Your Brain on Mom

In this episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, we sit down with caregiver advocate and podcast host Mikayla Cluxton for a funny, honest, and deeply relatable conversation about the emotional chaos of caregiving — and the strange little rituals that keep us going (yes… even shoe shopping).

We talk about the realities of caregiving burnout, anxiety, and the constant battle between wanting quiet alone time and not actually liking being alone with our thoughts. Mikayla shares how her own emotional regulation journey has shifted—going from avoiding silence to finally finding peace in it. Meanwhile, Barry and Wendy unpack the mental load of being “always on call,” the guilt of saying no, and how hard it is to set boundaries when your loved one insists you’re the only person who can help.

We dive into:

✨ The emotional whiplash of caring for someone whose needs and moods change daily
✨ The impossibility of balance — and why “spinning plates” is a better metaphor
✨ The grief and identity loss tied to no longer driving or being independent
✨ Why caregivers need Do Not Do lists just as much as to-do lists
✨ Learning how to say no (or at least not right now) without drowning in guilt

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, overstimulated, overcommitted — and still somehow convinced that you should be doing more — this episode is your permission slip to breathe, set boundaries, and choose what you have capacity for today.

🎧 Listen now for real talk, humour, and the reminder that you are not alone.

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This week on This Is Your Brain On Mom, things take a hilarious turn — because apparently our mom has become… a joiner. Bingo champion. Artist. Bowling league member. Lead singer alongside a mysterious hallway guitarist. We don’t know who she is anymore — but honestly? We’re impressed.

In this episode, we catch up on mom’s surprisingly busy social life in memory care, upcoming travel plans, and Barry’s big family milestone. But beneath the laughter, we go somewhere real: the complicated emotional side of caregiving.

We talk about:

The isolation many caregivers feel

The frustration behind comments like “at least she still remembers you”

Unsolicited advice (especially from people who have never cared for someone living with dementia)

Toxic positivity, grief, resentment — and why humor sometimes saves us

The struggle with role reversal and language, including words like “diaper”

How routines shift when caregiving becomes part of everyday life

If you’re a caregiver for a parent with Alzheimer’s or dementia — or love someone who is — you’ll feel seen in this conversation. And you’ll probably laugh, because sometimes the only options are laughter… or chaos.

🎧 Listen now for honesty, humor, and the reminder that caregivers deserve compassion too.

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What happens when Alzheimer’s doesn’t just affect the person living with it—but everyone connected to them?

In this episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, we’re pulling back the curtain on what caregiving really looks like behind the scenes… including the emotional overflow, the exhaustion, the unexpected laughter, and yes—those moments where avoiding the phone feels like self-preservation.

Today, we’re joined by a very special guest: Marc (aka The Husband), who has quietly played the role of tech lead, emotional support person, and unofficial Mom Whisperer. Together, we talk about:

✨ How Alzheimer’s impacts spouses, kids, and extended family—not just primary caregivers
✨ The emotional whiplash of caregiving (from crying to laughing to swearing in under 30 seconds)
✨ The role humor plays when things get heavy
✨ Why sometimes the kindest thing you can do for yourself is not answer the phone
✨ How this diagnosis has changed our relationships—with each other and with our kids

Whether you’re navigating dementia with a parent, supporting a partner who’s caregiving, or simply trying to understand the ripple effect this disease creates—this episode is for you.

You’re not alone.
And if you’ve ever hung up the phone and immediately needed a snack, a nap, or a new therapist… yeah, same.

🎧 Press play and come sit with us in the chaos.

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In this special episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, Barry sits down with our mom — the woman who started it all. Before memory loss became part of her story, she was a devoted mother of three, a master of school field trips, and the queen of chopped liver Sundays.

In her first-ever podcast appearance, Mom shares stories from her childhood in Montreal, the ups and downs of raising kids through the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, and how she’s seen the world change — from typewriters to FaceTime, and from “boys meet girls” to “love is love.”

It’s funny, tender, and a little bit nostalgic — a rare chance to hear Mom’s voice and remember who she was before Alzheimer’s began to reshape her world.

🎧 Tune in for:

Her dream of becoming a nurse

What parenting was really like “back then”

The lessons she hopes her grandkids will carry forward

Laughter, surprises, and a few classic “Mom-isms”

Because before we can understand memory loss, we have to remember the person behind the memories.

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In this milestone 10th episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, siblings Wendy and Barry open up about one of the hardest and least-talked-about parts of Alzheimer’s caregiving — pre-grief.

They celebrate reaching ten episodes (and surviving it together!) while reflecting on the powerful community that’s grown around their story — from old friends reconnecting to strangers who deeply understand what it’s like to love someone through dementia.

This heartfelt conversation dives into what it means to grieve the small losses while still finding gratitude for what remains. Wendy shares how her mom’s recent medication change brought back glimpses of her “old self,” and the siblings unpack the emotional rollercoaster that comes with that — hope, guilt, fear, laughter, and everything in between.

