Happy Healthy Caregiver

Meet Theresa Wilbanks who cared for her father until his passing at 99 years of age. During that time, she experienced the raging river of emotions that comes with caring for a family member. Overwhelmed and drowning, she navigated toward a more sustainable caregiving experience. Theresa founded Sustainable Caregiving and works with fellow family caregivers to help them navigate their caregiving j...

I this episode, I am shining the caregiver spotlight on someone in the caregiving space that has my utmost respect - Teepa Snow. She’s an Occupational Therapist with over 40 years of rich and varied clinical and academic experience. Her company, Positive Approach to Care® (PAC) provides online and in-person education and products for anyone impacted by dementia. I can say firsthand that Teepa pres...

In today's show, I am shining the caregiver spotlight on Mary Daniel. During her husband’s long-term care community’s pandemic lockdown, family caregiver Mary Daniel’s story went viral when she accepted a job as a dishwasher so she could visit and, more importantly, physically touch her husband, Steve. Mary is a dementia family caregiver based in Jacksonville, FL, and one of Next Avenue’s 2021 Inf...

Meet military family caregiver Caira Benson. Before Caira was a family caregiver she was a thriving non-profit director who loved teaching Art History at her local college. She left it all to take up the most important vocation she had never wanted – caregiver to her husband, Eric, a catastrophically injured veteran. Armed with coffee and a lot of humor, Caira is determined to fight for her family...

In today’s show, I am shining the caregiver spotlight on Brenda Blais Nesbitt. Brenda is a master in advocating and navigating the confusing world of disability. Her personal experience has enhanced her ability to help others navigate the complexities of the healthcare system and excel in the challenging journey of caring for and loving those with complex needs. In today’s episode we discuss how B...

In this episode I reflect back on 2021 and my 4 years of podcasting and looking ahead to 2022. I talk about my podcasting journey, some highlights from 2021, how I did on my 21 for 2021 list, the Happy Healthy Caregiver Holiday Gift Guide, what my plans are for the holiday season and some initial thoughts for 2022. Show notes with product and resource links: https://bit.ly/HHCPod126 Receive the po...

In this episode, we are shining the caregiver spotlight on Cassidy Bastien. Cassidy cared for her father who had COPD and Emphysema before he passed in 2020. I have no doubt he received exceptional care as Cassidy has been a professional Certified Nursing Assistant for 19 years. During these past 5 years, she has worked in hospice and received her certifications as a hospice and palliative care nu...

In this episode, we are shining the caregiver spotlight on Richard Lui. Richard Lui is a veteran and award-winning journalist. You’ll find him currently on MSNBC. He is the first Asian American man to anchor a daily national cable news program, and a team Emmy and Peabody winner. When his dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Richard made a tough decision – he put his successful career on th...

In today’s show we are shining the caregiver spotlight on Kate Washington. Kate Washington earned her PhD in Victorian literature and is the author of Already Toast: Caregiving and Burnout In America. She writes and speaks eloquently about the systemic challenges facing family caregivers. She knows the struggle well as she helps care for her husband Brad. Kate and Brad along with their two daughte...

