Caregiver's Compass

If you have ever faced navigating the healthcare system through a dementia diagnosis, you know the difficulties that can be faced. A confusing path to navigate, difficulties receiving diagnoses, often not knowing what comes next and staying up-to-date and confident in the way forward.  In today’s episode, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Saskia Sivananthan who shares her knowledge about how we approa...

Caring for someone can add complexity and conflict in a romantic relationship. Whether your partner disagrees with your decisions and beliefs regarding caregiving or whether they feel you are not present for them the way you once were, this is for any caregiver experiencing changes in a romantic relationship. Barry Jacobs and his wife Julie Mayer are clinical psychologists who specialize in family...

What leads to anger and resentment in caregiving and is there anything you can do to help prevent or mitigate these very intense, and sometimes overpowering, emotions? Today Stephanie talks about what can commonly trigger feelings of anger and resentment in caregiving and provides some realistic strategies to help you through these emotions while caring for someone else. If you are sick and tired...

Do you care for multiple family members or friends? Do you feel like you are not doing all you ultimately ‘should be’ doing given the limitations of caring for multiple people (plus potentially working and other responsibilities)? In today’s episode, Stephanie discusses this element of guilt and what happens & what you can do about being pulled in 3,4,5 or 90 different directions. Visit us on...

After being thrust into the world of caregiving and caring for her mom with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Katie Prentiss saw the need to share the caregiver experience with others, both those who could relate or those who did not understand and could learn.  With her upcoming feature film, Wake up Maggie, Katie has made it her mission to bring caregiving to the forefront, inspiring other caregive...

In today’s episode, Stephanie speaks to Susanne White (Caregiver Warrior) about the one thing that brought her tremendous guilt for many years after the passing of her parents: transferring them to a facility after promising she would keep them at home. Susanne discusses the situation that led to this change in her caregiving path, and how she now views this decision and the lessons associated. Th...

Have you ever had your caregiving or involvement as a caregiver questioned? This can STING. You have spent so much time and energy providing care and suddenly someone is questioning what you have done or how you have done it. Or maybe you have finally implemented boundaries in your caregiving and people are pushing back and commenting on you and your involvement or intentions. In today’s episode,...

Welcome back to Caregiver’s Compass! We cannot believe we are already on season 5 and we have some incredible guests coming your way. In this episode Stephanie introduces this season and briefly discusses her mom’s recent passing after many years of caregiving. Visit us on our website to see all that we offer for caregiver support: www.compassionincaregiving.com For more visit our Instagram! http:...

We are back and covering the most listened-to episode of season 4!  Here is a recap: 5) Episode 105: What exactly is ‘Caregiver Burnout’? 4) Episode 95: Yes, eating disorders can very much be related to caregiving- with Kyla Fox 3) Episode 93: ‘My parent has poor health habits but refuses any of my support or suggestions for change’ 2) Episode 94: Supporting Family Caregivers in Healthcare Through...

Palliative care: a term we often hear in our communities and in the healthcare system. But do we actually know what the term palliative care means for us and the people we care for? In today’s enlightening episode, palliative care physician, Dr. Samantha Winemaker, talks to Stephanie about this very important topic in addition to concepts surrounding advocacy for palliative care and MAID.  About D...

Lynn Posluns dedicates her life to women’s brain health, education and research for prevention and improvement that you can make in your life right now. In today’s episode, Lynn provides insightful and valuable information on brain health and talks about her ‘why’ for founding the WBHI. She additionally goes into detail about the many ways WBHI is working each and every day to help others learn ho...

Are you caregiving and working at the same time? This very real and very common situation is also very hidden and not talked about enough… But when you take the stress of home and everything you have to balance with the person you care for ON TOP of a career and working, the stress and overwhelm can be above and beyond what you may feel is manageable. In today’s episode, Stephanie talks about care...