With their trademark humor and honesty, Wendy and Barry explore how each of them copes — from late-night worry to true-crime podcasts, over-scheduling, and using laughter as a lifeline. They remind listeners that grief in caregiving doesn’t wait for the end — it arrives quietly, again and again.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

If you’ve ever felt the heartbreak of losing pieces of someone you love — while they’re still right in front of you — this episode is for you.

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In Episode 9 of This Is Your Brain on Mom, siblings Barry and Wendy dive deep into one of the hardest — and most confusing — parts of caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s: the anger.

Their mom, Marion, has always been expressive, but lately, her emotions swing from loving to furious in a matter of minutes. Is it the disease? The medication? Or just Mom being… Mom? Barry and Wendy unpack the emotional rollercoaster that comes with Alzheimer’s-related personality changes, including anger, frustration, and confusion.

Between bursts of laughter (and sibling teasing), they explore:

Along the way, listeners get glimpses of Marion’s humor, stubbornness, and heart — from feeding wandering patients in the hospital to believing she’s 91 one day and 16 the next.

If you’ve ever wondered why your loved one with dementia seems so angry, this episode is for you. It’s raw, real, and full of the mix of humor, heartbreak, and honesty that defines This Is Your Brain on Mom.

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When the doctor asked our mom what her favorite color was, she didn’t say blue, green, or pink. She said, “My daughter.”
So… apparently, I’m Mom’s favorite color.

Welcome to Episode 8 of This Is Your Brain on Mom — the podcast where two adult siblings try to make sense of life, love, and memory loss… with humor, heart, and a lot of chaos.

This week, it’s Barry’s turn to interview Wendy. What starts as a lighthearted sibling roast quickly turns into a real conversation about identity, humor, and what it means to be a caregiver long before you ever realize that’s what you’ve become.

We talk about:
🎙️ Who Wendy is besides being a caregiver
🎙️ Growing up as the youngest — and the “only child of the divorce era”
🎙️ Why grocery shopping with Mom was basically a love language
🎙️ Finding humor in frustration (and why Mom might be our favorite stand-up comic)
🎙️ How caregiving evolves, from teenage support to full-time manager
🎙️ And the one thing we’d want to tell Mom if she were fully herself again

Whether you’re caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s, navigating sibling dynamics, or just trying to laugh through the hard stuff — this episode reminds you that you’re not alone in this messy, beautiful, heartbreaking, hilarious journey.

💬 Share your stories with us on Instagram or Facebook @yourbrainonmom
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts

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What happens when the sibling in the background finally takes the mic?
In this week’s episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, Wendy puts her brother Barry in the hot seat — the self-proclaimed “smarter child” who’s been there through every hospital visit, late-night phone call, and “laugh so you don’t cry” moment.

Together, they dive into the humor and heartbreak of caregiving for a mom living with Alzheimer’s — from getting lost in hospitals and arguing over snack choices to the guilt, exhaustion, and love that come with watching a parent change before your eyes.

💬 In this episode:

Whether you’re a fellow caregiver, a sibling navigating aging parents, or just someone who needs a good laugh about life’s hardest moments — this one’s for you.

🧠 About the show:
This Is Your Brain on Mom is a sibling-hosted podcast about caring for a parent with dementia — mixing advocacy, humor, and honest storytelling about love, memory loss, and everything in between.

👉 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
📱 Follow us on Instagram @yourbrainonmom for more stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and caregiver laughs.

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Mom had just received the word “Alzheimer’s” — and that very same night, she fell. In this episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, we dive into the chaotic reality of another urgent trip to the ER, hospital stays, and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with caring for a parent with dementia.

From sudden changes in behavior, sundowning, and confusion to navigating Montreal’s healthcare system, we give listeners an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at what life is like as a family caregiver supporting a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. We explore the highs, the lows, and the moments of unexpected humor that surface in the midst of caregiving crises.

This episode offers practical insight, relatable stories, and emotional honesty for sibling caregivers, family members, and anyone supporting someone living with dementia. Whether you’re managing hospital visits, advocating for a loved one, or simply trying to understand the challenges of Alzheimer’s care, you’ll hear what it truly means to balance love, responsibility, and resilience in real-time caregiving moments.

Tune in for a raw, heartfelt, and sometimes funny exploration of the reality of Alzheimer’s caregiving — from the chaos of hospital emergencies to the tender, small victories that keep families moving forward.

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We finally had the CT scan results. We had a “diagnosis.” We had a caregiving schedule that seemed to work. And we were exhausted — did we really need more doctors, more tests, and more waiting rooms?

In this episode of This Is Your Brain on Mom, we take you inside the rollercoaster of Google diagnoses, geriatric assessments, and the moment a doctor finally said the word “Alzheimer’s.” From confusing frontotemporal dementia vs. Alzheimer’s searches to navigating the Quebec healthcare system for elder care, we share the raw, funny, and heartbreaking truth of being adult children caring for a parent with dementia.

You’ll hear how we balanced sibling caregiving, private healthcare appointments, and long waits at geriatric clinics, all while coping with the emotional impact of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. And just when we thought we had our answer, Mom threw us a curveball that changed everything.

🎧 Listen now for a candid look at the highs, lows, and even bizarre moments (like unexpected dementia behaviors) that come with caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s disease.

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