For Those Who Care

Send us Fan Mail In this short episode, I share a personal update about why I’m pressing pause on new episodes of For Those Who Care for a little while. I talk about what it’s been like to keep caring about caregivers after my years of caring for Lance, and why even people who support caregivers need to pay attention to their own limits. I’m not offering “magic solutions” here—just honesty, encour...

Send us Fan Mail In this second part of my conversation with Isaiah, we pick up where we left off – looking back on his time helping care for Lance and what it was like as we moved into the beginning of hospice care. Isaiah had already been with us for months by then, and he witnessed that transition – the change in pace, the weight in the air, and the effort it took to keep finding moments of hum...

Send us Fan Mail When Isaiah agreed to become Lance’s caregiver at just 18 years old, he already knew Lance’s diagnosis was terminal. Most people his age were thinking about school, work, or friends—but Isaiah said yes to something much harder and far more meaningful. In this first part of our two‑episode conversation, he shares what led to that decision, how caregiving reshaped his understanding...

Send us Fan Mail As my husband, Lance, lived with dementia and a terminal diagnosis, the reality of our life stood in stark contrast to the world most families knew. In a season when many people pulled back or didn’t know how to be with us, my friend and former cohost, Jenna, made a different choice: instead of keeping her children at a distance from our reality, she intentionally brought them int...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt conversation, writer and memoir teacher Maureen Stanton joins me to talk about how writing our stories can help us heal, especially when we’ve lived through seasons of caring for someone we love. Maureen, author of The Murmur of Everything Moving , shares what drew her to memoir, why she loves teaching it, and why caregiving stories are so often overlooked. Peopl...

Send us Fan Mail In this second part of my conversation with Sharon, we begin by talking about how our friendship grew after she cared for Lance as his home health nurse. Sharon shares how seriously she considered the decision to become his hospice nurse—asking herself if it was possible to stay professional while also being a friend—and how it all worked out in a way that was deeply meaningful fo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined once again by my dear friend Sharon. You may recognize her from last week's episode about Home Health. Sharon first cared for my late husband Lance as his home health nurse, and two years later, when it was time to begin hospice, I asked if she would be his hospice nurse. Having her walk with us through that season meant more than I can say. Sharon...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend Sharon, a registered nurse who played a very special role in our journey—she was my late husband Lance’s home health nurse, and later, his hospice nurse. With many years of experience in both home health and hospice care, Sharon brings warmth, expertise, and insight to this conversation about what it really means to heal, live, and f...

Send us Fan Mail Grief is hard enough in private, but walking through it publicly adds a different kind of weight. In this second half of my conversation with my dear friend and former co-host, Jenna, we talk about what it has been like for her to witness my grief and healing unfold through this podcast, and what has helped her walk through it with me in a healthy, honest way. Jenna shares practic...

Send us Fan Mail When someone you love is grieving, knowing how to support them can feel complicated and even uncomfortable. This episode feels less like an interview and more like a window into a deeply personal conversation. My dear friend and former co-host, Jenna, joins me to talk honestly about what it looks like to walk through grief with someone you care about. Together, we reflect on our s...

Send us Fan Mail Neurologist and author Dr. Carolyn Larkin Taylor joins For Those Who Care for an important conversation about Lewy Body Dementia (LBD)—a complex and often misunderstood condition that blends symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. Dr. Taylor explains what Lewy Body Dementia is, how it’s diagnosed, and why it can be particularly challenging for families and caregivers. She...

Send us Fan Mail Neurologist and author Dr. Carolyn Larkin Taylor joins me to talk about her book, Whispers of the Mind: A Neurologist’s Memoir , and why she felt called to share these deeply human stories now, after more than three decades in neurology. She reflects on how she found her way into neurology, the patients and families who changed her forever, and what they taught her about resilienc...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of For Those Who Care , I’m talking with my former personal trainer Jenna about what functional training really means and why it matters, especially for caregivers. Jenna explains how this kind of training helps people stay strong, mobile, and ready for the physical demands that come with caring for others. She shares a story about a client who didn’t have much tim...

