Caregiver Relief Podcast

In Episode 251, host Diane Carbo, RN, speaks with Kirstin Thomas, co-founder of Kindred Mind, about dementia-related separation anxiety, caregiver guilt, and the clinical reasons behind repetitive phone calls.

https://www.caregiverrelief.com/why-does-my-mom-with-dementia-keep-calling-me-understanding-repetitive-calls-and-separation-anxiety-with-kirstin-thomas-episode-251

💡 In this episode, we cover:

• The Brain Science: Why damaged short-term memory resets anxiety moments after hanging up.• Compassionate Validation: Why comforting redirection is more humane than harsh reality checks.• Familiar-Voice Tech: How Kindred Mind answers calls in a caregiver's voice to soothe anxiety.• Safety & Alerts: How real-time distress keywords notify caregivers when immediate action is needed.• Overcoming Guilt: Practical ways to protect your own health while keeping your loved one supported.

In Episode 250 of the Caregiver Relief podcast, host Diane Carbo, RN, speaks with Dr. Irina Koyfman, DNP, NP, author of The Sandwich Generation Handbook. They share practical advice and emotional validation to help you navigate caregiver burnout, communicate with employers, simplify medical paperwork, and advocate for your loved ones' healthcare.

https://www.caregiverrelief.com/the-sandwich-generation-handbook-care-for-aging-parents-raise-children-and-prevent-burnout-with-dr-irina-koyfman-episode-250

Episode Highlights:

• 🔹 Overcoming caregiver guilt and decision fatigue

• 🔹 Workplace accommodations and hidden employer benefits

• 🔹 Organizing digital & physical crisis folders for emergencies

• 🔹 Asking your doctor about the "4 Ms" of care & medication reviews

🎧 Tune in for clear, actionable steps to find your balance and protect your peace of mind!

In Episode 249, Diane Carbo, RN, speaks with palliative medicine specialist Patricia Fogelman to clear up these misconceptions and explain how palliative care provides essential relief for patients and family caregivers alike.

https://www.caregiverrelief.com/palliative-care-for-serious-illness-when-to-ask-for-help-and-how-to-find-it-with-patricia-fogelman-episode-249

Palliative Care for Serious Illness: When to Ask for Help and How to Find It with Patricia Fogelman - Episode 249

Patricia shares her 20+ years of expertise managing physical symptoms, emotional distress, and complex healthcare decisions. Learn the difference between palliative care and hospice, how to advocate for a referral, and why taking care of the caregiver is just as important as caring for the patient.

🎧 Tune in to discover:

• Palliative care vs. hospice explained

• Key signs it’s time to request palliative support

• 3 simple steps to find services near you

In Episode 248 of the Caregiver Relief Podcast, host Diane Carbo, RN welcomes Lindsay Preston Friedman—founder of CareBloom and LT CareNav, host of LTCareNav's Care Compass, and author of Plan Today, Protect Tomorrow and The Questions That Matter.

https://www.caregiverrelief.com/long-term-care-planning-for-aging-parents-care-costs-home-safety-and-support-before-a-crisis-with-lindsay-friedman-episode-248

When a family crisis hits, being prepared makes all the difference. Lindsay shares her journey from nursing assistant to family caregiver, detailing how a tragic family accident inspired her to build technology that supports aging in place.

Diane and Lindsay unpack why having a proactive plan is the ultimate way to stay out of unwanted nursing home placements, how assisted living really works, and how smart sensors and wearables can monitor well-being without invading privacy.

Key Topics Covered:

• Redefining long-term care as ADL management rather than medical care

• How family caregivers can step into the "CEO" role without burning out

• The role of smartwatches and room sensors in tracking routines and paid aide performance

• Practical ways to build a support network and claim respite time

In EP 247, host Diane Carbo, RN sits down with Lyndsay Soprano (Giving Pain Purpose) for a raw, unfiltered conversation on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and invisible chronic pain.

https://www.caregiverrelief.com/crps-and-chronic-pain-the-hidden-pain-families-and-caregivers-need-to-understand-with-lyndsay-soprano-episode-247

Together, they confront the medical gaslighting, severe physical agony, and mental health struggles that come with CRPS—and share how to find purpose, hope, and alternative healing through trauma.

Key Highlights:

• 💥 What living with CRPS/RSD actually feels like 24/7• 🩺 Why the healthcare system fails severe chronic pain patients• 💔 Breaking the stigma around pain-related mental health struggles• 🌿 Alternative therapies: Ketamine, acupuncture, and trauma work

🚨 If you or a loved one are in crisis, please call or text 988 (US) for free, 24/7 confidential support.

