Parenting UP! Caregiving adventures with comedian J Smiles

What does perseverance look like when words are gone and the day goes sideways? We set out to honor a promise—no gray roots, ever—and walked straight into a masterclass on safety, dignity, and the tiny choices that keep identity alive. A new caregiver, a wardrobe wobble, and then the moment every caregiver dreads: knees buckling on a ramp and a slow fall to the ground. No injuries, just a spike of adrenaline and the question that lives in the gut—do we abort, or do we push through?

I take you beat by beat through the real dilemma: when to use the walker versus the wheelchair and how a gait belt and a one‑rep deadlift salvaged the transfer. We get transparent about the doubt and we also get honest about the grace that kept us moving. A stylist waited, cleared the room, and turned a noisy salon into a quiet sanctuary. Shampoo, color, cut, and something rarer: the look on my mom’s face when she recognized herself again in the mirror. That smile said we chose right.

Caregiving spares no one, but we always persevere.  If you’re navigating Alzheimer’s, mobility challenges, or just the daily logistics of being a caregiver, you’ll leave with practical takeaways on the kind of patience that keeps everyone safer and well groomed.

If this story made you feel seen, subscribe, share it with your village, and leave a review so other caregivers can find us. Tell me your small win this week—I’m cheering for every single one.

Executive Producer/Host: J Smiles Comedy

Producer: Mia Hall

Editor: Annelise Udoye 

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"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
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TEXT  'PODCAST"  to  +1 404 737 1449  - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi!
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What if the care system you need doesn’t exist yet? Chanda didn’t wait. 

In this episode, we speak with Chanda Hinton, founder of the Chanda Center for Health. After a childhood spinal cord injury and years of depending on medicines and medical care, Chanda found that daily movement, touch-based therapies, and a team that talks to each other worked to help her overcome challenges brought on by medicine. 

Then she pushed further—she helped pass a first-of-its-kind law in Colorado  and built a disability-competent clinic where primary care, PT, behavioral health, and integrative services live under one roof.

We walk through the turning points: hitting failure-to-thrive at 59 pounds, swapping pills for proactive care, and proving cost savings by reducing 911 calls and ER visits. Chanda explains why caregiver choice matters as much as any therapy, how rotating schedules protect everyone from burnout, and why even toileting can be a place for dignity and laughter. 

You’ll learn how the Chanda Center addresses real barriers providers face, how to create caregiver networks that flex with life, and how disability and dementia communities can join forces to push healthcare toward prevention and collaboration. It’s a story about agency and design: when care aligns with the person, everything works better—body, budget, and spirit.

If this conversation sparked ideas, share it with your care circle. Follow and subscribe for more candid, solutions-focused episodes, and leave a review to help other caregivers find us. Your story could be the seed for the next big change.

For more information about the Chanda Center, visit ChandaCenter.org. 

Exec. Producer/Host: J Smiles

Producer: Mia Hall 

Editor: Annelise Udoye

Support the show

"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup
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YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup
TEXT  'PODCAST"  to  +1 404 737 1449  - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi!
Be sure to leave us a review! 

A single shock can reorder a life. When my father passed suddenly and my mother’s Alzheimer’s deepened, I became the point person for everything. My pivot—raw, messy, and unplanned—sparked a mission: use comedy to have a positive outlet during those trying times. In this special mini episode, you'll hear me as I celebrate five years of our caregiver-centered podcast, ten years of stand-up, and my mom’s 77th lap around the sun, while pulling back the curtain on how humor, faith, and community turned chaos into a living blueprint for care.

I share how the pandemic forced me off the stage and into the mic, and how saying out loud “my mom has Alzheimer’s” changed the room. We talk about legacy—the grandparents who seeded my skits, the cousin who still lights up the room at ninety-three—and why I took my family name to the stage to honor where I come from. 

Caregiving touches almost everyone, whether you’re in it now, still healing, or propping up a friend. That’s why we lean into practical solidarity—financial vigilance after loss, late-night logistics, and the radical act of laughing on the worst days.

Subscribe, share this with your village, and leave a review with one lesson caregiving taught you—someone reading it will need exactly that today.

Executive Producer: J Smiles Comedy

Producer & Editor: Mia Hall 

Support the show

"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup
FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup
TEXT  'PODCAST"  to  +1 404 737 1449  - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi!
Be sure to leave us a review! 

Parenting Up Family! Tune in for a special episode during National Family Caregivers Month! We are usually bi-weekly, but thanks to the Alzheimer's Association of Georgia, we are releasing this bonus episode this month! 