Send us Fan Mail In the final part of Walter and Kristine’s story, Kristine reflects on the challenges they faced as Walter applied for disability and came to terms with leaving work behind. She shares how that transition changed their relationship, the toll of balancing full-time work with caregiving, and the struggle of navigating life with no manual for Erdheim-Chester Disease. RuthAnn and Kris...

Send us Fan Mail In this first part of Walter and Kristine’s story , Kristine shares her heartfelt reflections on the years she and Walter spent searching for a diagnosis. After six long years, they learned that Walter had Erdheim-Chester Disease — the same rare blood cancer RuthAnn’s husband, Lance, faced.  Kristine opens up about how their faith sustained them, how their relationship changed as...

Send us Fan Mail Disability advocate and Chanda Center for Health founder Chanda Hinton joins RuthAnn to talk about living as a care recipient after a life-changing spinal cord injury, why caregivers matter more than they know, and how integrative care is changing what is possible for people with long-term disabilities. Together they explore honest topics like caregiver burnout, what actually feel...

Send us Fan Mail When you’re in the middle of a medical emergency, all you can think about is your loved one who needs help right now. It might be days later, after things settle down and the house is quiet again, that you think of all the questions you wanted to ask. Now that we know why the fire department shows up first, EMS Fire Chief Tom takes us inside the house and answers those other quest...

Send us Fan Mail After 10 years of calling 911 as a full-time caregiver, I finally got answers to the question I never remembered to ask: “Why is the fire department here instead of the ambulance?” In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with EMS Fire Chief Tom to break down exactly what happens when you dial 911 for a medical crisis. We cover: Why firefighters show up first The must-have document...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to For Those Who Care ! After a much-needed break, RuthAnn returns with an exciting relaunch for Season 2. Reflecting on 25 years of caregiving - including the heavy moments and heartfelt guest stories from Season 1 - she shares what’s coming next: more caregiver conversations, expert insights, and the essential knowledge she wishes someone had shared with her. This s...

Send us Fan Mail In the season 1 finale of For Those Who Care, RuthAnn takes a few minutes to reflect on the past year and the powerful stories and lessons shared about her 25-year caregiving journey, alongside the inspiring voices of her guests. Every story matters—yours included! As we pause for a brief two-month break, we're working on exciting changes for season 2 that will bring valuable...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, RuthAnn sits down with David, a first-generation Portuguese American, to explore his lifelong role caring for his parents, who spoke limited English. From translating as a child to orchestrating their cross-country move to be closer to him and his wife, Jennie, David shares how his cultural values shaped his commitment to family care. He opens up about the challen...

Send us Fan Mail In this moving and heartfelt final episode of a four-part series, Shawn shares more about his ongoing advocacy for his neighbor, Robert, who has Alzheimer’s. Shawn tells vivid stories about how Alzheimer’s continues to change Robert’s personality and some of the adjustments they have made to help him hold onto small bits of independence. Shawn explains why finding the right care a...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and emotional third episode of a four-part series, RuthAnn and Shawn continue their conversation, exploring Shawn’s transition from caregiver to advocate for his elderly neighbor, Robert, who has Alzheimer’s. Shawn shares vivid stories of the safety measures he was forced to take and why it was so risky for Robert to live alone. He realized later that Robert had b...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and emotional second episode of a four-part series, RuthAnn continues her conversation with Shawn, a former volunteer firefighter who stepped up for his elderly neighbor, Robert, who was living alone and showing signs of dementia. Shawn tried multiple times to get Robert to allow a 911 call for help, but Robert refused, and as a former firefighter, Shawn knew noth...

Send us Fan Mail In this compelling first episode of a four-part series, RuthAnn introduces her friend Shawn, a former volunteer firefighter who became an unexpected caregiver for his neighbor, Robert, an elderly man who lived alone in a remote area. Shawn shares how their friendship started and tells some pretty vivid stories, many involving Robert’s hazardous driving, that illustrate the dangers...