Caregiver's Compass

Do you ever feel completely removed, turned off or differently in general about your partner who you care for? Do you notice that you no longer want to engage in intimacy with your partner because of the changes in your relationship and the dynamic as a result of your caregiving? In today’s episode, Stephanie touches upon the topic of sex as a caregiver and normalizes and validates the emotions yo...

For 43 years André Picard has been at the forefront of health journalism and health reporting for The Globe and Mail. In today’s episode, André takes a deep dive into the reality of our healthcare system and its impact on caregivers and the people they care for. André compares and contrasts the Canadian system in relation to systems in other nations, the gains that have been made in the Canadian s...

Debbie Compton and her husband cared for 3 family members at the same time. It was during this balance that she recognized exceptionally innovative ways to navigate presenting difficulties and stressors. She has since adapted these innovations and techniques for other caregivers to help them through their journeys. Debbie is a positive and truly inspirational leader who shares her incredible story...

In today’s episode, Rajiv Mehta talks about his non profit organization, Atlas of Caregiving, and his revolutionary mapping tool the Atlas CareMap which has been taught to and used by groups around the world. Rajiv explores how the Atlas CareMap tool can truly impact the lives of caregivers by helping them gain a fuller awareness of their own selves and the community around them which can shift th...

You work so hard to organize and plan respite care so that you can get that long awaited and very needed break, but your expectations and hopes fall short of what you were hoping for, and suddenly you find yourself frustrated, angry and even more depleted. In episode 97 of Caregiver’s Compass, Stephanie talks about expectations and realities of respite care and how we can maximize this truly valua...

Nikki Nurse learned what burnout in caregiving can look like when she broke 2 of her limbs while caring for her mother. It was at that time that she realized the true importance of incorporating self-care and working to minimize and prevent burnout as an essential part of caregiving. In today’s episode, Nikki shares her story of caregiving and continuing to maintain balance and care for self after...

Did you know that eating disorders, at their core, have very little to do with how you look? In this insightful episode, social worker and therapist, Kyla Fox , identifies what an eating disorder is, how it can present in one’s life and how it can be related to and triggered by caregiving.  If you or someone you know is experiencing an eating disorder, please seek support. Please visit NEDIC https...

Caregivers are aware there are significant gaps in our healthcare system, yet some of the answers to these gaps are found in supporting and providing education to the healthcare workers on the front lines. It was not until recently that Dr. Jasneet Parmar and her team sought to change the landscape of caregivers in healthcare and began to create and distribute peer reviewed, validated trainings fo...

So you have identified what needs to change when it comes to your parent’s care or habits, or you have recognized the risks in their current lifestyle choices and want to ensure they stay safe and healthy. But whenever you approach them to talk about this, they are either entirely resistant, or refuse to talk about this. Or maybe they are open to engaging with you but then it is as if they didn’t...

We all know about the caregiver and the intense care they can provide around the clock. But when it comes to caring for the caregiver themselves, what might they need? How do we support and care for the caregiver who is doing it all?  Should you pull back and leave them alone in all this and give them space to come to you or should you show up at their door offering to support them when they don’t...

There were so many incredible episodes this season and today Stephanie recaps the most listened to episodes of season 3.  This entire season we have also highlighted quotes from our guests and these will be  available on one beautiful free PDF the week of January 8th! To download all of these that you can print or keep with you, visit our website ( www.compassionincaregiving.com ), enter your info...

1 in 4 in Canada are presently caregivers and this number is expected to increase to 1 in 2 in the coming years. Yet our healthcare system is not equipped to support the family caregiver or the private caregiver in a way that prevents collapse. A national healthcare strategy is needed. Enter the CCCE, spearheaded by director Liv Mendelsohn, this organization works to educate, advocate and change p...