In this episode, Actor Brandon Claybon joins us to unpack the shift that happens when family members forget your name and start losing their memory, with honesty and heart. He speaks with us about how Alzheimer’s touched both sides of his family, what he learned as a ten-year-old watching elders change, and why his purpose goes far beyond the screen. Brandon also talks about carrying light for his community, the accountability that keeps him grounded, and the practical ways a tight-knit family can share care without losing dignity in the process.

We also explore the grief of lost recipes and why recording family culture is important. Brandon shares how he protects his energy with rest and travel, and why intuition can save caregivers time, pain, and frustration.

For teens and young adults stepping in to help, there’s clear guidance here: tune in for more. You may also watch the visual version on Youtube.com/@parentingup.

If this resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs a village today. Your support helps amplify Alzheimer’s awareness, fuel research, and keep these stories—and solutions—within reach.

To join the fight against Alzheimer's, visit alz.org/georgia

Executive Producer/Host: J Smiles Comedy

Producer: Mia Hall

Editor: Annelise Udoye 

Support the show

"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup
FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup
TEXT  'PODCAST"  to  +1 404 737 1449  - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi!
Be sure to leave us a review! 

What does it look like to choose love—and keep choosing it, day after day? We sit down with JET, a grandson who decided his grandmother with dementia wouldn’t go to a facility. He brought her into his home, rebuilt his life around her needs, and learned how dignity lives in small rituals: clean sheets, a sharp outfit, a slow stroll through every aisle at the market just to smell the spices. It’s funny, tender, and honest about what caretaking really takes.

JET walks us through the first clues that something was off—credit-card charges, memberships, late-night orders—and how financial habits can be early flags in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. You’ll hear how a neighbor, Miss Tommy, became an unsung hero, how overnight shifts kept the lights on, and why community might be the most underrated part of elder care.

We talk about men in caregiving, identity, and what competence really looks like when schedules, bathing, meds, and meals collide. There’s laughter—coriander adventures and “field trips” down grocery aisles—and there’s grief.

If you’re navigating dementia, Alzheimer’s, or family caregiving, you’ll leave with practical ideas: build your support early, accept help without guilt, protect dignity through small routines, and keep joy on the calendar. Most of all, you’ll feel less alone. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone who’s carrying the load—what’s one small ritual that kept you going?

Support the show

"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup
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YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup
TEXT  'PODCAST"  to  +1 404 737 1449  - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi!
Be sure to leave us a review! 

The Promenade at Piedmont Park turned into a surge of color, courage, and hope at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s hosted by the Atlanta chapter of the Alzheimer's Association—and we brought our cameras and team to capture it all. From the first cheers to the last hug, we connected with caregivers, researchers, and supporters who refuse to let this disease define our futures. As a media sponsor, Parenting Up! dug into practical takeaways and lifted the voices that make this movement real.

We spoke with a variety of advocates - caregivers and families honoring parents and partners, and supporters who showed up with empathy even without a personal connection. We spoke with Dr. Levey of Emory’s research team who laid out why deep sleep, daily movement, and social connection can reduce risk, how accurate blood tests are transforming early detection, and why new medications that slow progression mark a true turning point. We also talk candidly about clinical trials—why enrollment lags far behind cancer, what’s at stake for prevention studies, and how a strong trial culture can accelerate breakthroughs for everyone.

Throughout the day, small moments carry big meaning: the flower garden of colors, a little girl holding the white flower that symbolizes the first survivor, and the reminder that empowerment programs help people live well with ability, not just diagnosis. The crowd’s energy makes one thing clear—joy is a strategy, and community is a form of care. If you’re a caregiver, a person living with dementia, or an ally ready to do something that matters, this conversation brings both hope and marching orders.

Walk with us, learn with us, and help move the science forward—subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs it, and consider joining a clinical trial or local chapter event. Your step might be the one that brings the white flower into bloom.

Visit Alz.org for more information and check us out at parentingup.com. 

Executive Producer/Host: J Smiles 

Producer: Mia Hall

Videographer/Editor: Annelise Udoye

Support the show

"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup
FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup
TEXT  'PODCAST"  to  +1 404 737 1449  - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi!
Be sure to leave us a review! 

Five years later, the room is louder, the laughs are bigger, and the village is real. We took our microphones into a buzzing anniversary reception at Buckhead Art & Company and let our community speak: caregivers who’ve lost, caregivers who are still in the thick of it, friends who learned how to show up, and pros who stepped in with services, strength, and heart. It wasn’t staged—it was hugs, dance breaks, and testimonies that prove love can outlast timelines and community can carry weight you shouldn’t have to hold alone.

We reflect on how my caregiving story became a global network for Alzheimer’s and dementia support, how humor makes space for hard truths, and how simple acts—an Uber gift card, a lunch invite, a text—can keep burnout at bay. You’ll hear why Zetty's 77th matters to a neurologist’s old clock, how we turned pandemic isolation skills into everyday resilience, and why asking your neighbor, your dentist, or your church for help is not weakness but strategy. From NPR spotlights to cross‑country listeners, this milestone is a reminder that caregivers deserve visibility, fair wages for professional helpers, flexible work, and real community care.