In this episode of the Caregiver Relief Podcast, host Diane Carbo, RN, speaks with Lance A. Slatton (Senior Care Influencer & host of All Home Care Matters) about moving from caregiver panic to a concrete plan.

https://www.caregiverrelief.com/the-unexpected-caregiver-what-to-do-when-a-parent-suddenly-needs-help-with-lance-a-slatton-episode-246

🎧 In this episode:

• 💡 Why you don't need to solve the next 5 years in the first 5 hours

• 💬 How to gently bring up care planning & Five Wishes with private parents

• 🏠 Simple home safety fixes and how to get durable medical equipment

• 🧠 Understanding dementia, preserving dignity, and giving loved ones purpose

• 📄 How to build a quick, effective "Care Snapshot"

  
  

🌟 Caregiving is tough, but you don't have to do it alone. Hit follow to never miss an episode!

On this episode, host Diane Carbo, RN, speaks with Stacey Roberts—a physical therapist and functional medicine nurse with 30+ years of experience helping patients tackle the root causes of chronic pain.

https://www.caregiverrelief.com/is-it-really-aging-brain-fog-joint-pain-and-bloating-causes-and-natural-solutions-with-stacey-roberts-episode-245

Caregivers are often the "invisible second patient," pushing through exhaustion and treating pain as normal. Stacey shares why these symptoms are actually warning signals from your body—and how simple adjustments to gut health, nutrition, and movement can transform how you feel.

What We Cover:

• 💡 Why brain fog, bloating, and joint stiffness aren't just "getting old"

• 🦠 How leaky gut and food sensitivities (like ALCAT testing) spark brain and joint inflammation

• ⚠️ What doctors often don't tell you about long-term NSAID, omeprazole, or cortisone use

• 🦶 4 simple steps you can take today to protect your joints, energy, and gut

• 📘 Insights from Stacey’s book, The Pain-Free Formula

In EP 244, host Diane Carbo, RN is joined by Mark Blacknell—a former Marine, PTSD advocate, and author of Just Stare at the Damn Wall. Mark shares a straightforward, zero-fluff approach to quiet the mental chaos using simple silent meditation—no complicated breathing or expensive tools required.

https://www.caregiverrelief.com/caregiver-burnout-relief-how-5-minutes-of-silence-can-help-when-youre-overwhelmed-with-mark-blacknell-episode-244

🎧 Key Topics Covered:

• 🛑 Punching Out: Finding ways to take self-care breaks when caregiving is a 24/7 job.

• 🪑 5 Minutes of Silence: Why staring at the wall helps you observe thoughts without judgment.

• ⚽ Mind Exercises: How quieting your brain works like kicking a soccer ball against a wall.

• 💖 Normalizing Burnout: Understanding that your exhaustion and internal dialogue are completely normal.

If this episode gave you a much-needed breath of fresh air, please follow the show and leave us a rating! 🌟 Every share helps another caregiver know they aren't alone.

Caregiving is often called a labor of love, but the financial, physical, and emotional toll is a growing public health crisis. Join host Diane Carbo, RN, as she talks with Micah Phillips, Vice President of Aeroflow Urology, about groundbreaking survey data revealing the hidden reality of unpaid care.

https://www.caregiverrelief.com/caregiver-costs-and-burnout-new-survey-reveals-the-hidden-crisis-of-unpaid-family-care-with-mica-phillips-episode-243

Episode Highlights:

• The Long Haul: Why 73% of caregivers provide care for over 5 years—making it a long-term lifestyle change.

• The Hidden Costs: Over-the-counter supplies, specialized food, increased utility bills, and why 25% of caregivers spend $500+ every month out-of-pocket.

• Income Strain: Over 50% of caregivers reduce work hours, and 11% quit entirely.

• Preventing Complications: How proper products prevent UTIs and hospitalizations.

• Insurance Hacks: Unlocking hidden Medicaid/secondary insurance benefits to cover essential medical supplies.

  
  

💡 Takeaways: Learn how to advocate for your loved one during 15-minute doctor visits, overcome insurance denials, and build a team so you don't burn out.

When pain meds aren't enough, what safe options are left for aging loved ones? 💆‍♀️✨ Host Diane Carbo, RN, welcomes nervous system specialist Phyllis Nunn to break down how gentle therapies like Craniosacral Therapy and Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) clear inflammation, reduce brain fog, and calm chronic stress.

https://www.caregiverrelief.com/therapeutic-massage-for-seniors-natural-relief-for-pain-stress-and-brain-fog-with-phyliss-nunn-episode-242

🧠 In this episode, you’ll learn:

💭 How thoughts & stress impact physical pain in the nervous system🌸 Why gentle touch works better than deep tissue for trapped nerve pain💧 How MLD acts as the body's natural "toilet" to clear joint stiffness🏥 Practical steps to advocate for personalized care beyond short clinic visits