Caregiver's Compass

Am I a caregiver? 

People tell me I am a caregiver but I don’t think I am one. 

Society tells me I’m not a caregiver but I feel like one.

Have you ever had any of these thoughts? What does being a ‘caregiver’ even mean? In this episode Stephanie talks about the perceptions of what the definition of ‘caregiver’ is and whether or not you have to be called a caregiver in your situation. 

Visit us on our website:
www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

*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.*

In this episode Stephanie talks about the (several year long) process and journey to her mom’s diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. Stephanie speaks in detail about the clinicians she saw, the barriers and obstacles she faced on the way, complications she faced along the way given her mom’s behavioural expression and how she finally felt once a neurologist provided a diagnosis. 

Visit us on our website:
www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

*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.*

Have you ever wondered what to look for or even where to start when searching for a therapist? Have you felt confused and lost when it came to locating allied health supports including art therapists for your loved one? In this episode, Stephanie and therapist Erica Curcio discuss the education and regulation requirements in the United States and Canada to help you on your search to locating a knowledgeable and licenced clinician. 

Erica Curcio is the owner of Art Therapists at Home, a Boston-based art therapy practice for people living with dementia and their families. She is a Registered Art Therapist and Licensed Mental Health Counselor that has spent the past decade focusing on improving the therapeutic services available to people living with a dementia-related diagnosis. Erica travels to client’s homes and uses art therapy techniques to bring out feelings of joy in the person living with dementia and their families. Her Art Therapy sessions aim to create new connections and reconnect people living with dementia to themselves and the world around them. 

To learn more about Erica and her practice, visit:  www.arttherapistsathome.com 

Visit us on our website:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

*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.*

In this episode, Learning Specialist and Behaviour Consultant Cori Stern discusses the difficulties many parents in the sandwich generation face when balancing their children and their parents. Some topics discussed include: navigating one’s own emotions and anxiety when uncertain how to expose their children to a declining family member or a family member who has changed from the person they once knew; managing a child’s emotions when visiting a behavioural (physically or verbally) family member; how to speak to a child about sudden changes in a family member and the potential decline of a family member.

Cori is a Learning Specialist and Behaviour Consultant. She’s also a Mother of an 8 & 6 year old. After completing her Masters in Child Study & Education she merged her backgrounds in Positive Parenting, Education, Child Development, and Behavioural Sciences to deliver a very unique perspective on child growth & development. She has over 15 years of clinical experience working with families who have children on the Autism Spectrum. Her current work focuses on coaching parents through the different ages and stages of development so they can parent with less of the day to day stress and overwhelm! Consider her your Chief Executive Problem Solver-  from the toddler years straight through the school age years.

Find Cori:

www.coristern.com

On Instagram: @cori_stern

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1132027413565558/

Visit us on our website:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

*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.*

Caregiving in the sandwich generation is becoming more and more common. Individuals are living longer and requiring support as they age while parents are having children at later stages in life than in previous decades. The demands and stress involved as a caregiver in the sandwich generation are extreme- it can feel as though you are being pulled on both sides with no reprieve. Stephanie normalizes this experience in this episode and details some coping techniques that can help during this overwhelming time.  

Visit us on our website:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

*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.*

Stephanie details how difficult it can be to care for a parent that was abusive and/or who was the instigator of traumatic experiences with the caregiver. She also provides her top techniques to managing this specific situation.

Please note: when it comes to trauma it is extremely important to speak to a licensed mental health professional as all situations are unique and may require specific processing and management. 

Visit us on our website:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

*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.*

In this episode Stephanie discusses the concerning changes she started to see in her mom that eventually led to her seeking out a neurological diagnosis. Stephanie details physical and verbal changes in addition to problem solving, ‘logic and reasoning’ shifts she saw her mom experiencing. 

Visit us on our website:

www.compassionincaregiving.com

For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

*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.*

In this episode Stephanie summarizes the top 5 episodes from season one of Caregiver’s Compass- trust us, you don’t want to miss these. 

1) Episode 14: 

My 27 Year Caregiving Journey'- balancing care for a bipolar husband, two special needs children and a mother with complex medical needs 

2)  Episode 4:

The INTENSIVE Caregiver: Caring for a Spouse, Working as a Professor and Parenting a Young Child - With Brian Smith 

3) Episode 5:

Role Shifts in the Family System: Chaos and upheaval in the family and navigating breaks in family dynamics as a result of a loved one’s diagnosis

4) Episode 13:

I Am Grieving But My Loved One Is Still Alive- The Ongoing Cycles of Grief During Caregiving

5) Episode 6:

Is it Normal to Feel THIS Overwhelmed as a Caregiver? 

Visit us on our website:
www.compassionincaregiving.com

Join our FREE Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/compassioncaregiverconnection
 
For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

In this episode Stephanie discusses her recent major life changes (she had a baby!) and upcoming changes coming to Caregiver’s Compass. 

Visit us on our website:
www.compassionincaregiving.com
 
For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

*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.*

In this episode, Anna Cantor discusses finding out about her mom's cognitive decline from across the world and moving home to provide care for her at the age of 26. She identifies the gaps that she found while caregiving and what inspired her to become a certified life coach and dementia care consultant. 

Anna Cantor is a Certified Life Coach and Dementia Care consultant. After her mother was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers in 2010, Anna became her full time caregiver at only 26 years old. For over a decade Anna has managed her care & sought out how to help others deal with grief and loss and get the right support they need. Anna found that she lacked community and 1:1 help that was specific to her needs, alongside the needs of her mother. She believes firmly that you cannot care for others unless you care for yourself first. She became a certified life coach to mentor caregivers dealing with the daily challenges that come with a loved ones diagnosis with dementia. She helps people find value and meaning in their lives, and teaches them healthy perspectives through mindset shifts, emotional processing tools and communication strategies.

Visit us on our website:
www.compassionincaregiving.com
 
For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

*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.*