Caregiver's Compass

Trauma as a result of caregiving (particularly as a result of caring for a child with a disability) with Donna Thomson (Part 2) (Episode 30) Donna Thomson, a well-known advocate for caregivers, joins Stephanie in this episode to discuss her experiences as a caregiver both to her father and her son with severe cerebral palsy and medical complexity. She also touches upon the trauma that can result f...

Donna Thomson, a well-known advocate for caregivers, joins Stephanie in this episode to discuss her experiences as a caregiver both to her father and her son with severe cerebral palsy and medical complexity. She also touches upon the trauma that can result from caregiving and her experiences navigating the Ontario healthcare system.  Donna Thomson is the co-author with Dr. Zachary White of The Un...

In today's episode Stephanie shares a real case example of a very overwhelmed primary caregiver who had to say 'no' and take a step back while her father was admitted to the hospital. This story emphasizes that it is ok to take a step back when needed and discusses who you can lean on and transfer concerns to when you need to say no. Visit us on our website: www.compassionincaregivi...

We all have that person in our lives- they are well-meaning and do not recognize it but will reach out to us ongoing about concerns that are very minimal to us while we are navigating crises and significant stressors. What do we do in these situations? Do we reply to their comments and where do we draw the line? In this episode Stephanie discusses how to approach these situations and what we can d...

In Episode 26 of Caregiver's Compass, Adrienne discusses her experiences since her mom's passing 18 months ago (from Multiple System Atrophy), while entering a new chapter in her caregiving journey. Adrienne touches upon grief, traveling after caregiving and experiencing life without her mom. About Adrienne:  Adrienne Glusman is professional speaker, ambassador and advocate on the topic...

In this week's episode, Laura Smothers-Chu (founder of Befriended Heart, LLC) discusses what it can be like as a long-distance daughter and a long-distance caregiver. She explores some of the myths surrounding distance caregiving and she and Stephanie additionally discuss the emotional aspects associated with distance caregiving.  Laura opens up about her fertility journey in this episode and...

Maria Kent Beers, one of the co-creators of the Remember Me Podcast, talks to Stephanie about how she channeled her grief into helping others and creating meaning from the difficult times in her life. Stephanie and Maria also discuss living with a mom diagnosed with FTD at a very young age while starting a family and a career.  Maria Kent Beers is a fierce advocate for Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD...

It is completely normal to compare yourself to other caregivers and other people around you. Why do others have more help when it comes to caring for others? Why did all of this have to happen to you at your age while not to others? Why do others seem so happy and care-free while you are struggling daily?  In this episode Stephanie discusses comparing to others in general and during stressful time...

The holidays can be a very difficult time as a caregiver- add the stress of being a parent, and negative emotions can go to a whole other level. In this episode, Stephanie discusses some common concerns and stressors that may be faced as a parent in the sandwich generation during the holiday season. She also provides suggestions and tips in regards to navigating this time so you can try and make t...

Brandon Burke is an inspiring author who has taken the impact of his experience as a young caregiver and turned it into a passion for helping others in similar situations. In this episode Brandon talks about the shock of his dad’s diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s and how caring for his father changed his life’s trajectory and overall meaning of life.   About Brandon: As an adolescent, Brandon...

Registered Dietitian Molly Robinson discusses some of the common nutrition concerns of care partners and talks about the importance of having an experienced dietician involved in the care team of an individual with dementia. She explains the differences between a dietician and speech language pathologist and how it is very possible to introduce a variety of foods and drink other than the meal supp...

Do you feel like it's extremely difficult for you to ask for help as a caregiver? You are NOT alone. As caregivers it can be daunting to ask for support. You may face extreme guilt, shame or just be truly unsure of where to go for support. Or maybe you have tried asking for help in the past, only to be faced with rejection or disappointment from the help you received. In this episode, Stephan...

In this episode Stephanie discusses the realities and debunks the myths when it comes to therapy. She talks about the benefits that therapy can provide for caregivers and the lasting changes that can result from a positive therapeutic alliance. She also touches upon the variety of mental health clinicians that can be accessed and what therapists vs. psychiatrists vs. psychologists may be able to p...

