The Caregiver Cup Podcast

Send Cathy a text:) It's a little over a year since my spouse began his stem cell transplant.   In this episode I reflect on the pre-transplant process.   One the biggest gaps I experienced was the lack of caregiver information.   The medical systems does a good job at providing resources and education for the patient, but the caregivers are  left to figuring it out on their own.   Support th...

Send Cathy a text:) Your core values and beliefs are your anchor to self-care.  Your core values are a testament to your true self because they are what matters most to you when it comes to your personal and professional life - and now your caregiver life.  Your values influence that little voice in your head that tells you whether or not to care about something and how you should prioritize your...

Send Cathy a text:) Self-love means taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being to please others.  It's shifting our focus inward not outward.  But why is self-love so hard to practice as a caregiver?   In this episode, we're breaking down What is self-love? Why self-love is so challenging as a caregiver? The benefits of self-love How to practice self-love? Suggeste...

Send Cathy a text:) Self-care is personal, it’s your thoughts and feelings (your self-worth), it’s being kind to yourself (your self-compassion), it’s growth and taking action (your self-love) and it’s your beliefs and purpose, who you are (your values). Once you understand all the parts of self-care, you will be able to see your path.  In last week’s episode I shared ways to  increase your self w...

Send Cathy a text:) This is part one of the self-care series.   Self-care and Self-love are the most important skills and practices as a caregiver.   In today's episode,  we're starting with self-worth.    What is self-worth and why it's the first step to self-care. Reflecting on your own self-worth The 6 thoughts and beliefs to improve your self-worth Journaling prompts how would y...

Send Cathy a text:) If you're caring for a loved one in their end of life and hospice or you're approaching it soon, this episode is going to be valuable.    Today’s guest, Helen Bauer from the Heart of Hospice podcast shares What’s the difference between Palliative Care vs Hospice?   What is end of life care? Your rights to choose an agency. Levels of hospice care The core team, service...

Send Cathy a text:) Juggling everything can be hard now that you are a caregiver.  Before caregiving you were working on those personal and professional goals and now this caregiver life has complicated things.  In today’s episode, I want to talk about you, the working caregiver or the business owner caregiver or the student caregiver.   Many of my clients and caregiver friends are just that.  The...

Send Cathy a text:) When you become a caregiver you think about the extra responsibilities, being an advocate and your loved one’s care. You don't think about the relationship changes and dynamics that occur.   Being the child of an aging parent often forces you into role reversal.    It can be awkward, embarrassing, frustrating and very challenging at times.   I feel it was extremely challen...

Send Cathy a text:) In today’s podcast I want to share the importance of walking through each challenge with a grateful mindset, a patient mindset, a graceful mindset and one that allows you to fall and learn along the way   One of the biggest mistakes I see caregivers make (me included) is that we look at caregiving as the end in your life and you start believing that your goals and future plans...

Send Cathy a text:) It’s the perfect time to stop and do something for yourself.  I want to share a process that I do now each year and I know it’s already the new year -to be honest, you can proclaim a fresh start and set intentions anytime you need to.   I actually revisit this process every three months now.    Assess and audit last year What you want this year? How will you focus? So, my frien...

Send Cathy a text:)  Today we’re talking about this dreaded caregiver disease:  Burnout.  I know it’s not officially a disease but it is the hazard of caregiving.   Think about it,  all professions have downfalls, risks or hazards.    Reba McEntire postponed her concerts in November to rest her vocal cords My daughter-in-law is a teacher and is at higher risks of respiratory infections  Working Mo...

Send Cathy a text:) It’s the week before Christmas and I thought I would do a bit of reflection about this gift giving season.  As a caregiver, this holiday season may be different.   That’s why today, I want to talk about the 7 gifts of Caregiving.  Those you receive from others and yourself as well as those you give.  You're giving a very special and amazing gift to your loved one.  The gif...

Send Cathy a text:) A year ago, I was so angry and resentful I remember it was a struggle.  He was getting chemotherapy and I was wrapping my head around his stem cell transplant.  And, celebrating the holidays was a complete blur but I do remember how angry I was.   I was angry and resentful about cancer.   I was angry at the stress it was causing.  I was angry that I had to go through this stuff...

