Stephanie Muskat speaks with Lisa Pahl, CEO and owner of The Death Deck, about how to normalize end-of-life conversations before a diagnosis or emergency forces us to. Lisa shares how her background in a farming community, her father’s leukemia, and years as a hospice social worker shaped her approach to death education, caregiver support, and advance care planning.

They also discuss common end-of-life misconceptions, especially around morphine, caregiver burnout, and how tools like The Death Deck, the End of Life Deck, and the Dementia Deck can help families reduce conflict and make decisions with more clarity.

About Lisa:

Lisa Pahl, LCSW, is the CEO and Owner of The Death Deck LLC, a company that creates

engaging tools to spark meaningful conversations about life, death, and everything in between.

A Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 18 years of experience in hospice care and 8 years

in emergency medicine, Lisa brings compassionate expertise to helping individuals and families

navigate illness, dying, and grief. Through her work, she is dedicated to reducing fear around

death and empowering people to talk openly about what truly matters.

Find Lisa:
http://www.thedeathdeck.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thedeathdeck

Links mentioned:

Barbara Karnes booklet: https://bkbooks.com/products/pain-at-end-of-life-what-you-need-to-know-about-end-of-life-comfort-and-pain-management

Youtube video talking through the topic of pain medication at end of life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxCj9VWjmgA

Thank you to today’s sponsor, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. To learn more about AFTD please visit https://www.theaftd.org/

*The content shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not constitute therapy or counselling. If you are in need of mental health support or professional guidance, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.*

Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram!
http://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving

In today’s episode, Stephanie speaks with Dr. Ginny Wesson, a staff psychiatrist at Sinai Health System and a longtime leader in caregiver support at the Reitman Center. They discuss why it is imperative for dementia care to include both the person living with dementia and the care partner, and the research behind caregiver needs and the developing caregiver support programs to meet these needs.

Dr. Wesson shares the origins of the CARERS program, the research behind it, and how it has expanded across Ontario through Enhancing Care for Ontario Care Partners. 

About Dr. Ginny Wesson:

Dr. Virginia Wesson, MD, MSc, is a Staff Psychiatrist at the Sinai Health System, a Medical Director of the Enhancing Care Program, a Clinician Scientist at the Lunenfeld- Tanenbaum Research Institute and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. 

Since arriving at Mount Sinai in 2006, she has devoted her efforts to working with older adults including extensive work with care partners of family members living with dementia. This has included significant involvement in the innovation, design and delivery of the clinical interventions that form the core of the Reitman Centre and Enhancing Care Programs (CARERS and TEACH group programs). 

To learn more about the Reitman Centre and its programs visit: https://www.sinaihealth.ca/areas-of-care/psychiatry/the-reitman-centre-for-alzheimers-caregiver-support-and-training

Thank you to today’s sponsor, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. To learn more about AFTD please visit https://www.theaftd.org/

*The content shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not constitute therapy or counselling. If you are in need of mental health support or professional guidance, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.*

Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram!
http://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving

In today’s episode, Stephanie speaks to Brenda Blais about a lifetime shaped by caregiving. Brenda shares how caring for family across generations, and especially raising her daughter Nikki through profound medical complexity, changed how she sees care, work, and public policy.

They discuss the hidden labor of caregiving, the inadequacy of current Canadian caregiver supports, and the challenge of re-entering the workforce after years away. Brenda also reflects on grief, resilience, and the support systems that helped her keep going.

About Brenda:

Brenda Blais is a caregiver engagement and navigation professional whose work is rooted in connection, partnership, and lived experience. For nearly thirty years, Brenda supported her daughter Nikki through a paradoxically complex and beautiful life shaped by joy, resilience, and constant interactions with health, education, community, and social‑service systems. Raising Nikki - and navigating these systems with her - shaped Brenda’s understanding of what families need most: to be embraced as essential partners in care.

Brenda’s caregiving journey began long before motherhood. As a child, she supported an older sibling with disabilities and helped navigate her father’s stroke, later guiding her aging and ailing parents through complex health and government systems. These experiences gave her a well‑rounded understanding of caregiving across the lifespan and shaped her lifelong dedication to collaborative system partnership.

Professionally, Brenda has woven this dedication into roles across caregiver coaching, navigation, teaching, and speaking engagements.

Today, Brenda serves as Co‑Chair of the Canadian Caregivers Advocacy Network through the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, helping elevate caregiver voices and strengthen national conversations and strategies to support caregivers.

