It is designed to be available through senior living communities so they can chat directly with family members regarding their loved ones' care.

Resources www.carefullist.com www.caily.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynter-johnson

Nina Herndon (MA, CMC, CLPF) founded Sage Eldercare Solutions in 2001 as a solo practitioner dedicated to improving the quality of care of older adults. This came on the heels of her own caregiving experiences; first in her 20s while caring for her mom, who had cancer, and then again later in life when her dad developed dementia.

She realized the importance of combining gerontology, social work, nursing, and counseling psychology into the care plan.

In 2012, she launched The Hummingbird Project, dedicated to improving quality of life and combating the plagues of loneliness and boredom that too often come with aging.

She is the 2026 President of the Board of Directors for Aging Life Care Association. This national organization provides support through consultation, assessment, care coordination, and advocacy to address the challenges of aging and disabilities.

Resources www.carefullist.com www.sageeldercare.com www.hummingbirdproject.net www.aginglifecare.org

Jennifer Levin was in her late 20's and living her dream in LA as a screenwriter working on multiple shows across major networks.

Back home in New York, things were changing. Her dad was initially misdiagnosed and then correctly diagnosed later. The only child of divorced parents, she bore the decisions about his care.

We talk about this aspect, along with how odd it can be for a young caregiver when others the same age are living very different lives- not that friends don't try to understand, it's that they simply can't.

Listen to this discussion to learn more about her Facebook group, Caregiver Collective, and her book "Generation Care".

Resources www.carefullist.com www.facebook.com/groups/CaregiverCollective

Paul Wynn is a nationally recognized patient advocacy leader, healthcare communicator, author, and award-winning medical journalist.

He is particularly passionate about telling stories about patients and caregivers, frequently drawing from his own experience as a sandwich-generation caregiver raising children while caring for aging family members.

Paul's chapter in The Caregiver's Advocate Vol. 2, titled "Surviving the Sandwich Generation Years," offers a compassionate and insightful perspective for anyone balancing multiple caregiving roles.

Join us as we chat about the challenges of sandwich-generation caregiving.

Resources www.paulwynn.com www.carefullist.com

Lance A. Slatton runs a home care business, the All Home Care Matters podcast, and authored "The All Home Care Matters Official Family Caregivers Guide". Now, he's here to talk about his newest adventure- becoming President of the famed AlzAuthors organization.

Join us in this special edition discussion about how AlzAuthors has served the dementia community for over a decade and what the future holds under Lance's new leadership.

Resources www.allhomcarematters.com www.alzauthors.com www.carefullist.com

Kathleen Korpela worked for multiple Fortune 500 companies in the Pacific Northwest while caregiving for her dad and raising a family.

Because of this experience, she founded Living Goldenwell and is building the first-of-its-kind global community and network for professional women supporting aging parents and navigating eldercare.

Join us as she shares her personal story of successfully navigating the sandwich generation experience and how she plans to help others who travel the path after her.

Resources https://livinggoldenwell.com www.carefullist.com

A medical crisis strikes, and you don't know what to do. Kimberlie Williams-Feth has been there before, helping patients as a social worker and then navigating the system on behalf of her husband.

This episode is choc-full of helpful tidbits for dealing with insurance, finding affordable physical therapy, and the hospital discharge process. While based in North Carolina, Kim helps to problem-solve in the midst of a healthcare crisis wherever you're located.

Join us as Kim shares stories of their own care journey and how she has successfully secured the right care for Jerry.

Resources www.carefullist.com https://healthcaresurvivalkit.com

Michele Arnoldy was an emergency department nurse. Her husband, Chris, worked in finance. Following service to Afghanistan and some career upheaval at home, Chris was not the same.

He and Michele navigated his PTSD together. Unfortunately, he did not overcome his diagnosis. Michele shares their story with us from a caregiver's perspective. What is helpful, what isn't; what to look for, what she missed, and how to move forward.

When we think of caregivers, we picture someone pushing a wheelchair or doling out medication. When it comes to mental health, it's not so obvious. Let's talk about it.

Resources: https://www.michelearnoldy.com/ www.carefullist.com

Natasha Goldstein-Levitas, MA, BC-DMT is an Aging, Dementia, Care Partner, and Community Wellness Specialist, and Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist with nearly twenty- five years of clinical experience, in multiple healthcare and community-based settings, and in various capacities.

She is the owner of EngAge, a person-centered, movement, and sensory hybrid approach, and she shares creative strategies and resources that may improve overall quality of life and health outcomes for diverse communities.

In this episode, we talk about what dance movement therapy is and how it can be beneficial to caregivers and their care partners, no matter their mobility limitations.

Resources: www.natashagoldstein.com www.carefullist.com