Caregiver's Compass

Many of us have had the conversation- we vow to keep the person we care for home forever; We will never move them to a facility or otherwise... And then one day, reality hits, and we face the fact that we may not be able to follow through on this promise that once seemed feasible. 

In today’s episode, Jeanette Yates discusses how she navigated this exact situation with her own mother and what she learned in the process. She shares her experiences and learnings with listeners that are sure to leave you feeling validated, heard and understood.

About Jeanette:

Jeanette began caring for her mother at 8 years old. As a lifelong caregiver, she understands the challenges of balancing self-care with the demands of caring for others. She eventually discovered the power of prioritizing her own needs without sacrificing the care she provides to her loved ones. Jeanette started The Self-Caregiver to help caregivers take time for themselves, without being weighted down by guilt. Jeanette is the author of From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver's Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood Trauma. You can find her on Instagram (@theselfcaregiver), TikTok, and Substack (selfcaregiver.substack.com).

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

*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.*

Why would you even want to talk about or process the deep emotions? The painful thoughts or feelings that just feel too difficult to think about? In caregiving, isn’t it easier to just let these go and focus on the task of hand since things are already so stressful? 

In today’s episode, Stephanie answers these questions and talks about why therapy can be so helpful for caregivers and why doing some of the hard work can lead to very positive benefits ongoing.

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

*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 shares some of the most memorable (frankly, ridiculous) things people have said to her while she was caring for her mother and following her mother’s passing. 

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

*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.*

Charles Morris has an incredible story, and we are so thankful he is sharing it on our podcast today. From not speaking to his mother for years, to forming a beautiful and meaningful relationship with her, to moving in with his parents and caring for them for years… And then a traumatic brain injury…. This is an episode you do not want to miss.

About Charles Morris:

Charlie Morris was a full time live-in caregiver for his mother as she died from dementia and cancer, during the peak of the Covid pandemic. He has turned his journal entries from that time into a book and podcast titled "Us At Our Worst". Charlie currently lives in Iowa City, Iowa where he spends as much time outside as possible and bothers his two adult children by checking in with them way too often. 

Find Charles Morris on instagram: @thevideoslab

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

*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.*

Canada is in dire need of a national caregiving strategy. And on today’s episode, we welcome James Janeiro, director of policy and government relations at the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE), a program of the Azrieli Foundation, to discuss what he and the CCCE are tirelessly working on to make this dream a reality. If you have ever wondered how policies come into effect and what it takes behind the scenes to make this happen (and how a Canadian caregiver strategy may be closer than ever before) listen now!

About James:

James Janeiro is a public policy and advocacy professional with over a decade of experience in politics, policy and government relations. As director of policy and government relations at the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, James leads an ambitious national and pan-Canadian advocacy and policy development agenda focused on substantive and practical reform.

He began his career in the Ontario Public Service working on disability legislation. He then transitioned to the political policy space and served two successive Ontario ministers of community and social services as senior policy advisor on social assistance, poverty, disability, and veterans’ issues.

In 2014, James assumed a new role serving Premier Kathleen Wynne as her social policy advisor. In this position, he was responsible for a diverse array of policy areas, including poverty reduction, housing, the Basic Income Pilot, disability issues, autism services and municipal affairs. In 2018, James left government for a senior role in the not-for-profit sector. He was director of community engagement and policy at Community Living Toronto from 2018 to 2022. In this role, James developed and executed advocacy strategies focused on housing, income security, and service improvement.

He holds an honours BA in political science, history, and languages and a master’s in public policy from the University of Toronto. James lives in Toronto with his wife, dog and two cats.

Find the CCCE: https://canadiancaregiving.org/
On instagram: @canadiancaregiving

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

*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 today’s episode, caregiver @debbieelkins , shares her story caring for her husband Chuck with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), and discusses how @theaftd  supported her during both her caregiving journey, and provided her a sense of purpose through volunteer and advocacy. AFTD’s director of support and education, Esther Kane, also joins us on today’s insightful episode to discuss all that AFTD provides currently, how they support caregivers and those with an FTD diagnosis, and what may be on the horizon for the organization and the FTD landscape.

