For Those Who Care

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Most people don't dream of changing dirty diapers or spending 24/7 caring for a loved one who's ill. It's not glamorous, and at times, it feels overwhelming. Yet, these tasks are often part of a bigger purpose — a purpose some might even call a sacred calling. In this episode, Jenna and RuthAnn dive deep into how they found meaning and purpose in the middle of life's toughest challenges. Jenna shares her experience as a mother, while RuthAnn opens up about being a caregiver to her disabled husband. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about finding purpose in the most difficult times.

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We can't control every aspect of our lives, but we can control how we respond to it. Chaos is inevitable, and how we react to the chaos can sometimes dictate our outcome. Join Jenna and RuthAnn for this episode where they share what they each incorporated into their lives that helped them find peace in the chaos. "Take a Deep Breath" or "Just Breathe" gives you time to pause and make a decision on how to respond.  This episode will be helpful to anyone dealing with challenging circumstances, especially single parents, caregivers, and those dealing with chronic conditions.

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What makes a person strong? It isn't something we are born with. So where do we find strength? Join Jenna and RuthAnn for this candid conversation where they share what they gained through the challenges they faced in each of their lives. They also offer advice on how to respond to someone going through a challenging situation, and why saying "You're so strong" may not always be the best choice of words. This episode will be helpful to caregivers, parents, anyone going through a challenging situation, or anyone trying to support someone in one of these roles.

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Living with an illness or disability shouldn't mean that you have to give up everything and just stay at home. Travel was something that Lance and RuthAnn continued to enjoy for many years after Lance became disabled, but it took a while to figure out a system that worked. Join RuthAnn and Jenna as they offer travel tips when dealing with a disability. The first few minutes focus on lodging and road trips. Beginning at 6:43 Jenna offers her inside tips and information from the perspective of an airline employee. This episode will be helpful to anyone traveling, especially those new to traveling with a disability, or anyone sending their disabled loved ones, children, or elderly parents on an airplane without an escort.

*Please note that this episode does not offer comprehensive travel tips or information. Check travel websites such as TSA or individual airlines for specific guidelines and requirements.

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Continuing from the previous episode, RuthAnn shares how she adapted the house to her husband's needs in an effort to help him maintain some of his independence and also allow him to contribute to the household. An important point made is that your home needs to work for you in whatever your life looks like. Do not allow other people's opinions to influence how you set things up. Asking for help is hard, but it is so important. Join RuthAnn and Jenna as they share their tips on asking for help. Jenna offers her perspective, both as a single mom and as a spectator and participant in Lance and RuthAnn's life. This episode will be helpful to caregivers, parents, or anyone facing a disruption in life such as major surgery, accident, illness, etc.

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If you became a caregiver tomorrow, would you be prepared? Join RuthAnn and Jenna for this conversation where they share practical tips and advice to help keep you organized while caring for your loved one. RuthAnn talks specifically about some of the things she did as caregiver to her husband, and Jenna offers her perspective as a single mom. This information will be helpful to caregivers, single parents, or anyone caring for another person and looking for ways to simplify and organize. It's always a good idea to have a plan in place while caring for others.

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It's hard to know how much to share with people when you or someone you love becomes ill. In this episode RuthAnn talks about going through several stages with Lance's illness. Each stage required different levels of care, and that determined how much they shared and who they shared the details with. 

As a caregiver your life is often affected just as much as, if not more than, the person who is ill. How can you get the support you need if you don't share at least a little about what is happening? How do you figure out what to share, how to share, and with whom?

Join RuthAnn and Jenna for this conversation where they discuss the challenges of respecting the patient's privacy and still being able to communicate with friends and loved ones about what you are facing. 

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In this episode RuthAnn and Jenna talk about some of the challenges of caring for someone with dementia, memory loss, and behavioral changes. Lance was only 39 when he was diagnosed with dementia so people often did not believe that he had it. 

Join RuthAnn and Jenna for this candid conversation, a few light hearted moments, and an inside look at the ways that dementia and memory loss change your life. RuthAnn shares the main thing she discovered that needed to change once Lance was diagnosed. She also talks about some of the other changes she made to make him more comfortable and at ease, which made it easier to care for him.

Dementia and memory loss are challenging at any age. If you are caring for someone who has dementia, or know someone who is, this is an episode you should listen to.

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In this episode RuthAnn and Jenna talk about kindness, especially the kindness of strangers. RuthAnn shares some specific encounters with people that had a positive impact on her.

Join RuthAnn and Jenna for this conversation where they discuss alternate ways to respond to someone who seems unfriendly or rude. RuthAnn mentions that people often responded to the look on her face, usually not realizing that she was dealing with some serious circumstances and was lost in thought. 

You never know what people are going through. It's important to just be kind all the time. 

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This episode is about having cheerleaders in your life and the positive impact they have. No, this is not about people with pom poms. But that image is a good way to think about what a cheerleader is, "I'm here to believe in you until you can believe in yourself."

What does it mean to be a cheerleader? It does not require being loud. It can be as simple as sitting with someone or walking quietly beside them, just being there to support them in the way that they need. 

RuthAnn opens up about having it pointed out that she had been through so much, that saying, "You're so strong," did not feel like encouragement and the reasons why.

Join RuthAnn and Jenna for this important conversation about how encouragement makes a person feel seen. They also discuss the difference between generalized and specific encouragement, and why blind optimism is not considered cheerleading.