In today’s episode, the incredible Rev Katie Norris talks about her experiences caring for her mom with dementia with her son Jeffrey, and how this shaped her passion for entering a career in caregiving support. Katie discusses the very unique Montessori approach to dementia care and her successful membership and coaching program for caregivers. About Katie: Rev. Katie is an AMI Montessori for Agi...

In this episode, Rosanne Corcoran, podcast host, speaker and previous caregiver of her mom with dementia, details her journey in the sandwich caregiver role, caring for her mom and children for 12 years. She specifically talks about her siblings who did not actively step forward to care for her mom during a time when she was an intensive and primary caregiver.  About Rosanne:  Rosanne Corcoran’s j...

Although I truly do not think that anything I am doing is ‘more busy’ than the next person (especially if you are a caregiver!), I am sometimes asked what my personal care routine is and how I balance and wear so many hats. So here you go for something a little different! And you will see very quickly that I am anything but perfect in this. Enjoy! *The content shared on this podcast is for educati...

This topic hits hard. Being a caregiver can already be so isolating and difficult and as caregivers, we rely on others to come forward, show up, and support us when we need it the most. In this episode, Stephanie talks about what we can do when people we have been connected to stop showing up for us and our loved ones and explores possible options for navigating this very difficult aspect of careg...

In this episode, Dr. Naomi Saperia opens up about her experience caring for her daughter with a life limiting illness from birth to age 5, at a time when she was also working as a psychologist in the healthcare system herself. Naomi is vulnerable and personable in this very special episode.  About Naomi: Dr. Naomi Gryfe Saperia is a Clinical and Health Psychologist in Ontario. With experience work...

In today’s episode, Kelly Polci, registered social worker and psychotherapist, shares her personal experiences with mom guilt parenting her 3 children, balancing a hospital job and a private therapy practice. The different techniques and resources she employs with her clients facing deep parenting and caregiving guilt are also explored.  Find Kelly on Psychology today at: Kelly Polci psychotherapy...

In today’s episode, Stephanie explores 3 common cases she has seen as an inpatient social worker in the hospital system and looks at how these scenarios end up directly impacting the mental health and capacity of family caregivers and those they care for. Suggestions for systems change and advocacy are noted throughout the episode.  If you have ever been a caregiver of a loved one in the hospital...

While caring for a loved one with dementia, do you ever feel as though you wish you had more answers for the future? That you wish you knew what to expect over time? That you had more control over your situation? In this episode, Stephanie talks about common feelings when it comes to dementia caregivers, the difficulty in knowing what the future may hold and alternative ways you can think about th...

In this episode, Dr. Nathan Stall talks about ongoing gaps in the healthcare system in terms of caregiver support and caregiver mental health from his perspective as a geriatrician. He talks about generalizations and misconceptions by healthcare team members and recommendations for future change. He also comments on upcoming positive change and how the system is working on making shifts for the fu...

In this episode, Wendy Williams joins the podcast once again to talk about how she has experienced grief in caregiving and how grief is so much more than the feeling after one’s passing-including grief over expectations of what life could look like without caregiving and grief over the loss of who your loved one once was. About Wendy: Wendy is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend and caregiver...

By now, we are likely familiar with those caring for 1 parent. But what happens when someone is caring for TWO parents?  What if one parent has been caring for the other and has now declined, with all care now on YOU?  This is becoming more and more common in the caregiver landscape given the aging population, the high burden on existing caregivers and the lack of supports in the healthcare system...

In this episode, Stephanie opens up about some very strange occurrences that happened while she was at her grandmother’s bedside in hospital and following her grandmother’s passing. She talks about how these experiences were not explainable to her and took her from not believing in anything beyond life to thinking there may be more to life than we know.  Visit us on our website: www.compassioninca...

In this episode, Julia Freifeld takes us through her journey caring for her husband with multiple system atrophy (MSA )which involved a rapid and difficult decline requiring all of her support and care. Julia talks about what helped her during these years and her memoir, which she wrote after journaling her emotions in secret for many years. She also talks about exploring new relationships after t...