The nursing home transition can be very very hard, not only for the person who is moving to the residence, but for the caregiver too (in a big way). In today’s episode, Stephanie talks about this transition, the emotions behind nursing home transitions for caregivers and some helpful strategies that can help along the way. We want your feedback. Let us know how you liked today’s episode!  Rate, re...

There are over 4 million caregivers in Ontario, yet the Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO), a government funded organization aimed to support this wide variety of caregivers, is still relatively new. In today’s episode, OCO CEO, Amy Coupal joins Stephanie on the podcast to talk about who she is behind her vocation, her caregiving experiences and how she and her team work to shape an organization...

Nicole Dauz imagined an idyllic future for her family of 4 after giving birth to her baby daughter. She soon realized that her vision of what would be looked very different in reality. In today’s episode, Nicole takes us through her journey caregiving for her kids, learning about navigating the system and care for a child with autism and a rare genetic disease and learning the true meaning of self...

The first, second, third…. times we experience a holiday or an event since changes or the loss of someone we love can be so hard. These moments and the anticipation of them can be so full of loss and grief and memories of what once was.  In today’s episode, Stephanie talks about these moments, what they can feel like and what we can start to do to process and acknowledge them rather than push the...

As an only child, for many years Stephanie thought that having a sibling by her side would really help in the caregiving process. But after working with caregivers for many years, she soon realized that this is not always the case. In today’s episode, Stephanie walks listeners through some scenarios when sibling conflict was more prevalent than support in caregiving.  We want your feedback. Let us...

Nicole Petrie is not a person who is easily describable with words. Using her passion for FTD advocacy and surpassing numerous obstacles and limits in her way, she achieved an outstanding career in modeling, featured in some of the largest publications and on the largest platforms worldwide. In today’s episode, Nicole talks about her journey caring for her mother with early onset FTD as she contin...

When Katrina Prescott left her commercial production role in New York City and returned to British Columbia as she was faced with the realities of her aging grandmother. Little did she know, almost immediately following her grandmother’s passing, she would become a full on solo caregiver for her mother with FTD. In today’s episode, Katrina takes you through her caregiving journey and talks about w...

As people, we have thousands and thousands of thoughts each and every day. But do you truly recognize your thoughts and are you aware of the thoughts you are having? How are your thoughts impacting you and your daily life as a caregiver? In this episode, Jessica and Stephanie talk about the importance of noticing our thoughts and how this practice can change our lives, emotions and overall outlook...

The driver’s license and cognitive or physical impairment. Something that, unless you’ve experienced it, you can never fully understand. The battle and the ethics and the nuances to exploring safety vs. autonomy and taking the path of least resistance. What in the world do we do when we are faced with the reality that it may be time to confront the reality that to the person you care for may no lo...

We hear about this term, caregiver burnout, so often. But what exactly is ‘burnout’ and how do we get there? What can we do to try and prevent or mitigate burnout? In today’s episode, Stephanie takes it back to basics to talk about this commonly used term and what it means. We want your feedback. Let us know how you liked today’s episode!  Rate, review and subscribe to let us know you are enjoying...

Caitlin Melvin’s life changed forever in 2021 when her 3 week old baby Scottie passed away. Having to continue caring for her young son in the face of grief, Caitlin learned how to navigate a situation she never thought she would face. In today’s episode, Caitlin talks about feeling substantial pain and having to continue on while growing her family and running a successful business. About Caitlin...

Patti LaFleur (known as misspatticake on social media) has become a well-known figure in the caregiving space. After leaving her teaching job of many years, she dedicated her life to caring for her father and her mother Linda, diagnosed with dementia. Documenting her journey daily, Patti and Linda were an inspiration and a real view on the happiness and positivity that was possible in a carepartne...

Mary Lou Falcone lived a life of sophistication and excitement as a prominent figure in the classical music space, her husband a well-known artist. Using music throughout her life helped as a means of expressing herself and proved to be paramount when her husband was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia- at a time in her life that was shocking and unexpected. In this episode, Mary Lou describes her j...