In today’s show we are shining the caregiver spotlight on my wonderful first cousin, Meghan Swope! Meghan says her faith & family – both the blood kind, and the chosen kind -- give her life purpose. She could talk for hours about the book she's reading, the Disney trip she's planning, her latest Crossfit workout or what's on your mind. Her "real job" in healthcare marketing has taught her a lo...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, we are shining the caregiver spotlight on Paul Malley. Paul Malley is President of Aging with Dignity, a position to which he was named in 2002. Throughout his career he has nearly 20 years of experience in the field of aging and advance care planning. In this episode Paul and I talk about what aging with dignity looks like (and doesn’t look...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, we are shining the caregiver spotlight on Rachel Davis. Rachel is a volunteer retreat leader with No Barriers USA and a full-time caregiver for her husband Jay. Jay suffered a spinal cord injury during a plane crash. This event completely uprooted their lives. Learn how Rachel is coping and moving forward. Rachel shares what a typical day loo...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet Lauren Dykovitz. Lauren is a writer and author, who lives in New Jersey with her husband and two black labs. Lauren’s mom was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s in July 2010 at the age of 62. Lauren was only 25 years old at the time. She quit her full-time job and became a caregiver for her mom at age 28. Although her mom passed in A...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, I chat with my sister Susie ten months after our mom's death - an event that also ended her primary caregiving role for mom. Susie shares what the weeks before and after mom's passing was like and reflects on her 4.5 years of caregiving. We talk about what she's proud of, what she would have done differently, and where she is focusing her ene...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, host Elizabeth Miller talks about her 50th milestone birthday. The big 5-0! She time travels a bit and walks you down memory lane. Elizabeth shares stories and highlights her proudest moments, aging fears, thoughts on getting older, plans for her 50th, and provides a few ways you can help her celebrate. Show notes with product and resource li...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet family caregiver, Ashley Jackson. Ashley cared for her husband Troy (who was diagnosed with and treated for stage four cancer) while planning their wedding. In this episode, we chat about lodging services during cancer treatments, how she reclaimed her identity, family legacies, her 5 minute daily self-care practice, and why you may want...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet family caregiver Rayna Neises, who coaches other caregivers to live their lives without regret. Rayna cared for both of her parents during their separate battles with Alzheimer’s over a thirty-year span. She is a new author and a fellow podcaster. In this episode, we discuss creating manifestos, enduring a long-distance care situation, e...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet family caregiver and fellow podcaster Jennifer Fink. Jennifer is the daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter of women who have suffered from Alzheimer's or other cognitive impairments. Jennifer is the host of the Fading Memories podcast - a supportive show for people caring for a loved one with memory loss. Through her own exper...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet family caregiver Alyssa Kuzins. It hasn’t even been a year since her husband Brad’s bike accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury – Alyssa is just coming up for air. She shares about her unwanted caregiving role, her dedication to Brad’s therapy, the question people asked that made her want to punch a wall, and how her embodiment pr...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, Elizabeth shares tips for long-distance caregivers who are supporting family members. Listen to this episode if you are a primary local family caregiver looking for more help or if you are a member of the long-distance care team requesting additional ways to support your loved ones. Show notes with product and resource links: http://bit.ly/HH...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet Michelle Seitzer. Michelle is a special needs mom, lifelong caregiver, writer, cancer thriver, and founder of Caregiving Advice. In this episode, Michelle shares how she told her daughter with special needs about her cancer diagnosis, what words are comforting to hear from others during her treatments, and how her creative bursts of self...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet former family caregiver and veteran Pat Moffett. Pat cared for his wife Carmen, who had early-onset Alzheimer's. I was inspired to reach out to Pat after watching the movie about his and Carmen's life: 'Ice Cream In the Cupboard.' Pat shares the story of how the movie came to be and what he is currently doing to help support and educate...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet family caregiver Heather Zoccali. Heather is a three-time caregiver. First, for her dad, who had a stroke, multiple sclerosis, and mental illness. Then, for her son, Connor, who was injured in a vehicle-pedestrian accident while walking to school, resulting in a catastrophic spinal cord injury. Most recently, Heather cares for her mom, w...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet caregiver advocate Erin Galyean. As a young adult, Erin lost her dad to Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and in 2018 lost her sister, Meghan, to a rare lung disease. In this episode, we talk about Erin's eight badass strategies to help care and advocate for a loved one who is either home-bound or hospitalized. We also talk about how to prepare to...

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet family caregiver and author Ann Campanella. For almost fifteen years, Ann cared for her mom who had Alzheimer's and also cared for daughter who had Celiac disease. In this episode, we talk about Ann's takeaways from her caregiving years which were sadly also comprised of chronic miscarriages. Ann also shares about her horses being a huge...