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In this heartfelt conversation, writer and memoir teacher Maureen Stanton joins me to talk about how writing our stories can help us heal, especially when we’ve lived through seasons of caring for someone we love. Maureen, author of The Murmur of Everything Moving, shares what drew her to memoir, why she loves teaching it, and why caregiving stories are so often overlooked. People outside this world often have no idea how hard caregiving can be, and we talk about why telling these stories out loud and on the page matters so much.

We talk about the difference between memoir and autobiography, how to figure out what your memoir is really about, and some common misconceptions new writers bring with them when they start. Maureen also offers down‑to‑earth, practical ideas for writing about hard things—illness, family, and grief—without feeling guilty, disloyal, or selfish.

She shares clear, simple ways to begin shaping a life into a book: choosing a focus, finding your voice, and using small everyday moments to bring a story to life. Whether you’re a current or former caregiver, or someone who simply knows it’s time to tell your story, this episode is for you. It is a conversation that feels like sitting down with a trusted friend who believes your story matters and wants to help you tell it.

You can read more about Maureen and connect with her through her website: https://www.maureenstantonwriter.com.

Photo credit: Heather Perry

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In this second part of my conversation with Sharon, we begin by talking about how our friendship grew after she cared for Lance as his home health nurse. Sharon shares how seriously she considered the decision to become his hospice nurse—asking herself if it was possible to stay professional while also being a friend—and how it all worked out in a way that was deeply meaningful for all of us.

From there, we continue exploring hospice care, focusing on the emotional and spiritual sides that reach far beyond medical support. Sharon talks about how hospice teams also care for families, helping loved ones cope with the changes and emotions that come with this stage of life. We discuss the role of hospice nurses in tending to those deeper needs and how chaplains, social workers, and other professionals work together to bring comfort and hope.

Sharon reflects on her connection with Lance and what it meant to care for someone she already knew so well, sharing stories from that time, including being a part of Lance’s final wish. She also shares stories from her years of hospice work that show why this calling continues to matter so much to her. We talk about how preparing for aging—emotionally, practically, and spiritually—can make choosing home hospice easier when the time comes. And yes, there are some laughs, as Sharon tells stories and even talks about how she’s preparing for her own aging. She shares one clear message she hopes people will take away: Have those tough conversations.

This episode offers an honest, heartfelt look at hospice care—for both body and spirit—and the grace that can be found when we approach life’s hardest seasons with compassion, preparation, and friendship. Sharon really has a way of making hospice less scary. It’s a conversation everyone should listen to.

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In this episode, I’m joined once again by my dear friend Sharon. You may recognize her from last week's episode about Home Health. Sharon first cared for my late husband Lance as his home health nurse, and two years later, when it was time to begin hospice, I asked if she would be his hospice nurse. Having her walk with us through that season meant more than I can say.

Sharon talks about what hospice really is, common misconceptions, how it differs from palliative care, when it’s typically recommended, and what families can expect when care begins. She also helps paint a picture of what home hospice looks like and how support extends beyond medical needs to include comfort, understanding, and connection. She brings years of experience as a hospice nurse, and shares stories that reveal the heart of her work—the moments that have shaped her, the memories of patients that have stayed with her, and what continues to inspire her to do this kind of meaningful care. 

Our conversation offers insight, reassurance, and hope for anyone wanting to better understand hospice care. Be sure to tune in next week for part two as we talk about the emotional and spiritual sides of hospice care—the fears, the misconceptions, and the ways hospice helps both patients and families find peace through the end-of-life journey.

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In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend Sharon, a registered nurse who played a very special role in our journey—she was my late husband Lance’s home health nurse, and later, his hospice nurse. With many years of experience in both home health and hospice care, Sharon brings warmth, expertise, and insight to this conversation about what it really means to heal, live, and find comfort at home.

Together, we talk about who home health care is designed to help, the kinds of medical and therapy services it provides, and how it differs from hospice or in-home caregiving. Sharon explains how care teams coordinate with doctors to build a plan that supports both safety and independence, while also giving families the education and confidence to manage care at home. She also walks us through what the process looks like—from getting the referral to that first home visit. This conversation is both informative and personal, setting the stage for our next episode where Sharon returns to talk about hospice care.

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Grief is hard enough in private, but walking through it publicly adds a different kind of weight. In this second half of my conversation with my dear friend and former co-host, Jenna, we talk about what it has been like for her to witness my grief and healing unfold through this podcast, and what has helped her walk through it with me in a healthy, honest way.

Jenna shares practical and caring advice for anyone supporting someone through grief: being honest with yourself and the grieving person about your capacity, setting and communicating boundaries, resisting the urge to be a hero, and asking hard questions like, “Can I really take this on?” She talks about how, sometimes, the most loving thing you can do is acknowledge that you cannot be the one to show up so you don’t unintentionally add to someone’s trauma or create yet another loss.

From the perspective of the person grieving, we explore how to communicate honestly with the people trying to support you—whether you want to actively work toward healing or need to sit in your grief for a while, and why it’s important not to expect any one person to be everything for you. We emphasize the value of seeking professional help, especially when complicated histories can make leaning on certain people harder. 

We also talk about what it means to be an effective listener when grief feels overwhelming or repetitive, and how life is a continuous opportunity to grow rather than a place you ever fully arrive. Jenna closes with reflections on prioritizing healthy ways of living and nurturing your relationships now, because you never know what life will bring, and it is easier to walk through grief when you begin from a healthier place.

