Inspired Caring

My Mom has been my wing-woman for 20 years as my husband and I have cared for 4 family members, including her mom, my Grandma Ferris. With every phone call I made, she was taking notes, not just on what what happening in the lives of our family members, but how she would want to handle each of the scenarios. Her life added a layer of complexity when she married our favorite and beloved, Papa Ron,...

When Ellen's mother became ill, the family rallied together to provide her with love, attention and care through the end of her life. It's not always that siblings agree and get along with one another during this emotional time. Ellen shares her heartwarming story about strength, mutual support and her mom's final days. I'm incredibly grateful to her for coming on and having this c...

This question, by far, is one of the most triggering questions family members have to respond to. There are so many emotions that spike to the surface when this is asked, and it can swirl us into guilt, doubt, fear, sadness, anger you name it, pretty quickly. If someone is not living with Alzheimer's or another dementia, this usually presents as subtle jabs that can eventually be triggering le...

How often do you find yourself holding your breath through out the day? Kimberly Faith is a powerful healer in the holistic industry. Using breathwork, she's discovered her purpose and inspires others to do the same. She's a rebel who challenges societal norms and invites others to push past their limitations and embrace their full potential. Her somatic and 9D breathwork sessions take par...

Is the senior in your life interested in having real discussion around interesting topics? Or may you or the person you care for is feeling lonely and seeking connection with someone else. Pastor Michael Bianchi has a heart for connecting people all over the world to uplift and encourage then in their later years! Most seniors face 3 major questions at this time in their lives: 1- Why must I live...

We are all getting older and what we do today matters for our health outcomes we have for years to come to age well. This is the last conversation in a 3 part series where my mom, Deborah, and I discuss Next Level Aging. In this episode we are talking about "the fun stuff" that she has done over the years to look and feel her best. Did you know you could plump up your earlobes?! Small ef...

When we experience loss, grief or trauma, (or any big life event!) we can find ourselves searching for peace or understanding by seeking closure. In this episode, Author Kimberly Isherwood, and I discuss her new book, Closure The Lie We Tell Ourselves . As a Nurse by training and Intuitive Medium by gift, Kimberly has a unique perspective on closure that has helped me in a couple of important ways...

This is one of the most complicated chapters of our life as we stride through middle age, with huge changes happening and responsibilities shifting. There are so many incredible influences in our life encouraging us to WAKE UP, telling us not to numb out and sleep walk through the next decade. Your health, your aging trajectory, your life are counting on you to wake up, pay attention and choose ,...

Sometimes after a hospital stay to recover from illness, medical incident or injury, a person isn't in position to go home yet. They are stable enough to leave the hospital, but the home setting would be too much too soon. Reasons may include, there is not anyone at home that is able to care for them, the home isn't set up yet for them yet or maybe a move to senior living is in order but s...

Here's something I've noticed. Sometimes there are certain things that we are just never ready for. No matter how much we feel we have prepared. For me, feeling prepared is about making a list and checking boxes. Figuring out what I need to DO to feel ready for something, buying stuff or visualizing an outcome. It's the work I do on the front end. Ready, for me, actually has a sense of...

It is incredibly frustrating to see someone who needs our help and have them refuse it. Family care-giving is hard enough when things are status-quo. When aging family members are clearly declining, it can be pretty scary to watch things unravel without a plan in place. There are 6 theories I share with you about why people don't seek help: Continuity Theory - they think it can keep going the...

Almost 6 years ago, I COMPLETELY changed my relationship with alcohol. Something I never thought I would have to do, want to do, or would be able to do. But the bottom line is drinking wasn't working for me anymore. I didn't like how I felt or acted when I over-drank. I didn't have the ability to just have 1 glass of wine and be done. Today is completely different. I still don't th...

If we're lucky, aging is happening whether we embrace it or not! As I look around at my aging role models, at 78, my mother is at the top of the list as someone who is aging well. Not just because she's beautiful inside and out, but because she is healthy, wealthy and wise in so many areas of her life. She takes no medications, works out multiple days a week, cooks delicious meals from scr...

Life can be unpredictable, especially when we are on this family caregiving journey, AND there are also so many things within our decision making process and control! If you really think about it, increments of 30 seconds, days, months, years, have a huge impact on our life. A lot can happen in those increments of time. Again, some of it in our control and some not so much. When my clients feel st...

Deborah Ferris is a retired Attorney, the founder of The Curious Senior (https://thecuriousenior.com/) who just celebrated her 78th birthday, and she is also my mom! She and I have had countless conversations over the years about aging and family caregiving. Our goal with this episode is to have her share some of the struggles she is facing and she has entered, in her words, the "next level o...

Even the most well-organized, loving, and harmonious family will eventually face the need for additional support. As the care needs of your family members grow, it becomes crucial to have the right individuals in your corner, ensuring that your own health and well-being are not compromised. Allow me to present Jennifer Fink, the delightful host of the Fading Memories podcast. With her extensive ca...

Here's a novel idea. A boundary is put in place and the discomfort is temporary, because a permanent change gets made. Whaaat? In this episode we explore how temporary boundaries lead to lasting change and personal growth. Discover the transformative power of setting limits and holding space for yourself and others. Join us on this journey of self-discovery as we embrace temporary boundaries f...

Sometimes it can be hard to imagine, but there is a chance that it may be worth considering, being open to the idea of something. In this thought-provoking episode, I invite you to join me on a personal journey of reflection and growth. Throughout my life, I've discovered the immense power of being open to new ideas and perspectives. From my role as a family caregiver to navigating relationshi...

So. Many. Feelings. In the latest episode of our podcast, I invite you to join me on a deeply personal exploration of the profound emotions experienced after the loss of a loved one. In this episode, I share my own journey of losing my mother-in-law and the unexpected feelings and challenges that emerged during this time of grief. Together, let's delve into the complexities of mourning and fin...

This conversation has my heart. Giovanni shares her story and wisdom of living a life with joy after a traumatic childhood that included witnessing her mother accidentally killing her father and the abuse and neglect that ensued in her own life when her mother became incarcerated. There are so many incredible nuggets in this episode of how to take care of your own self, how to remain positive, and...

The last week has been tough as we said Goodbye to my mother in law at age 75. She lived with frontotemporal dementia for 14 years, the diagnosis being in 2016 and her life in memory care beginning in 2019. My father in law cared for her in their home, until his cancer diagnosis in 2019. The energy it took for him to receive treatments and also care for her was a LOT, so moving her to memory care...

It has been an exhausting 48 hours. We had poor communication around my mother in law and quickly became frustrated. I wanted to share with you how things were handled and resolved.

When Nicole's husband died unexpectedly on a business trip, she very quickly found herself having to pick up the pieces so she could carry on for her 2 young children. In this episode we talk about how Nicole persisted through this challenging time in her life and rediscovered who she is, what she liked in order to build a new life without her husband by her side. 1:37 Grieving the life you th...

We want our kids to thrive. Our teens and young adults need more support! They are at an age where they're discovering who they are and making big decisions about their future. They are under incredible stress and having some additional guidance can offer them clarity and peace of mind. Amy Peterson is the founder and owner of Believe Breathe Be. She has personally worked with one of our daugh...

Jacqalin was a teenager when her mother received a devastating diagnosis which led to Jacqalin and her father, Lonny, becoming caregivers to the woman they deeply loved.  The care her mother required, necessitated Jacqalin to be home schooled for a period of time.  There were a hospital stays, treatments, sleepless nights and heartache.  The trauma of the experience led to a period...