Karin and Andrew are joined by their sister, Julie, to share firsthand observations from over a year of caring for their mom in her home. The siblings highlight surprising signs of some gentle decline, along with incredible steadiness. They discuss subtle behavior changes like increased walking around the house, fluctuating memory and mild escape attempts! These are all signals worth noticing, as they continue on Joanna’s caregiving journey.

• (00:00:04) - Singing Through a Real Headphone
• (00:01:07) - Happy Birthday to Julie Halpert!
• (00:02:21) - Decoding Mom's Changes Since Moving her Home
• (00:09:50) - Senor Dorothy Still Plays the Piano
• (00:14:34) - A chair for her wheelchair in the living room
• (00:19:07) - A Taste of Caregiving with Alzheimer's
• (00:23:08) - If It's Not One Thing, It's JoJo

In this conversation, Stacey McCandlish shares her family's journey, focusing on the dynamics between siblings as they navigate rapid changes in their parents’ care and, ultimately, a cross country move. The discussion highlights the importance of communication, planning, and the roles each family member plays in ensuring the well-being of their parents. Through personal anecdotes, Stacey illustrates the impact of dementia, the struggles and triumphs of managing care, and the need for siblings to come together in these challenging times.

• (00:00:06) - 耀 Lucky 13
• (00:02:05) - A Taste of Dementia on the Podcast
• (00:07:22) - Stacy on Her Parents' Drama
• (00:09:57) - Stacey McCandlish on Caregiving
• (00:16:52) - The Alzheimer's Care Transition
• (00:24:01) - A moment of silence for the chronically ill
• (00:24:42) - The Pain of Grieving Your Parents' Death
• (00:29:35) - What Advice Would You Have for People Going Through a Senior Care Transition
• (00:34:37) - The Dignity of Alzheimer's
• (00:38:11) - This Cross Country Move for a Senior Citizen
• (00:42:08) - A Silent Retreat for Caregivers

In the final episode of our three-part series on under-utilized resources, we chat with Hope Dudek of Michigan Palliative and Hospice Care. Hope walks us through the medical aspects of hospice care, exploring its holistic approach to patient care, the role of caregivers, eligibility misconceptions, and the importance of comfort and quality of life. Hope shares insights on navigating medical decisions, the emotional support provided to families, and the financial aspects of hospice care. The discussion emphasizes that hospice is a choice, focused on enhancing life quality rather than hastening death, and it aims to dispel common myths surrounding hospice services.

• (00:00:03) - What You Need to Know About Hospice Care
• (00:01:57) - Thanksgiving at Mom's House
• (00:03:05) - How to Have a Thanksgiving With Split Families
• (00:08:17) - What Do We Do About Hospice Care?
• (00:09:45) - Medical aspects of hospice
• (00:11:32) - What Is Hospice? (Social) Care
• (00:20:07) - The Importance of Hospice
• (00:24:08) - Does Hospice Matter?
• (00:32:09) - What's the longest you've ever heard of anybody staying at hosp
• (00:36:14) - When to call hospice? Advice from professionals
• (00:42:35) - A Minute With Hospice: What's Included in the Care?
• (00:47:06) - Is It Time to Talk About Hospice?

Our 3-part series on hidden gem resources continues as we sit down with Leslie Katz, Director of Patient Services at the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network (JHCN). After we share Joanna's wonderful experience with JHCH, Leslie shines a light on their crucial non-medical support for seniors with life-limiting illnesses. She dispels common misconceptions by showing how broad hospice care can be, and how seniors without a hospice designation can still enjoy JHCN's services. The discussion covers everything from managing anticipatory grief to the vital role of social work, spiritual care, and unique life enrichment services like art, music and pet visits. Leslie illuminates their wide-ranging mission and how community donations sustain their essential support for patients and families. For more info and guidance, regardless of your loved one's current status, reach out to JHCN. https://jhcn.org

