As a follow-up to the full-length Island Treasures episode called "Voila! Caregiver" (Episode 22 of Season 3), this mini version includes a couple of excerpts highlighting Debbie Compton's insights: talking with a consultant and taking her mom and her mother-in-law together to an appointment - and how challenging it was to get them ready. Hear all about this and the funny ending to the story and how she was able to conclude it was indeed a victory!

Debbie invites caregivers to join her for a free consulting session as she is a certified caregiving consultant and certified caregiver advocate and educator. You can find out more about Debbie, her books, services and inventions on her website "The Purple Vine"

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Debbie Compton is a three-time caregiver for parents with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and vascular dementia. She’s a Certified Caregiving Consultant, Certified Caregiver Advocate, keynote speaker, and author of 6 books geared toward caregivers and seniors.

 Debbie has been a Community Educator for the Alzheimer’s Association since 2017 and is the founder of The Purple Vine, an organization created to spread awareness about all forms of dementia.

 Her mission is to empower caregivers with the tools needed to reduce stress, find more joy, and live their best life.

 Debbie is a wife, mother of 4 children and 6 amazing grandchildren. She lives in Oklahoma City.

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Mrs. Kelly (played by Breeda Miller) appears for a cameo performance in an excerpt from the 2 act, one-woman play "Mrs. Kelly's Journey Home". Breeda found she was in the sandwich generation of caregivers when she started to provide care for her mother who had vascular dementia and quickly had to learn how to make it through each day on this unplanned journey. She admits there was a lot about caregiving that she didn't know but knowing that she loved her mom she quickly learned what she needed to know.

Breeda wrote the book she wished she'd had when she was trying to figure things out. Then she wrote another book and the play which she is taking to stages across North America. "Mrs. Kelly's Journey Home" is warming the hearts of caregivers and non-caregivers.

I invite you to enjoy a cup of tea with Mrs. Kelly while listening to this mini episode of the podcast.

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Breeda Miller is a story teller and a caregiver who is able to share her caregiving experience through the lens of story and good humour.

People who care for others are often the worst at caring for themselves. Breeda calls herself a recovering caregiver, caring for her mother for 6 years, including hospice care in her home. She is a professional speaker and a wonderful storyteller. In fact, her stories have been broadcast on The Moth Story Hour on NPR and one of her videos went viral (in a good way) and got over a million views. She is able to combine stories with creative problem-solving ideas. She has found that good humor is the secret sauce to her success and to yours. She has written two award-winning books all about self-care. 

After two successful books and years of professional speaking Breeda has recently done something that scared the living daylights out of her. She has written and performs a one-woman play, called Mrs. Kelly’s Journey Home. It’s the story of her family’s immigration from Ireland and her journey as her mother’s caregiver as she developed dementia. It’s filled with heart, humor and lessons about what really matters.

Breeda is a native Michigander who lives with her family, including two adult sons with cognitive impairments in a drafty old farmhouse with a spectacular screened porch, her personal refuge.

For more information on Breeda, her play and resources, check out her website 

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From the audio version of the Island Treasures podcast for Caregivers, this mini episode addresses what Jodi Kay Benusa (Independent Geriatric Consultant and Licensed Social Worker) shared about being a compassionate scientist and how we can all adopt this approach to be inquisitive and find out what's behind our actions; by taking a pause we can uncover the reason so we can make changes with the goal of improving the outcome. It's not just me talking about the episode, but this video contains Jodi speaking about the pact she made with herself to prevent burnout as well as the compassionate scientist concept.

Click here for Jodi's website

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Jodi Kay Benusa is an Independent Geriatric Consultant who is a licensed social worker. She has been providing care in various ways throughout her entire life and it came as no surprise that she would enter the field of social work.

Jodi works hard to preserve the rights of aging adults so they can live their best life through the toughest of times and she does this by asking questions so she can tailor her services to the needs of her clients. She is a problem solver who enjoys breaking through barriers to meet client goals.

Jodi shares her own experience with burnout and how she is now able to recognize the warning signs and how to take steps to avoid burnout.

Jodi introduced me to the term 'compassionate scientist' where exploring our reactions in situations helps us extend compassion to ourselves and others; simply, by stopping what we're doing, taking the pause and being compassionate instead of defensive.

Click here to visit Jodi's website 

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Licia Thompson (liciathompson.com) is a Reinvention Strategist and in this episode she shares her number one tip for caregivers. Licia is the founder of Licia Thompson Coaching & Consulting LLC and she combines her life skills from her caregiving experiences for both her parents with her professional skills in leadership roles to help folks move forward after caregiving, or other life transitions. Licia learned many lessons - some the hard way - to hear more about her experiences, you'll find the full episode on Island Treasures Season 3, Episode 16 on the Whole Care Network.

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Licia Thompson has been a caregiver for both of her parents, separately, and at different times throughout her adult life while she simultaneously worked in corporate America and was a single mom. During this time she was in “Go Mode” and just kept on dealing with all the tasks at hand because that is what you do in “go mode” – and she learned the hard way that neglecting self-care and ignoring warning signs of her own health had its consequences.

Licia's parents have now passed and she has written her book “When Your Soul Whispers". She combines her caregiving skills, lessons and insights with her leadership and coaching skills in her work as a 'reinvention strategist' as she helps folks redefine their values and move forward after life's transitions, including caregiving. 

You can find out more through Licia's website liciathompson.com

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This episode of the Island Treasures podcast for Caregivers draws from the full episode “Telling the Full Story of Caregiving” featuring retired broadcast journalist, and author of "Winter Stars, an elderly mother, an aging son, and life's final journey", Dave Iverson. 

We start with Rosalynn Carter’s quote about caregivers and proceed to explore the aspects of caregiving that face us all as we lift the blinds to see what lies before us in caregiving. We start at the individual level and go to the broader level. 

This episode invites you to join in the conversation so together we can find ways to make resources available for all caregivers regardless of financial situation. 

You may wonder why there's a cheeseburger reference - for the answer listen to the full episode of the Island Treasures Podcast Season 3 Episode 13.

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This Mini podcast episode touches on some of the key points raised in the full podcast episode for caregivers called "Telling the Full Story of Caregiving" (Season 3 Episode 13) including whether caregivers are called or guided or compelled to step into caregiving. We review the broad scope of caregiving on the macro and micro levels.

I talk about Dave Iverson's book "Winter Stars: An elderly mother, an aging son, and life's final journey" as well as Dave Iverson's PBS Frontline Documentary called "My Father, My Brother and Me".

There's a shout-out of appreciation to Denise Brown of the Caregiving Years Training Academy for introducing me to Dave Iverson. And for more information on Dave or his book you can visit his website

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