How often do you visit your local public library? The answer is, probably not often enough! Kirsten is joined this week by two representatives from her local public library: Adult Services and Lifelong Learning Manager, Amy DelPo, and Branch Supervisor, Robin Filipczak. Together, the group taps into the free resources available to the elderly members of our communities and their caretakers and the importance of socialization, stimulating activities, and lifelong learning.

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

Happy New Year from Who Gets the China!

We're kicking off the year with an in depth discussion with founder and head coach of Living Goldenwell, Kathleen Korpela. Kirsten and Kathleen explore Kathleen's caretaker community and jump into Kathleen's advice on establishing boundaries with yourself and being a prepared, educated voice in your parent's care.

To learn more about Kathleen and Living Goldenwell, please visit: https://livinggoldenwell.com/

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

Happy Holidays from Who Gets the China! On this special bonus episode, Kirsten reflects on the importance of holiday traditions and how to maintain traditions with flexibility.

Who Gets the China will be back in the new year!

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

To close out our season, we're revisiting one of our favorite essays of the year. Kirsten walks us through the value of snail mail and what a collection of greeting cards can grow to mean to you and your family.

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

Kirsten reflects on the first year of Who Gets the China and what a curious nature evokes in day to day life. How do we stay curious as we care for our aging parents? How do we stay curious as we age ourselves? Perhaps, we should do our best to engage with the business of life.

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

Could you imagine quitting your job, selling your house, and moving your family into your childhood home to care for your aging parents? Hear how one caregiver has spent the last eleven years prioritizing her parents care. Kirsten checks in with her old friend, Kathy Merzena, about her caregiving experience. They discuss what it's like to care for two wheel chair bound parents, making the decision to move in with her aging parents, and the sacrifices made to in the caregiving process.

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

This week, Kirsten reflects on another of her family heirlooms: her mother's mink coat. Once a status symbol of a bygone culture, now an item fraught with emotional complexity, the mink finds its way back into Kirsten's heart as exactly what it was meant to be: a coat!

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

When you’re estranged or out of contact with an aging parent, caregiving and grief take on a very different shape. Kirsten hosts a candid conversation with Jacqueline Hargest to share her experience with estrangement from her parents. Jacqueline openly shares how she’s navigated loss, self-compassion, and the unique challenges that come with distance—both emotional and physical. They explore topics like facing ambiguous grief, getting health updates from afar, and how friends can offer meaningful support. It’s an honest, empathetic look at a rarely discussed experience shared by many.

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com