The Agewyz Podcast

Pittsburgh native Carole Brecht comes from a talkative family, but when her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease no one discussed her illness. In today’s show, Carole shares what she learned about the importance of having frank conversations about Alzheimer’s, and she talks about the silence and isolation that accompanied her own caregiving experience. She also talks about her father’s unwavering devotion to her mother and how, during her saddest and darkest days, Carole found her way back to her roots as an artist, creating a book that combines Zentangle-inspired artwork with supportive letters written to caregivers. Tune in for a spirited discussion with this award-winning author. Learn more about Carole’s work & her book: www.SanGenWoman.com Referenced work of Dr. John Stanko: http://www.purposequest.com Music: “Cosmic Kitten” by Letmeknowyouanatole | CC BY SA | Free Music Archive

While she was still in college Jasmine Pearlman became the sole caregiver for her mother, who developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2004 and then faced multiple health complications after her cancer went into remission. In today’s show, Jasmine talks about juggling classes with teaching herself how to dress her mother’s wounds and injecting her with blood thinners, being the sole breadwinner in her family and why she doesn’t buy into the idea of what you lose because of caregiving. She also talks about her television show Caregiving & You and her media company designed to support caregivers. Tune in for a story of hope and tenacity out of the Bronx. Link to Jasmine’s company: http://www.caregivingandyou.com Link to ModernHealthcare article mentioned in the show: http://bit.ly/2hWI6fE Music: “Spins and Never Falls” | Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY NC | Free Music Archive

For twelve years, Priya Soni and her family “lived in the questions” about the undiagnosed neurological condition that ultimately took her father’s life. In today’s show, Priya talks about the creative strategies she employed caring for her father and how her journey through his “mystery illness” led her to create The Caregiving Effect, a project whose mission is to build a movement of mentors through the power of shared stories. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation about family, culture and spirituality, and a dad from Punjab who lives on through his daughter’s work.

Learn more about Priya’s work

Music: Deep Singh and Ikhlaq Hussain Khan – Live on WFMU’s Transpacific Sound Paradise broadcast from Barbes, Sep. 13 2008 | CC BY NC SA | Free Music Archive

In the blink of an eye, author Liz O’Donnell went from speaking out on the challenges faced by working mothers to losing sleep as a working daughter caring for her terminally ill mother and father in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. In this re-broadcast, Liz shares what she learned juggling the competing demands of work and family life during her crash course in eldercare, and she talks about her Atlantic Magazine article, “The Crisis Facing America’s Working Daughters,” which focuses on the hidden, often ignored troubles of working moms with aging parents.

Liz’s article: http://theatln.tc/1nVcsAZ
Liz's website: http://www.workingdaughter.com

For a transcript of this episode click here: Only Way  Through Is Through

Music: “Pre-Vertex (Limited Functionality Is My New Jam)” by Lee Rosevere | CC BY NC SA.

Jaime Estremera-Fitzgerald is a CEO on a mission. As head of South Florida’s Area Agency on Aging, known locally as Your Aging and Disability Resource Center, he leads a team dedicated to serving seniors, adults with disabilities and the people who care for them. In today’s show, Jaime talks about caring for his own parents, who lived well into their nineties, the complex emotions he felt moving his father into an assisted living facility and why he chose a facility that reflects the Cuban/Puerto Rican culture his father grew up in. Jaime also explains how the Center connects people with a vast array of home and community-based services that allow them to continue to age in place, and he shares the story of a daughter’s panicked call over her mother and how his team jumped in to resolve the situation. 

For a transcript of this episode click here: Transcript

Learn more: www.youradrc.org

Call the Helpline: 866-684-5885 

Music: “Tower of Mirrors” by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY NC | Free Music Archive

75-year-old Dan Hall talks strategy: as an aging, single gay man and as Treasurer of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, which advocates locally on behalf of LGBT individuals of all ages. Formerly married to a woman, Dan also talks about his relationship with his adult children, staying active socially, the housing landscape for LBGT seniors and his own aging-in-place setup. Link to the Council: http://www.pbchrc.org Music: “Cycle” by Dlay | CC BY NC ND | Free Music Archives

On their fifth wedding anniversary Jeff Block’s wife Debbie was diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma, a stage 3 brain cancer which she continues to live with today—15 years after being diagnosed. In this episode, Jeff talks about managing his wife’s round-the-clock care, navigating the tangled web of insurance coverage and respite care and writing his book “Nine Years After.” He also talks about how caregiving has affected him emotionally, his approach to medical bills and the surprising impact of North Carolina’s infamous “bathroom bill” on his and Debbie’s outings. Tune in for a candid conversation out of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Jeff’s book: http://amzn.to/2gJPopt Learn more about Debbie’s form of cancer: http://bit.ly/2gJXqP2 About the foundation Jeff mentioned: http://bit.ly/2fL6G5K Music: “You Um, I'll Ah” by Doctor Turtle | CC BY | Free Music Archive

65-year-old George Brandetsas spent four years flying back and forth from his home in northern California to his parent's house in Florida, tag-teaming with a sister in Rochester who helped coordinate their parents' care. In today's episode, George talks about juggling time off from work with caring for his colorful Greek parents in the last years of their lives, from his father's passion for drawing cartoons to George's moving in with his mother at an independent living facility where they binge-watched TV shows as mom battled colon cancer. George also tells us why he moved in with his mother and what he learned from his caregiving experience, and he offers a message for non-caregivers. Music: “Even When We Fall” by Philipp Weigl | CC BY | Free Music Archive

New York native Andrea Goldstein was an active duty naval officer from 2009-2016, and she’s been a contributor to the military website “Task & Purpose” since 2014. In today’s episode, Andrea talks about why she joined the Navy, how the military often overlooks contributions of male caregivers like her partner—himself a veteran of the war in Afghanistan—and issues raised in her article “Veteran Caregivers Can Be Men, But No One Recognizes That.” What is women’s work? What is men’s work? Tune in and learn why how we define both matters for all of us, in and out of uniform. Andrea’s article in Task & Purpose: http://bit.ly/2fbk6Dm Rand Report on American Military Caregivers: http://bit.ly/1gKJxJN NY Times article Andrea mentioned: http://nyti.ms/2eckBRw Music: “Florentiner March” | United States Navy Band | Public Domain

When an aging parent falls or needs help of any kind, even the most competent son or daughter can suddenly feel powerless. Meet Candy Cohn, the owner of Yaffa Senior Services. Candy guides people through the maze of senior living and home health options and helps them make the best choices for care and living situations as they age. Her services are free to her clients. In today’s episode, Candy talks about caring for her own parents, financial challenges faced by older adults and her tailored, face-to-face approach to serving seniors and their families. She also shares stories of people who have reached out to her for help and tells us why she’s passionate about her work. Candy is based in South Florida, but she also helps people in other states. Learn more: www.yaffaseniorservices.com Call Candy: 772-486-4914 Music: “Cosmic Kitten” by Letmeknowyouanatole | CC BY SA | Free Music Archive