Dr. Lakelyn is joined by Nicole Smith—author, advocate, and dementia daughter—for a heartfelt conversation about caring for multiple parents living with dementia across different states during the pandemic. Nicole shares what it was like to navigate healthcare, legal, and financial systems while learning the language of caregiving in real time. Together, they discuss the importance of building a care team, the emotional realities of asking for help, and how Nicole transformed her experience into advocacy through her book Diagnosis Dementia and leading a Daughterhood Circle. This episode offers validation, perspective, and practical guidance for caregivers—especially those caring from a distance.

Episode highlights include:

-Caring for multiple loved ones with dementia across state lines

-Navigating the healthcare, legal, and financial complexities of caregiving

-Why building a care team matters—and why it’s so hard to ask for help

-Turning lived experience into advocacy through Diagnosis Dementia and Daughterhood Circles

-Practical insight and encouragement for long-distance caregivers

Helpful links from the episode:

Nicole’s website: www.njsmithbooks.com

Book: Diagnosis Dementia by Nicole Smith

Daughterhood Circles: daughterhood.org

Area Agencies on Aging: eldercare.acl.gov/home

Find Geriatric Care Managers - Aging Life Care Association (ALCA): aginglifecare.org

Steve Gurney: retirementlivingsourcebook.com

To learn more about this podcast and to subscribe to our caregiving newsletters, visit www.homeinstead.com/caregiverchats. Share your thoughts, experiences and ideas by emailing Dr. Lakelyn at caregiverchats@homeinsteadinc.com.

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Dr. Lakelyn is joined by return guest April Ibarra, gerontologist and aging expert, for a thoughtful conversation on a topic that many families don’t know how to approach: what happens when an aging parent or loved one starts dating again.

From companionship and loneliness to online dating safety and changing family dynamics, this episode explores how caregivers and adult children can support their loved one’s emotional well-being while also addressing important concerns. With over 35 years of experience in senior care, April offers practical strategies, compassionate guidance, and empowering insights to help families navigate this delicate, yet joyful stage of life.

Episode highlights include:

- How to talk with aging loved ones about loneliness, companionship, and the desire for connection

- Supporting safe dating, both online and in-person

- Navigating emotions when a parent begins a new relationship

- Balancing respect for independence with family concerns

- Celebrating love, intimacy, and thriving in later life

Helpful links from the episode:

- www.aprilibarra.com

To learn more about this podcast and to subscribe to our caregiving newsletters, visit www.homeinstead.com/caregiverchats. Share your thoughts, experiences and ideas by emailing Dr. Lakelyn at caregiverchats@homeinsteadinc.com.

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Dr. Lakelyn is joined by Sheri Biller, philanthropist, cancer caregiving advocate, and co-founder of the Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation. Sheri brings both personal experience and professional passion to the conversation as she shares how her foundation is changing the landscape of supportive care for serious illnesses, especially for cancer patients and their caregivers.

The Biller Family Foundation defines supportive cancer care as a whole-person approach that complements medical treatment by addressing the emotional, physical, and practical needs of people with cancer and their caregivers—from diagnosis through survivorship.

Dr. Lakelyn and Sheri will discuss what true supportive care means, the emotional and logistical toll of cancer caregiving, and how caregivers can find the resources and community they desperately need—but often don’t know that it is available or where to turn.

Episode highlights include:

- Sheri Biller’s personal and professional caregiving journey

- What “supportive care” really means in the cancer world

- Addressing the deep emotional isolation many cancer caregivers feel

- Practical ways caregivers can access connection, resources, and relief

- Tips for navigating the intensity of caregiving for loved ones undergoing treatment

Helpful links from the episode:

www.acsresources.org

www.CancerCare.org

www.cancersupportcommunity.org

www.supportivecarecare.org

www.alexslemonade.org

To learn more about this podcast and to subscribe to our caregiving newsletters, visit www.homeinstead.com/caregiverchats. Share your thoughts, experiences and ideas by emailing Dr. Lakelyn at caregiverchats@homeinsteadinc.com.

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Dr. Lakelyn is joined by Carmen Bowman, consultant, educator, and founder of Edu-Catering, to discuss the Validation Method, a compassionate approach to dementia care. Caregivers often feel stuck when faced with repeated questions like “Where’s my mom?” or behaviors they don’t understand. Instead of arguing, redirecting, or dismissing, Carmen introduces simple yet powerful techniques—like rephrasing, entering into a loved one’s world, and asking “tell me more”—that reduce stress, build trust, and create space for authentic connection. Through real-life examples, Carmen shows how caregivers can shift their approach and bring more empathy and understanding into daily interactions.

Episode highlights include:

-What the Validation Method is and why it matters in dementia care

-Why “arguing” or “redirecting” often increases stress and distrust

-How to rephrase questions with empathy to build trust

-The power of presence, slowing down, and stepping into a loved one’s world

-Simple tools caregivers can use, like “tell me more” and emotion-matching

-Why tears and grief can be healing—not something to avoid

Helpful links from the episode:

- Carmen’s website: edu-catering.com

- Validation Training Institute: vfvalidation.org

- Book: Validation: The Feil Method by Naomi Feil

- Visit www.homeinstead.com/care-resources to explore more caregiving resources

To learn more about this podcast and to subscribe to our caregiving newsletters, visit www.homeinstead.com/caregiverchats. Share your thoughts, experiences and ideas by emailing Dr. Lakelyn at caregiverchats@homeinsteadinc.com.