• (00:00:06) - A Ghost Appears in the Elevator
• (00:01:32) - Caring for a Dementian with dementia
• (00:02:46) - Seniors with dementia: resources to support their care
• (00:03:38) - There's a Camp for seniors with dementia
• (00:04:40) - Jewish Hospice Chaplaincy Network
• (00:09:15) - Dulcet Songs for Mom
• (00:11:05) - Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network
• (00:21:00) - What services can the dementia patient attend?
• (00:27:47) - Palliative Care in the End of Life
• (00:35:01) - Seniors in the Care
• (00:37:45) - Happy Valentine's Day, Joanna
• (00:39:09) - The Gift of Hospice: Available Resources for Seniors
• (00:43:33) - A Little Song for Your Mother

This is the first time that we actually interviewed a senior, our family friend Sheila Stone. She shares her experiences with the challenges of aging, especially in light of her family history, where she witnessed her mother and sister live with dementia. She discusses her past career, relationships with her children and the importance of maintaining independence as she ages. Sheila offers unfiltered insights into how families can manage tough conversations with their aging loved ones and stresses the value of community and social connections.

• (00:00:03) - Is Your Love Ready For The Countdown
• (00:00:19) - Caring for My Mother With Alzheimer's
• (00:01:11) - A Chat With a Senior with dementia
• (00:04:48) - An Interview with My Mother
• (00:07:59) - In the Elevator With Hillary Clinton
• (00:08:41) - We've come up with an easy test to find out whether you have dementia
• (00:10:41) - A Senior Citizen's Conversation About Dementia
• (00:11:48) - So Your Mother Had Alzheimer's...
• (00:15:25) - In the Elevator With Ron Daly
• (00:18:56) - What led to you leaving Huntington Woods
• (00:20:12) - When Did You Stop Driving?
• (00:22:44) - Seniors talk about the independence
• (00:24:17) - Seniors on the Walker
• (00:27:05) - A Parent's Advice for Kids
• (00:28:02) - In the Elevator With Bridge
• (00:30:25) - A Bridge Guest's Last Words
• (00:31:38) - Sheila on Her Mother's Retirement
• (00:36:46) - How to Deal with a Dementia Mom's Outings
• (00:42:35) - Pretty Things For Your Mother

In the final episode of the three-part series on family caregiving, lifelong friend Jill Schumacher joins the siblings to discuss the challenges of caring for her mom, even with caregivers in the house 24 hours a day. Through humor and heartfelt stories, they explore the balance of personal and professional life and share the ups and downs of caring for an aging parent. Karin and Andrew then offer takeaways from the series, emphasizing the power of community and self-care. Programming note: Andrew experienced some technical difficulties for a brief time during this episode. Any listener who emails us the timestamp of when Andrew audibly expresses frustration (which we left in) will receive a shout out during an upcoming episode. Email your response to: ifitsnotone@gmail.com.

• (00:00:02) - A Mother's Love Letter
• (00:00:37) - A Little Micro-Series
• (00:01:01) - Family Caregiving, Part 3
• (00:03:47) - Jill Schumacher on the Village of Huntington Woods
• (00:09:55) - Deborah on Her Dad's Anger
• (00:14:30) - People Talk About Death On The Podcast
• (00:16:57) - My 87-Year-Old Mother's Fall
• (00:21:52) - The Resident Who Gave My Mom Covid
• (00:22:22) - Living with a chronically ill mom
• (00:26:17) - How to Balance Caregiving and Your Mom's Care
• (00:29:26) - How Much Time Does a Caregiver Have to Dedicate to
• (00:33:30) - Walking With My Mom's Caregiver
• (00:36:59) - Andrew On His Mother's Alzheimer's
• (00:40:52) - Kramer on His Friendship With Jill
• (00:42:09) - PODCAST: Getting a Wired Mic
• (00:43:05) - Jill on 24.7 Care
• (00:44:14) - Caregiver Voices: Community
• (00:47:30) - A Voice for Family Caregivers

Karin and Andrew continue to delve into the challenges and triumphs of caregiving within families. They are joined by Alyssa Riddle, a yoga instructor who has been a caregiver for her father since a young age. Alyssa shares her journey of balancing her personal life with the responsibilities of caregiving, offering insights into the emotional and practical aspects of this role. The conversation touches on themes of love, family dynamics, and the unexpected paths life can take. Tune in to hear Alyssa's inspiring story and learn how she navigates her unique situation with grace and compassion.