If you’re a caregiver, you’ll find hope and practical ideas. If you love a caregiver, you’ll leave with a playbook for showing up. Stick around for heartfelt supporter messages, gratitude for our behind‑the‑scenes team, and an open invite to join us on Patreon for closer connection and behind‑the‑scenes moments. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs a lift today, and leave a review telling us one small act that made your week lighter. Your story helps another caregiver breathe.

Support the show

"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup
FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup
TEXT  'PODCAST"  to  +1 404 737 1449  - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi!
Be sure to leave us a review! 

Hey Parenting Up Family! Today's episode is an audio version of a look behind the scenes of our first tour in Detroit! We had an amazing time with Dr. McNeil and the team at the AGREED Grant! You may have listened to the series, but now, we get to give you the story behind this amazing project and how it all came together. 

You will hear clips from our episodes, an interview with Dr. McNeil, and part of our pre-5 year 'podversary' celebration at EVRY Media Studios. 

Thank you for rocking with us for these past 5 years. Be sure to share this episode with a friend and check out the visuals on our YouTube channel @parentingup. 

Exec. Producer: J Smiles

Producer: Mia Hall 

DP / Editor: Annelise Udoye

Support the show

"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup
FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup
TEXT  'PODCAST"  to  +1 404 737 1449  - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi!
Be sure to leave us a review! 

What if you could communicate telepathically with someone living with advanced Alzheimer's? Dan Goerke discovered this extraordinary connection with his wife Denise after conventional conversation became impossible. In this episode, Dan reveals how their mental bond transformed his caregiving approach and ultimately led him to become a powerful advocate for Alzheimer's research.

Perhaps most touching is Dan's compassionate philosophy: "Let her do it." When Denise would wander the neighborhood with scissors, pruning neighbors' flowers without permission, Dan instructed caregivers not to stop her. Rather than imposing restrictions, he recognized these creative moments brought her rare joy in a disease that progressively steals happiness. This perspective offers a powerful lesson for all caregivers—sometimes the greatest compassion lies in allowing freedom rather than control.

From following behind his wife's car to detect unsafe driving patterns to navigating bathroom challenges with humor and patience, Dan's honest account of caregiving's frustrations and unexpected gifts resonates deeply. His journey from anger to advocacy demonstrates how channeling emotion into action can create meaningful change not just for one family, but for millions affected by Alzheimer's.

Ready to transform your own caregiving approach or join the fight against Alzheimer's? Visit alz.org to discover advocacy opportunities, find Dan's book "Unforgettable, Unbelievable" on Amazon, or connect through his Soul to Soul Communication website for telepathic services that might help you bridge the gap with your loved one.

Executive Producer / Host: J Smiles

Producer: Mia Hall

Editor: Annelise Udoye 

Support the show

"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup
FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup
TEXT  'PODCAST"  to  +1 404 737 1449  - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi!
Be sure to leave us a review! 

Ever wondered how far you'd go to care for someone you love? How much dignity you'd sacrifice? I found my answer on the side of I-20 during Atlanta rush hour.

When my mother started talking to people who weren't there, walking into walls, and fidgeting constantly, I suspected a UTI—those sneaky infections that can make dementia symptoms appear dramatically worse. After three grueling weeks of attempting to collect a urine sample from my incontinent mother, we finally succeeded. With my precious cargo secured, I had exactly one hour to reach a lab 45 minutes away.

What followed was nothing short of a caregiver's nightmare. Halfway to the lab, my body betrayed me, forcing an emergency roadside stop that left me sweating, shaking, and utterly humiliated—but still clutching that precious urine sample. You’ll have to listen to the episode for all that went down - listener discretion advised!

This raw, unfiltered story illustrates the invisible battles caregivers fight daily. We sacrifice comfort, dignity, and sometimes even our own health in service of those who depend on us. But in those moments of chaos and desperation, we discover reservoirs of strength we never knew existed.

If you're caring for someone with dementia, remember this: UTIs are the worst. They can cause dramatic behavioral changes that mimic worsening dementia. Before assuming your loved one's condition is deteriorating, check for infection. And never, ever stop advocating—even when it means pulling over on a busy highway or challenging medical professionals who stand in your way.

Subscribe to Parenting Up for more unvarnished truths about the caregiving journey. Because sometimes the messiest stories offer the most valuable lessons.

Support the show

"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup
FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup
TEXT  'PODCAST"  to  +1 404 737 1449  - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi!
Be sure to leave us a review!