About Debbie Elkins: 

Debbie Elkins is a care partner for her husband, Chuck, who is living with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD), a proud mother of three daughters and a grandmother of six. She is deeply committed to advocacy and education, volunteering with The Association for

Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) as an Ambassador and support group leader, and serving as a voting member of the West Virginia State Dementia Task Force. Through her efforts, she strives to raise awareness, support affected families, and contribute to the development of a stronger, more informed future for those impacted by dementia. You can theaftdconnect with Debbie on Instagram @debbieelkins

About Esther Kane:

Esther Kane, MSN, RN-CDP, has been serving as the Director of Support and Education at AFTD since November 2020. With a rich background in dementia care, Esther previously held the position of Director of Nursing at several long-term care facilities specializing in the care of individuals with dementia. Her expertise in clinical dementia care, combined with her deep commitment to delivering compassionate, high-quality care for those living with neurological conditions, drives her work at AFTD. Esther is dedicated to ensuring that every person affected by Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) has access to the support and care they need. She is also passionate about educating healthcare professionals to enhance diagnosis and care, underscoring the critical role of education and training throughout the entire process from diagnosis on. 

Find the AFTD website here: https://www.theaftd.org/
Find the AFTD on Instagram here: @theaftd

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

*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.*

This is not commonly provided education so do not worry if this is all new or confusing! Most people are confused about powers of attorney, advanced directives and wills and why they can be extremely important/ what they can help with. 

In today’s episode, Stephanie discusses her perspectives on having a power of attorney document and what she has seen in her personal life and in hospital and private practice when it comes to powers of attorney and advanced directives. 

*please note, Stephanie is not a lawyer and this episode does not represent legal advice. Please speak to a lawyer or other legal representative for your own power of attorneys and other legal matters*

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

*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.*

This is a common scenario- perhaps when there was an initial diagnosis, people showed up and offered support and over time they stopped coming as often or at all. Or maybe even at the time of diagnosis people did not visit. 

Whatever the case may be, if you are finding that no one visits, this episode is for you. 

Stephanie breaks down the most common reasons why people don’t visit, how you can communicate your wish for visitors with others and pave the way to continue visits ongoing. 

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

*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.*

If you have ever faced navigating the healthcare system through a dementia diagnosis, you know the difficulties that can be faced. A confusing path to navigate, difficulties receiving diagnoses, often not knowing what comes next and staying up-to-date and confident in the way forward. 

In today’s episode, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Saskia Sivananthan who shares her knowledge about how we approach dementia in our healthcare system, her organization The Brainwell Institute, and how we work on a more positive path forward for our aging population.

About Dr. Saskia Sivananthan: 

Dr. Saskia Sivananthan, an internationally recognized strategy and policy advisor on dementia care, is the co-founder and CEO of the Brainwell Institute – a nonprofit dementia policy think tank. She is also an Affiliate Professor at McGill University and health data scientist.

Find Dr. Saskia and Brainwell on instagram: http://www.instagram.com/brainwell_institute

On their website: https://brainwellinstitute.org

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

*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.*

Caring for someone can add complexity and conflict in a romantic relationship. Whether your partner disagrees with your decisions and beliefs regarding caregiving or whether they feel you are not present for them the way you once were, this is for any caregiver experiencing changes in a romantic relationship.

Barry Jacobs and his wife Julie Mayer are clinical psychologists who specialize in family therapy and caregiving and provide their perspectives on different case examples in this enlightening episode.

About Barry: Barry J. Jacobs is a clinical psychologist, family therapist, and a Principal for Health Management Associates, a national health care consulting firm. A former magazine journalist, he is the author of The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers: Looking After Yourself and Your Family While Helping an Aging Parent (Guilford, 2006) and coauthor with his wife, Julia L. Mayer, PsyD, of AARP Meditations for Caregivers: Practical, Emotional, and Spiritual Support for You and Your Family (Hachette, 2016), AARP Love and Meaning After 50: The 10 Challenges to Great Relationships—and How to Overcome Them (Hachette, 2020), and The AARP Caregiver Answer Book (Guilford, 2025). He has also written a self-help column for caregivers for AARP.org since 2013. An honorary board member of the Well Spouse Association and a former director of behavioral sciences for the Crozer Health Family Medicine Residency in Springfield, PA, USA, he maintains a psychotherapy practice in Media, Pennsylvania, specializing in supporting individuals with chronic and serious illness and their caregivers.

Find Barry on X: @drbarryjjacobs

Find Barry and Julie’s new book, The AARP Caregiver Answer Book: https://www.amazon.com/AARP-Caregiver-Answer-Book/dp/1462557872

About Julie: Julie L. Mayer is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Media, Pennsylvania, who has specialized for three decades in helping women in caregiver roles, as well as those with troubled marriages and histories of sexual trauma. She is the author of the novel A Fleeting State of Mind (2014) and coauthor of AARP Meditations for Caregivers and AARP Love and Meaning After 50. She is a former president of the board of PSCP—The Psychology Network. Since 2016 she has cohosted the podcast Shrinks on Third on psychology and social justice.

Find Julie on X: @JuliaLMayer23

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

*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.*