At the heart of all her work is Nikki - her legacy, her joy, and the caregiving journey that taught Brenda that caregivers are integral partners whose expertise transforms lives and systems. Brenda honours her daughter by continuing to advocate for families across Canada and working to ensure caregivers feel seen, heard, respected, and valued in every space they enter.

Find Brenda: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-blais-68267373/

Thank you to today’s sponsor, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. To learn more about AFTD please visit https://www.theaftd.org/

*The content shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not constitute therapy or counselling. If you are in need of mental health support or professional guidance, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.*

Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram!
http://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving

Caregiving can already feel isolating, and the way we communicate might be making it worse. In this short episode, Stephanie Muskat breaks down why texting can quietly deepen that isolation. A delayed reply, a one-word answer, or silence can easily be misread as rejection, anger, or indifference when you're already overwhelmed. Stephanie explains how text strips away tone and connection, and why phone calls, video chats, or even voice notes can help caregivers feel less alone in certain caregiving situations.

*The content shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not constitute therapy or counselling. If you are in need of mental health support or professional guidance, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.*

Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram!
http://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving

When Ngozi Iroanyah's family began navigating a dementia diagnosis, she quickly saw how much of the caregiving journey is shaped not just by the disease, but by the systems around it. In this episode of Caregiver's Compass, Ngozi shares her personal story of caring for a loved one with dementia, the inequities she encountered along the way, and how that experience pushed her into research and advocacy. We talk about what culturally sensitive, genuinely inclusive healthcare could look like - and why that change is so urgently needed.

About Ngozi: Ngozi Iroanyah is the Director of Health Equity and Access with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario. In her role she develops and supports the creation of equity focused programs and resources across 26 local Alzheimer societies in the province to better serve equity deserving populations. She also supports equity deserving communities address stigma reduction and dementia awareness across Canada. She is a public speaker and a dementia advocate. She is also a PhD candidate at York University in Health Policy and Equity Studies where her research focuses on experiences of dementia in the Black community using an intersectional lens. She was a caregiver to Dr. Felix Iroanyah, her father, who lived with dementia for almost 18 years. He is the inspiration for her work.
 
 Thank you to today’s sponsor, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. To learn more about AFTD please visit https://www.theaftd.org/

*The content shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not constitute therapy or counselling. If you are in need of mental health support or professional guidance, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.*

Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram!
http://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving

Death is one of the hardest things caregivers face - and one of the least talked about. In this episode of Caregiver's Compass, we sit down with Christa Ovenell, a community educator, funeral director, and end-of-life doula, to talk openly about death, dying, and the conversations we avoid until we can't anymore. Christa shares how she helps families demystify death, dispel common misconceptions, and approach end-of-life planning with more compassion and clarity - and less fear.

About Christa:

Community educator, funeral director, and end-of-life doula Christa Ovenell is the founder of Death’s Apprentice Education & Planning. Her heartfelt, practical approach to tackling difficult topics helps folks think about, talk about, and prepare for all aspects of life....even death. You can find her via her website www.deathsapprentice.ca or on Instagram @deathsapprentice.ca

Thank you to today’s sponsor, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. To learn more about AFTD please visit https://www.theaftd.org/

*The content shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not constitute therapy or counselling. If you are in need of mental health support or professional guidance, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.*

Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram!
http://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving

It's one of the most overlooked chapters in caregiving: the after. How do we rebuild a life once we've lost not only the person we cared for, but the role of caregiving itself? In today's episode, Stephanie opens up about this hidden, yet deeply important, phase of the caregiving experience.

Thank you to today’s sponsor, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. To learn more about AFTD please visit https://www.theaftd.org/

*The content shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not constitute therapy or counselling. If you are in need of mental health support or professional guidance, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.*

Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram!
http://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving

In this heartfelt conversation, Jacqueline Vong and her mother Olivia Vong share their journey through caregiving, cultural perceptions of dementia, and the importance of community and advocacy in aging gracefully. They highlight the challenges and joys of navigating dementia within a traditional Chinese family and emphasize the need to break stigma and open up conversations.