Music therapy yields fantastic outcomes and in this episode, board certified music therapist Karla Wilson discusses how clients can now access music therapy online and benefit from this remarkable field. Stephanie discusses the impact music has had on her mother and Karla shares shocking and immediate outcomes of her work with clients.  Karla Wilson, founder of Music Therapy at Home, is a board ce...

In today's episode, Certified Dementia Practitioner, Carrie Aalberts, discusses her role as the director of an adult daycare center and the true benefits and changes she has seen in the center's participants. Carrie and Stephanie also discuss navigating financial considerations when locating an adult daycare center and truly finding the right fit. Carrie has a true passion for her work a...

In this episode, family health lawyer Lisa Feldstein goes into the nitty gritty when it comes to the tough legal decisions pertaining to caregiving including: the law surrounding health decisions, financial decisions and consent and capacity. Real cases are discussed and common legal scenarios are touched upon in this very informative episode.    About Lisa:   Lisa Feldstein is the principal lawye...

In this episode, Wendy Williams discusses her 20+ year journey caring for her husband, who has severe rapid cycle type 1 bipolar disorder, while also providing care for her two adult children- one who requires total care and one with autism-and her mother. Wendy discusses how she has managed to develop an effective self-care routine and has established strong boundaries to maintain her overall men...

Most of us have heard about grief that is experienced when someone dies, but not much is discussed in terms of the grief that is experienced while someone is still alive. In this episode, Stephanie discusses the very normal realities of going through the cycles of grief ongoing as caregivers, particularly the grief we experience about a loved one with a progressive illness. Techniques to manage fe...

In this episode, Stephanie speaks to Lianne Kim, business coach and founder of Mamas and Co. who shares her insights into balancing and managing a business as a caregiver.  Lianne discusses her previous and current experiences caring for her father while managing and growing her very successful business. She gives suggestions on how to balance both to succeed and maintain positive mental health. A...

In this episode, Allison discusses what she has termed, The Relationship Seasons’ and discusses how partners in a romantic relationship can navigate possible shifts and breaks in a relationship, particularly when one partner is an overwhelmed caregiver for another loved one.   Allison Villa is a psychotherapist, relationship expert, creator of The 4 Relationship Seasons™, and host of the Couplehoo...

The last 18+ months have been full of uncertainty, isolation and confusion. Add all our daily responsibilities the emotions we feel and life can seem hopeless and unmanageable. In this episode, Stephanie discusses real life examples of the hopeless and negative emotions she has witnessed in others in addition to her own and how she has navigated these emotions (and how you can too!).   Visit us on...

In this episode Stephanie discusses 4 main areas when caregivers can often feel guilt. Stephanie explores how these feelings can be managed in the moment and overtime. She also explores why some of us may be more prone to feelings of guilt than others.  Visit us on our website:   www.compassionincaregiving.com   For more visit our instagram! @compassionincaregiving *The content shared on this podc...

Bill Cohen is a caregiver support group leader and speaker, an Alzheimer's Association volunteer, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®, and the owner of Cohen Caregiving Support Consultants.   His loving and talented mother, Sheila, lost her home to Hurricane Katrina. Then, she lost her health, ability to create beautiful art and, ultimately, her life due to Alzheimer's. For almost 10 years,...

Patti LaFleur is a full-time care partner for her mom, Linda, who has been diagnosed with dementia and type 1 diabetes. She is also a significant support to her father who presently resides in a care facility and was diagnosed with dementia last year. In this episode, Patti discusses the extraordinary care partnership she has developed with her mom and discusses how she has created an uplifting en...

In today’s episode Stephanie talks about the different factors that can lead to significant feelings of overwhelm as a caregiver and speaks about ways we can manage the factors that can lead to significant stress and overwhelm. Stephanie pulls from her own experiences as a caregiver to illustrate what can lead to significant caregiver stress.  Blog post with the thought web example: http://www.com...