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Dr. Lakelyn welcomes Dr. Kerry Burnight, a nationally recognized gerontologist and bestselling author of Joyspan, for a powerful and uplifting conversation about redefining what it means to grow older. In this episode, they explore how caregivers can cultivate “joyspan”—the quality of life in aging, not just the quantity—and help their loved ones do the same.

Together, they challenge ageist myths, highlight the importance of mindset and lifestyle over genetics, and explore four science-backed pillars that support joyful longevity: Give, Connect, Adapt, and Grow.

Episode highlights include:

-What is Joyspan—and why it matters as much as lifespan

-How caregivers can shift from a decline mindset to a growth mindset

-Practical ways to spark joy and purpose in your own aging journey

-How to support aging loved ones in building more joyful lives

-Reframing independence as interdependence

Helpful links from the episode:

-Dr. Kerry Burnight’s website: drkerryburnight.com

-Joyspan: The Book – Available at major retailers

To learn more about this podcast and to subscribe to our caregiving newsletters, visit www.homeinstead.com/caregiverchats. Share your thoughts, experiences and ideas by emailing Dr. Lakelyn at caregiverchats@homeinsteadinc.com.

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Dr. Lakelyn is joined by caregiving expert Pamela D. Wilson to explore one of the most emotionally complex and commonly misunderstood aspects of caregiving: navigating blended family dynamics and complex relationships.

As families evolve through remarriage, step-siblings, second spouses, or late-in-life partnerships, caregiving roles can become blurred. Tensions may arise around who makes decisions, how responsibilities are shared, and how to manage emotional boundaries and longstanding relationship dynamics.

With over two decades of experience, Pamela brings deep insight and practical strategies to help families navigate these situations with greater clarity, compassion, and cooperation.

Episode highlights include:

- Common sources of conflict in blended caregiving families

- Balancing loyalty, boundaries, and responsibility

- Tips for stepchildren, spouses, and siblings to work as a team

- Strategies for communication, planning, and managing expectations

- Tools to help families align around care goals

Helpful links from the episode:

- Website: https://www.pameladwilson.com

- Book: https://pameladwilson.com/caregiving-trap-book/

- Caring for Elderly Parents Online Program: https://pameladwilson.com/support-caring-for-elderly-parents-overwhelmed-caregiver-support-online-course/

- YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PamelaDWilsonCaregivingExpert

To learn more about this podcast and to subscribe to our caregiving newsletters, visit www.homeinstead.com/caregiverchats. Share your thoughts, experiences and ideas by emailing Dr. Lakelyn at caregiverchats@homeinsteadinc.com.

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In this listener-favorite episode, Dr. Lakelyn revisits a powerful conversation with Laurel Wittman, spousal caregiver and President of the Well Spouse Association. Together, they explore the deeply personal and often under-discussed experience of caring for a spouse or partner. Whether due to illness, disability, or chronic conditions, spousal caregiving brings its own set of emotional and relational challenges—from shifts in intimacy to feelings of guilt and isolation.

This episode offers validation, resources, and community for anyone walking this path—or supporting someone who is.

Episode highlights include:

- Who spousal caregivers are and how common they are

- Key differences between spousal and other types of caregiving

- How isolation and role shifts impact relationships

- The emotional rollercoaster of caregiving for a partner

- Resources and support from the Well Spouse Association

Helpful links from the episode:

- Well Spouse Association: wellspouse.org

-Caregiving in the US 2025: caregivingintheus.org

- Home Instead Resources: homeinstead.com/care-resources

To learn more about this podcast and to subscribe to our caregiving newsletters, visit www.homeinstead.com/caregiverchats. Share your thoughts, experiences and ideas by emailing Dr. Lakelyn at caregiverchats@homeinsteadinc.com.

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Dr. Lakelyn welcomes Jennifer FitzPatrick, gerontologist and author of Cruising Through Caregiving, to discuss one of the biggest decisions caregivers face: whether to move a loved one into their home. Drawing from her clinical background and decades of experience advising families, Jennifer unpacks the emotional, logistical, and relational factors behind this choice. This episode provides tools to help families pause, reflect, and plan—rather than react in the heat of a crisis.

Episode highlights include:

- Why families consider moving a loved one in—and how to avoid making the decision in crisis.

- Essential questions to ask before inviting a loved one to live with you.

- How guilt, promises, and cultural expectations can influence caregiver decisions.

- The emotional and logistical challenges of multigenerational living.

- What to do when the living situation isn’t working out.

- Tools to help families pause, reflect, and plan rather than react.

Helpful links from the episode:

- Jenerationshealth.com

- Book: Cruising Through Caregiving (Amazon)

- Visit www.homeinstead.com/care-resources to explore more caregiving resources

To learn more about this podcast and to subscribe to our caregiving newsletters, visit www.homeinstead.com/caregiverchats. Share your thoughts, experiences and ideas by emailing Dr. Lakelyn at caregiverchats@homeinsteadinc.com.

Like, subscribe, rate and review this podcast on your favorite podcast platform.

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Facebook: @homeinsteadinc

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