Navigating the World with Your Aging Loved One

Most caregivers don't call themselves caregivers. They're just helping someone they love. Chris Punsalan didn't set out to become one either. But when his grandmother could no longer care for herself, he stepped in. What followed was an eight-year journey that would reshape his life, identity, and purpose. In this conversation, Chris shares what caregiving really looks like behind closed doors, th...

What happens when the person caring for others professionally suddenly becomes a caregiver at home? In this episode of the willGather Podcast , Nicole Will sits down with Saudia Gajadhar, Vice President of Marketing & Communications and Chief Happiness Officer at Comfort Keepers, for a conversation about what care really means, beyond services, schedules, and safety plans. Saudia now finds herself...

In this conversation, Nicole speaks with Shauna Sweeney, caregiver, founder and CEO of tendercare , about what caregiving asks of us when love reshapes our lives. Drawing from caring for her dad with early-onset Alzheimer's from 3,500 miles away, Shauna shares how families can move from crisis to clarity and why systems must center families.  Shauna reflects on the emotional collision of identitie...

How do we measure quality care in a way that truly supports families? In this episode, Nicole sits down with Ben Harder, Managing Editor and Chief of Health Analysis at U.S. News & World Report , to explore the heart and science behind the 2026 Best Nursing Homes ratings . Together, they break down the updated methodology, what makes top-performing facilities stand out, and how families can use th...

At 26, Jessica C. Guthrie, M.Ed became a full-time caregiver for her mom living with early-onset Alzheimer's. Now a leading advocate and educator, Jessica is reshaping how we understand the intersection of career and caregiving. In this conversation, she and host Nicole Will explore love, equity, and representation in care, what it means to be seen, to lead with compassion, and to build a world wh...

When her husband was diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration at just 29, Katie Brandt's life changed overnight. What began as confusion and heartbreak became a lifelong calling to transform how we see, support, and study dementia. Today, Katie is the Director of Caregiver Support Services and Public Relations at the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit , and the Founder...

Comedian Kelsey Cook , known for her specials on Hulu and YouTube, opens up about her personal journey as a caregiver for her mom with Frontotemporal Dementia. In this heartfelt conversation, Kelsey shares the early signs she noticed, the trauma of crisis care, and the challenges of supporting her mom from a distance. She reflects on how humor has been a lifeline, how advocacy became part of her p...

When caregiving became her world overnight, Andrea Suchin's life changed forever. Her husband was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia at 54, leaving Andrea to navigate full-time caregiving while raising four children. Sleepless nights and overwhelming stress became her reality. Out of that journey, Andrea and her sister created Wuggle™ , a deep touch pressure sleep cap designed to bring calm an...

At 85, Jean Ketcham is just getting started. As the bold voice behind Aging But Dangerous , Jean reminds us that aging isn't about the body, it's about the soul. In this lively conversation, we talk about skydiving, style, friendship, caregiving, and yes, even vibrators. With her signature sass, fearless honesty, and contagious energy, Jean shows us how to embrace every year fully confident, empow...

When Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) entered their lives, everything changed for Nanci Anderson and her daughters, Lindsay Early and Emily Anderson. In this conversation, they open their hearts about the long and confusing road to Gary's diagnosis, the challenges of caregiving, and the deep grief of watching someone you love slip away too soon. They also share the turning point, when they chose to h...

Most people think aging is about endings. Familiar Touch shows us it's about beginning again. In this episode, filmmaker Sarah Friedland, actress Kathleen Chalfant, executive director Shaun Rushforth, and resident Jean Owen of Villa Gardens , take us behind the scenes of this award-winning film that reimagines aging, dementia, and caregiving through dignity, creativity, and collaboration. A must-l...

Last year, I had the privilege of joining as a Jury member, award presenter, and speaker. Meeting changemakers and those that reshaping aging care around the globe brings hope to our future, and we still have work to do! I left inspired by the global momentum to rethink how we support aging populations. Every conversation, every connection, reminded me that "Care and love are universal." In this e...