About Jacqueline Vong:

Jacqueline is the Founder and President of Playology International, a Toronto-based licensing, marketing, and brand management agency. A mother of two energetic children, Serena (9) and Camilo (7), Jacqueline is also a caregiver to her mother, Olivia, affectionately known as “Glammah  

As a member of the “sandwich generation,” Jacqueline balances the demands of entrepreneurship, motherhood, and caregiving while navigating her mother’s dementia and changing health needs. Raised in a traditional Chinese family, she brings a unique perspective on cultural expectations surrounding filial responsibility, aging, and caregiving. Through her family’s journey, she has become a passionate advocate for compassionate care, intergenerational connection, and honest conversations about the realities of supporting loved ones through life’s transitions especially in the East Asian society.

About Olivia Vong (“Glammah”):

Olivia is a beloved mother, grandmother, caregiver for her older sister and great source of strength and wisdom for her family. At almost 90 years old, she has lived a remarkable life, raising her family with resilience, determination, and deep love. Today, as she navigates dementia and age-related health challenges while living independently in a seniors residence, Olivia continues to bring joy, good fashion, and perspective to those around her. Our family calls these moments “glimmers”  

Known affectionately as “Glammah” by her grandchildren Serena and Camilo, she remains a cherished presence in their lives. Her journey reflects both the challenges and the beauty of aging, and the importance of family, dignity, and connection across generations.

Thank you to today’s sponsor, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. To learn more about AFTD please visit https://www.theaftd.org/

*The content shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not constitute therapy or counselling. If you are in need of mental health support or professional guidance, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.*

Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram!
http://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving

In today’s episode, Jessica Guthrie shares her inspiring journey as a young Black caregiver for her mother with Alzheimer's for over a decade, highlighting the challenges, systemic issues, and the importance of advocacy, authenticity, and community support.

About Jessica:

Jessica C. Guthrie, M.Ed is a caregiving strategist, Alzheimer's advocate, and nationally recognized thought leader who has been the primary caregiver for her mother living with early-onset Alzheimer's disease for over 11 years. As a young, Black, millennial solo caregiver who began this journey at age 26, Jessica brings urgent visibility to demographics often overlooked in caregiving conversations. She is the founder of Jessica C. Guthrie Caregiving Consultancy and bridges lived caregiving experience with strategic leadership to help organizations move America's 63 million family caregivers from invisible to integral.

Her expertise has been featured in PBS documentaries, major publications, and policy forums from the United Nations to Capitol Hill. Through speaking engagements, strategic consulting, and educational workshops, Jessica transforms how organizations support caregivers—ensuring they move from being an afterthought to becoming integral partners in care. Jessica believes caregivers deserve more than sympathy. They deserve systems that work.

You can follow her journey on Instagram at Jessica_C_Guthrie or visit her website at JessicaCGuthrie.com.

Thank you to today’s sponsor, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. To learn more about AFTD please visit https://www.theaftd.org/

*The content shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not constitute therapy or counselling. If you are in need of mental health support or professional guidance, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.*

Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram!
http://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving

In this conversation, Rebekah Gold shares her profound journey as a young carer, detailing her experiences supporting her father with a rare mental health condition and her mother with disabilities. She discusses the complexities of caregiving, the normalization of her family's struggles, and the challenges of navigating her identity as a young carer. Rebekah emphasizes the importance of understanding and support for young carers and the need for better representation of their experiences in society. In this conversation, Rebekah Gold shares her experiences as a young caregiver, discussing the challenges of communication during psychosis, the dynamics within her family, and the emotional toll of caregiving. She emphasizes the importance of advocacy for young carers and the need for systemic change to support them better. Rebekah also reflects on her struggles to seek mental health support and the complexities of her role within her family, highlighting the need for understanding and compassion in caregiving situations.

About Rebekah:

Rebekah Gold is a PhD candidate in Child and Youth Studies at Brock University. Her research is grounded in critical, participatory, and arts-based collaboration with young carers and their families, informed by her own lived wisdom as a young carer and advocate. Her community-based research work sits at the intersection of critical mental health, critical childhood studies, critical disability studies, storytelling, and care work. She is the Co-founder and National Council Lead of the Young Caregiver Council of Canada, an advocacy community of young carers across Canada, and a Research Affiliate at the Young Caregivers Association.

Young Caregivers Association: https://youngcaregivers.ca/

Caregiver Grief Connexion: https://caregivergrief.com/

Thank you to today’s sponsor, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. To learn more about AFTD please visit https://www.theaftd.org/

*The content shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not constitute therapy or counselling. If you are in need of mental health support or professional guidance, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.*

Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram!
http://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving