A Season of Caring Podcast

Send us Fan Mail This week, Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Eric Kolb. Eric, along with his wife, Cheryl, cared for her mother. It was their love for singing and their experience with caregiving that prompted them to create ‘Songs and Smiles’, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those with Alzheimer’s to connect with their joy-filled memories, as well as with their family, friends, a...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, provides a special message in celebration of National Family Caregiver Month and Thanksgiving. She also shares some exciting announcements for 2021.   November is National Family Caregiving Month. Cheers to you all!  This time of year, we are especially thankful for the opportunity to serve and to create memories with our loved ones.  Although traditions c...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, reflect on last week’s conversation with KC Schumacher.  Choosing a day program adds trained members to the team and support for both the caregiver and the loved one. Additional insights shared on the benefits of these programs: Participants at a day program are with others who face similar situations allowing expectations to lo...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Rayna Neises, your host, interviews KC Schumacher.  Since before she graduated high school, KC has been working in the social services field.  She is drawn to helping others and is passionate about caring for adults and supporting family caregivers through her current position at the adult day services at Catholic Charities.  She provides the following insights on this...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, reflect on last week’s conversation with Amy Rienow.  As the mom of seven, Amy’s experiences in raising her children and the things that she has learned in that role translate to those who are caregiving for a parent or loved one.  Additional insights shared: Stepping back to look at the bigger picture can help gain perspective...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Amy Rienow. Amy is a wife and mother of seven. She and her husband, Rob, founded and lead Visionary Family Ministries created to help others live for Christ. She is also a licensed clinical professional counselor. Amy and Rayna relate the experiences of moms and caregivers and provide the following insights:  Perfectionism and making sure all th...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, reflect on the conversation with Diane Clark who shared how grateful she was to have been able to care for her father and her father-in-law. When thinking back, she would not change much about her journey, but she knows she should have taken more respite time for herself and wants others to ensure that they do. Additional insigh...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Diane Clark.  She has served in various positions with the church for over 20 years where she has honed her gifts of serving and administration. She especially loves her roles as wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, but counts serving as a caregiver as one of her greatest privileges. She feels that experiencing death with someone is as beautif...

Send us Fan Mail Last week’s guest, Carolyn Miller Parr, shared from her book, Love’s Way, her experience related to families who did not have the tough conversations.  Now, Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, continue discussing the invaluable information provided in Carolyn’s book and the importance of communicating, listening, and seeking a win-win during the season of caring. ...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Carolyn Miller Parr.  Wife, mother, litigator, judge, family caregiver, and mediator are just a few of the many hats that Carolyn has worn in her 83 years.  And, at the age of 74, she added author to that distinguished list.  Her second book, Love’s Way: Living Peacefully With Your Family As Your Parents Age , is a valuable tool for seniors and...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, further discuss the topic of Advanced Directives which was started last week during the conversation with Kira Reginaldo.  Additional thoughts/learnings:  Advanced Directive is the same as Living Will  Document should not look the same for a 30-year old compared to a 95-year-old’s Important to have an honest conversation with wh...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Kira Reginato. Kira is a geriatric care manager who has helped the elderly and their families in a variety of settings.  Her vast experience coupled with her entrepreneurial nature has allowed her to develop an app for family caregivers and to author a book that she recently updated and rereleased, Tips for Helping Your Aging Parents: (without L...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, reflect on the conversation with Karen Hafner who, along with her sister, cared for their father. Their family, like many, had a caregiving journey that lasted over several years, but then ended after a quick decline. Guidance for this final part of the caregiving journey is provided: When on a long caregiving journey, the termi...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Karen Hafner. Karen’s father died just over a year ago and she shared the following insights regarding her caregiving journey with him and her sister: Even with strained/broken relationships, the opportunity to care for a parent can be a restorative time for everyone. When caregiving with sibling(s), approaches may be different, but allowing eac...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, reflect on the conversation with Kelly Johnson who provided helpful tips for caregivers as they wear their advocacy hat while caring for a loved one.  Additional insights shared: Doctors and other medical professionals need all available information . . . Try writing a letter or sending a message before appointments to provide y...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Kelly Johnson.  Kelly lives in Chicago where she serves as the Director of Adult Faith Formation at St. Mary’s of Gostyn Catholic church.  She is also the co-developer of the Nourish for Caregivers curriculum.  Kelly’s caregiving journey began several years ago when her young son was unexpectedly diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Her experience for...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, reflect on the conversation with Nancy Bouwens who provided a helpful analogy as she discussed her caregiving journey with her mother. Caregiving can feel like juggling pumpkins – responsibilities come in all different shapes and sizes and it is exhausting to keep them all ‘up in the air’.  Everyone is doing their best not to dr...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Nancy Bouwens.  Nancy is a writer, life coach, cancer survivor and caregiver.  Nancy and her husband moved in with her aging mother and shares the following insights regarding her caregiving experience: Simply spending time with your loved one lets them know that they are valuable, they matter, and they are loved. Self-care is important and fill...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, reflect on the conversation with Kinsey Oglesby who experienced an unexpected healing during her caregiving journey.  Additional insights discussed are: Even when there is a strained, difficult, or even non-existent relationship, the caregiver can still survive by shifting their heart. Personal care situations are difficult for...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Kinsey Oglesby. Kinsey is a coach, speaker, blogger, and writer who seeks to help women heal after trauma.  After a five-year journey with her mother, she adds experienced caregiver to this impressive list of talents.  And, although unexpectedly, her caregiving journey provided her the opportunity to heal from her own childhood trauma and develo...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, recap Michele Howe's story and explore some of the stories from her book Caring for Our Aging Parents. Don't be a hero, find your limits, and get help. Learn from other's journeys so you don't have to learn from the school of hard knocks. The story of Joe and Frank from Michele's book- how things come fu...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, A Season of Caring Podcast Host, interviews Michele Howe.  Michele is an author who has been a caregiver herself and wrote an inspiring book Caring for Our Aging Parents: Lessons on Love, Loss, and Letting Go.  Michele shares wisdom from her own journey and for those she interviewed for her book. Learn from each of your caregiving experiences by asking what went well...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna and Aly explore family dynamics and the importance of finding peace in your caring season. Finding your roles are important. Your core values make a difference in how your season goes. Family might not be your team members and that's OK. Caregivers who have been there done that encourage you to build your team and take care of you too. Take a deep breath when you are fi...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, A Season of Caring Podcast Host, interviews Bosede Santos. Bosede cared for her mom during her mom's journey with cancer. She shares how her faith impacted her caring season. It is a season that is always on the go. Homeschooling advice- be willing to let others help and let them be as independent as possible. What can be automated in your life? Faith has always...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, and Aly Neises, RN, cohost, explores the emotions of caregiving, focusing on grief in response to Laura Beth DeHority's episode #18. Processing emotions is crucial  Grief begins the day of diagnosis Feel the feelings, figure out how to process them Anticipatory grief is a part of caregiving Grieving is healthy and it is different for everyone The Mour...