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When someone you love is grieving, knowing how to support them can feel complicated and even uncomfortable. This episode feels less like an interview and more like a window into a deeply personal conversation. My dear friend and former co-host, Jenna, joins me to talk honestly about what it looks like to walk through grief with someone you care about. Together, we reflect on our shared experience of grief — from moments of silence and discomfort to presence and honesty — and what we’ve learned about showing up for one another when things feel heavy.

As we talk, we touch on the fact that grief isn’t linear, why you don’t need to be everything for someone who’s grieving, how to be honest about your capacity without creating another loss, and why support isn’t about fixing. It's about staying. We also revisit our unexpected “grief trip” to Ireland, and how that experience revealed how differently grief can unfold for each of us.

Whether you’re grieving or walking beside someone who is, this episode is a reminder that love doesn’t fix grief — it simply stays present through it. This is a vulnerable, unfiltered conversation, one you’re invited to quietly sit in on. If you’ve ever wondered what true support through loss sounds like in real life, this episode is for you.

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Neurologist and author Dr. Carolyn Larkin Taylor joins For Those Who Care for an important conversation about Lewy Body Dementia (LBD)—a complex and often misunderstood condition that blends symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.

Dr. Taylor explains what Lewy Body Dementia is, how it’s diagnosed, and why it can be particularly challenging for families and caregivers. She notes that actor Robin Williams was found to have Lewy Body Dementia, which helped bring more public attention to this often misunderstood condition. She also offers practical, compassionate advice for anyone caring for a loved one with a neurological condition—whether that’s LBD, Alzheimer’s or other dementia, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Taylor shares how lifestyle choices—nutrition, exercise, sleep, etc—play a powerful role in brain health and quality of life. She underscores that while there’s no cure, there is so much that can be done to support both the patient and the caregiver.

As we close, I mention two trusted sources of information and help: the Lewy Body Dementia Association and the National Institute on Aging, both of which offer education, community, and hope for those walking this path.

Learn more about Dr. Taylor’s work and her memoir, Whispers of the Mind: A Neurologist’s Memoir, at https://www.carolynlarkintaylorauthor.com

Photo credit: Courtesy of Dr. Carolyn Larkin Taylor.

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Neurologist and author Dr. Carolyn Larkin Taylor joins me to talk about her book, Whispers of the Mind: A Neurologist’s Memoir, and why she felt called to share these deeply human stories now, after more than three decades in neurology. She reflects on how she found her way into neurology, the patients and families who changed her forever, and what they taught her about resilience, courage, and the many ways people keep showing up for life while facing terminal illness.

Dr. Taylor shares who she believes will benefit most from reading Whispers of the Mind—from caregivers and families to medical students, residents, and seasoned clinicians—and what she hopes they carry with them after closing the book. She also offers grounded, heartfelt advice to young women who feel called to both medicine and motherhood, speaking honestly about the challenges and rewards of doing both.​

We talk about what nearly drove her away from medicine and what ultimately kept her in it, as well as the personal experiences that shaped who she is as a neurologist. Dr. Taylor describes how these moments deepened her compassion for patients and families and influenced the way she shows up for them.​

She opens up about her own experience with grief and how it changes the brain—sometimes looking and feeling like a traumatic brain injury, yet with the possibility of healing—and how hard it can be to function when you are in that fog. Speaking directly to anyone who has wondered if their deep grief meant they were “losing their mind,” she offers validation, language for what is happening, and gentle guidance for moving through it rather than around it, including a poignant story in her book about pseudo-dementia from severe depression and profound grief.​

Dr. Taylor also offers practical advice on how to live as well as possible while dealing with serious neurological conditions, emphasizing that these stories are about the shared emotions of patients, caregivers, and clinicians alike. She shares how her beloved therapy dog, Prancer, became an essential part of her medical team, bringing comfort and connection to people in some of their most difficult moments. For anyone who has ever experienced the coldness of medical providers, this conversation and this book reveal the deeply human side of medicine.​

Learn more about Dr. Carolyn Larkin Taylor and her work at: https://www.carolynlarkintaylorauthor.com/

Photo credit: Courtesy of Dr. Carolyn Larkin Taylor.

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In this episode of For Those Who Care, I’m talking with my former personal trainer Jenna about what functional training really means and why it matters, especially for caregivers. Jenna explains how this kind of training helps people stay strong, mobile, and ready for the physical demands that come with caring for others.

She shares a story about a client who didn’t have much time to work out but found ways to stay consistent—and how those small efforts made a big difference for her and her family. Jenna and I also talk about what she noticed in my own movement patterns as a full-time caregiver, what that revealed about the toll caregiving can take, and how training helped me rebuild strength and confidence.

Jenna also opens up about her experience working with Lance and how she adapted his training to match his mobility and goals. It wasn’t about adding more years, but about giving him more purpose, comfort, and quality in the time he had.

This conversation is a great reminder that movement can be a source of strength, hope, and even healing for caregivers and anyone living with disability or chronic conditions.

This episode is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or professional fitness advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider or certified fitness professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine.

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In the final part of Walter and Kristine’s story, Kristine reflects on the challenges they faced as Walter applied for disability and came to terms with leaving work behind. She shares how that transition changed their relationship, the toll of balancing full-time work with caregiving, and the struggle of navigating life with no manual for Erdheim-Chester Disease.

RuthAnn and Kristine also recall meeting in person for the first time at the inaugural ECD conference and the meaningful connections formed when the caregiver support group began. That network became a source of understanding and encouragement through an isolating journey.

Kristine closes this chapter by remembering Walter’s final weeks on hospice and how she began rebuilding her life after 14 years of caregiving. Her story speaks to courage, faith, and the ongoing process of rediscovering oneself after loss.