Send Cathy a text:) We as caregiver don’t get that many good days, let alone good weeks.    I want to talk more about this bowling thing I joined.  Why in the world would I bowl when I know nothing about this game and I was deep into caregiver, right?   My best friend, Julie asked me during the summer if I would consider doing something fun with her one day a week during the winter months.  My tho...

Send Cathy a text:) In today’s episode, I’m talking about those unexpected challenges that come up while you are deep into caregiving.  Those ones that you just want to throw in the towel or run away.   But instead your forced into dealing with whether you want to or not.   If you do it all everything yourself, what happens - stress, overwhelm, exhaustion and then your emotions start up - you get...

Send Cathy a text:) Celebrations look different now as a Caregiver.  Learning and finding new ways to find joy and gratitude takes a bit of time and a mindset shift.   When life is challenging and your loved one is sick,  you sometimes have to accept that things will be different.  But, you don’t have to stop celebrating.  You just have to celebrate them differently.   Meaning making them special,...

Send Cathy a text:)  In this challenging time I needed to expand my gratitude practice.  Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for releasing stress and sparking joy.  I’m not  suggesting you should suck it up and be thankful no matter how tough things get.  Gratitude is about noticing that there are always some positive things in your life, no matter how dark things may seem. If just journaling gratitu...

Send Cathy a text:)  Do you want to hear the ONE habit I started one month into my caregiving journey that has made a huge difference in my caregiver stress and mindset.  I truly believe I am able to cope with challenges and struggles better. No matter how hard things are, I have trained my brain and can shift my mindset.    In this episode, I’m sharing my personal daily habit I do each day.  It’s...

Send Cathy a text:) November is National Family Caregiver Month and National Gratitude Month.   National Gratitude Month  encourages us to embrace the power of gratitude.  Gratitude is more than simply saying “thank you.”   Gratitude’s amazing powers have the ability to shift us from focusing on the negative to appreciating what is positive in our lives. Practicing daily gratitude gives us a deepe...

Send Cathy a text:) In this episode, I want to share the caregiver task you don’t think about.   When your loved one passes, you think your journey is done, but wait, you have a laundry list of things to do.  You are grieving, planning their funeral and/or celebration of life and you have these dreaded tasks to do too.  So today I want to share everything I did in hopes you can learn from me and m...

Send Cathy a text:) Being aware of what caregiver season you are in, will help you in many ways.   In this episode we're breaking down each season.   LOW / GREEN MEDIUM / YELLOW HIGH / RED  Are you in a low, medium or high this week?    If you are in that high season right now.  Remember the color it is.  Red means that you may need to stop doing things and prioritize what’s most important. ...

Send Cathy a text:) I want to share this episode for anyone who’s loved one is in hospice and/or dealing with their loved one’s end of life.   It is one of the toughest, most exhausting and challenging times as a caregiver.  If you are going through this right now or are about to go through this soon or have gone through this, please know that I am sending you a huge hug and I also am telling you...

Send Cathy a text:) In today's podcast episode, I interviewed Jess Brooks who is a recipe developer and pro-trained cook and baker.  Jess is on a mission to help busy people cook healthy meals for their families without spending hours in the kitchen.    Jess shares her tips and practices on prepping meals simpler and easier so that you, as a caregiver, can get back your time and energy.   She...

Send Cathy a text:) It was time for the final consultation for my spouse;s stem cell/ bone marrow transplant.   It was in personin Milwaukee requiring us to travel 2 hours for it.   We had it on our calendar for months.  It was the final step prior to Denis getting the cure he needed.    About 2 days prior I wasn’t feeling the greatest and I thought it was the nerves. But the fatigue got worse and...

Send Cathy a text:) I woke up this morning and felt like I was walking in mud.   Everything  seemed to be little struggles slowing me down.  One of my shoe laces broke,  then couldn’t find my ear buds, having to run around the house looking for them,  the dogs were barking in the garage waiting for mom,  I walked outside, realizing I needed a sweatshirt and then finally on my walk.  Well on my wal...