What if your deepest caregiving experience became the blueprint for changing the system? Dr. Francesca Falzarano was just 14 when her mother was diagnosed with dementia—an experience that shaped not only her identity, but her life's work. Now an Assistant Professor of Gerontology at USC and founder of the Falzarano Family Caregiving Lab , Francesca is studying the full arc of caregiving—from diagn...

What happens when the roles we've known all our lives—daughter, professional, partner—are suddenly eclipsed by one word: caregiver? For so many, caregiving becomes not just a responsibility but an identity. And with that comes the heavy mix of self-sacrifice, emotional resilience, and a quiet grief. But what if there's another way to see it? What if caregiving could be both a deep act of love  and...

What caregiving really asks of us—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. What happens inside us when we're called to care for someone we love? Beneath the to-do lists and the sleepless nights lives an unspoken truth: caregiving changes us. It can strip us down, reshape our identity, and ask us to find meaning in all of it. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Barry J. Jacobs—a clinical psychologist...

We're told that aging is about loss. About slowing down. About limits. But what if we've got it all wrong? In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Charlotte Yeh — a trailblazer in healthcare, a former emergency physician, and now the Chief Experience Officer at Cherish . With over three decades of experience, including former Chief Medical Officer at AARP and now Yeh Innovation, Charlotte brings a de...

U.S. News & World Report announced its 2025 Best Senior Living ratings , naming 1,894 communities based on 450,000+ survey responses. In this episode, Liz Pearce, Product Director for Senior Living, joins us to share how the rankings are created, what families should know, and how these ratings help older adults and caregivers find trusted, compassionate senior living options nationwide. Learn mor...

What do we do when someone we love says no to the very thing we believe will help them most? When care is met with resistance, it can feel frustrating and heartbreaking—especially when dementia is part of the story. In this episode, we unpack the topic of refusals of care in dementia: why they happen, what's really behind the resistance, and how we can respond with more compassion and less fear. J...

What if the people we care for had the microphone? What if—before we create another policy, schedule a medication, or make assumptions about what's "best"—we paused and simply asked: What do you want?   How does this feel?   What matters most to you today?  In a world where caregiving often centers on doing for , we sometimes forget the power of simply being with . This episode is an invitation to...

Thank you to our sponsors HeroGeneration and Zinnia !    What would you do if someone you loved needed care—and the system meant to help only left you feeling more lost? When Christie Stukenholtz set out to find care for her grandmother, she never imagined the overwhelming maze she'd have to navigate. No clear answers. No trusted guide. Just frustration. That experience lit a fire in her—and from...

In this episode, we sit down with Norman Harris , a licensed nursing home administrator, founder of Comfort Measures Consulting , and host of The Let's Get Comfy Podcast . His journey started at just 8 years old, volunteering in nursing homes with his grandmother. Now, he's on a mission to revolutionize elder care , advocate for caregivers, and inject energy, purpose, and fun into an industry that...

What happens when the people who raised us, cared for us, and shaped our lives suddenly need us to step in and care for them? For many, caregiving doesn't arrive as a sudden, clear-cut role—it sneaks in gradually. At first, it's just helping with a few things here and there. Then, one day, you look up and realize you've become a caregiver. Today, we're talking about what it means to step into this...

Caregiving is one of the most profound acts of love—but it can also feel isolating, overwhelming, and uncharted. My guest today is Carlos L. Olivas III , an advocate for Alzheimer's caregivers and mental health awareness. His journey is deeply personal—rooted in the love and care he provides for his father, who is living with Alzheimer's. In this episode, we talk about the meaningful layers of car...

Thank you to our sponsor, Zinnia TV , a therapeutic dementia care platform to support caregivers. We invite you to use the code GATHER20 for 20% off an annual subscription HERE .   I have felt called not  to speak for others, but to listen, to learn, and to help share the voices that too often go unheard. I want to amplify the voices of those who have lived the experience, who remind us that life...

Today, we're giving you a sneak peek into Gather Darlings , my other podcast with the amazing Carrie Aalberts, aka Dementia Darling ! This space is all about heartfelt conversations, real-life caregiving, and the deep connections that keep us going. In this episode, we sit down with the wonderful Veronica Shanklin , a full-time caregiver and founder of Dementia Care Warriors , who is bringing ligh...