April 07, 2025

Ep. 495 Care Boss: Strategies for Family Caregivers with Jennifer A. O’Brien

49 minutes

Learn how leadership skills and organizational tools can help decrease stress for family caregivers.

My guest Jennifer O’Brien has been a practice management consultant to physicians for 35 years and is the author of the book The Hospice Doctor’s Widow, which was the subject of our previous interview. After providing care for her husband, a hospice and palliative care physician, at the end of his life she has focused on helping people start conversations about caregiving and end of life. She shares insights and tips from her latest book Care Boss: Leadership Strategies and Resources for Family Caregivers, which was inspired by her realization that there are profound similarities between leadership and family caregivers. Learn more at her website:

jenniferaobrien.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

Similarities and differences between the roles of family caregiver and CEO

How leadership strategies can benefit an overwhelmed family caregiver

The value of having a mission and vision statement for our end of life

How to assemble a “team” as a caregiver by identifying the helpers

Tips for delegating tasks to others

The best time to read this book and how to use it

Rethinking the idea of self-care as self-management and self-awareness

Using the Intensity Assessment Tool to understand the degree of stress you are experiencing

The idea of “Precious Time” and why it’s important

Links mentioned in this episode:

Previous interview with Jennifer

Intensity Assessment Tool for caregivers at Archangels.me

“Precious Time” Implementation Guide for healthcare workers

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By Karen Wyatt MD

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