In this episode, we (Selma and Zack) sit down with the brilliant Breana Patel to unpack one of the most pressing challenges facing our society today: the silver tsunami. With a rapidly aging population and a dwindling caregiver workforce, Breana shares how AI-powered solutions can make caregiving not only safer and more effective for patients but also far more manageable for caregivers—especially those of us juggling full-time work and family responsibilities. From her personal caregiving story to the development of a powerful, privacy-first platform built to support long-term care facilities, Breana offers us a hopeful vision for the future. We talk about AI’s role in preventing falls, streamlining discharge plans, improving communication, and even reducing stress for long-distance caregivers.

Breana Patel is a serial entrepreneur, CEO, and visionary at the forefront of AI and healthcare innovation. As the founder of Owle AI, she is redefining care coordination by tackling one of the industry’s most pressing challenges—staff burnout and turnover—through intelligent automation. A repeat founder with a career spanning public health service delivery and in global finance, Breana has held leadership roles at Morgan Stanley, Deutsche bank and others , and partnered with public health agencies in New York to advance aging and healthcare initiatives. She holds executive MBA from MIT Sloan with cross registration at Harvard, has been featured in Forbes and on CBS Live, and is a recognized thought leader within the MIT startup ecosystem. Beyond building companies, Breana is passionate about mentoring the next generation of women leaders in STEM and championing economic empowerment on a global scale.

Episode Highlights:

[0:00] - Breana explains the meaning behind “silver tsunami” and the growing need for elder care innovation
[2:07] - Welcoming Breana Patel and her connection to caregiving through personal experience
[7:29] - The nurse shortage crisis and the overwhelming demands on care providers
[9:17] - How AI can relieve stress for family caregivers and improve patient response times
[12:08] - The role of large language models in simplifying communication for caregivers
[13:38] - Using voice AI to tackle administrative burdens like appointment scheduling
[14:23] - What employers and society can do to prepare for the silver tsunami
[16:55] - Addressing privacy concerns and how Breana’s platform is built with privacy in mind
[18:25] - Is the platform just for facilities? Breana shares her vision for in-home care
[19:54] - Creating intuitive, plug-and-play tech for caregivers with no time for training
[24:52] - Managing multiple patients in one household with personalized AI
[25:39] - How employers can offer caregiving support as a benefit

Links & Resources:

· Susie Singer Carter's episode with Breana Patel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwzz9eEwcq0

· Owle AI website: https://owle.ai/

· Breana's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breanapatel/

· Zack's challenge: Reach out to Breana Patel if you have a family member in a long term care facility.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a review. Remember to check out our website at invisibleemployeeadvocates.com for more resources, and subscribe to our newsletter for updates! We’ll catch you in the next episode.

In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with our friend and grief advocate, Leslie Weirich, whose decades-long journey through caregiving and loss has shaped her mission to bring hope and understanding to others. From caring for aging parents and siblings to navigating unimaginable personal tragedies, Leslie’s story offers both powerful perspective and practical wisdom for anyone touched by grief or the caregiving experience.

We explore the parallels between caregiving and grief, the importance of creating supportive workplaces, and why connection truly is protection. Leslie shares the inspiration behind her book The Gift of Grief, along with candid thoughts on why traditional bereavement policies fall short and how employers can better support their people. Whether you’re a caregiver, an HR leader, or someone walking through loss, this conversation will leave you with hope, tools, and a renewed sense of community.

Leslie Weirich has been speaking on the topic of Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and Grief since 2017. She often says, “She didn’t choose this work, but this work chose her.” Through her own experiences, she discovered the transformative power of grief, learning to navigate the complexities of loss and uncovering the resilience that emerges from pain. Her commitment to mental health support is deeply personal, having been greatly affected by the loss of her son. On September 10, 2016, her door bell rang at 2:30 in the morning and changed her life forever. Her 20-year-old son Austin died by suicide while a Junior at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN. She resigned from her full-time job as a recruiter and began speaking throughout the nation and never looked back. She wrote "The Gifts of Grief," in 2024, which details her journey through four decades of personal loss.

Episode Highlights:

[2:55] – Introducing Leslie Weirich and her background in caregiving and advocacy.
[5:00] – Leslie’s early caregiving journey with her parents and brothers.
[8:25] – Turning personal loss into advocacy and public speaking.
[10:41] – Writing The Gift of Grief and the healing process behind it.
[14:25] – Caregivers and the risk of suicidal ideation — why connection matters.
[17:09] – “Connection is protection” and practical systems that lighten the caregiver’s load.
[19:34] – How managers can support employees during and after caregiving.
[22:25] – Rethinking the three-day bereavement policy.
[28:32] – Expected vs. unexpected loss and the unique support each requires.
[32:22] – Grieving with hope and carrying forward the legacy of loved ones.
[33:21] – Where to connect with Leslie online.

Links & Resources:

• Leslie’s website: https://leslieshope.org/
• Leslie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-weirich-a55a73159/
• Book: The Gift of Grief by Leslie Weirich
• Cornerstone of Hope: https://cornerstoneofhope.org/
• Leslie's website: https://leslieshope.org/
• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-health-breakthroughs-for-young-adults-families/id1653016005
• Michael George The Pink Book https://www.soaringfamilies.com/PinkBook
• Bereave: https://www.bereave.io/

In this episode, we sit down with our brilliant friend and caregiving champion, Susie Singer Carter. Susie doesn’t just tell stories—she lives them with heart, humor, and relentless honesty. We talk about the raw truths of caregiving, especially for those dealing with Alzheimer’s and long-term care systems. Susie shares how caring for her mother, Norma, transformed her life and ignited her mission to advocate for others through storytelling.

We also dive into her new docu-series No Country for Old People, a bold exposé on the failures in nursing home care and the urgent need for reform. Susie also discusses the impact of her Oscar-qualified short film My Mom and the Girl and how it’s educating employers and caregivers alike.

Susie is an award-winning writer, director, producer, and Alzheimer’s advocate. Her credits include Bratz: The Movie, Soul Surfer, the acclaimed podcasts Love Conquers Alz and I Love Lucifer, and her upcoming screenplay RUN. Inspired by personal tragedy, No Country for Old People received the 2024 Gold Anthem Award and is sparking a national movement for care reform. Susie is also the proud host of WGAW’s 3rd & Fairfax Podcast.

Episode Highlights:

[4:39] - Susie begins sharing her personal caregiving journey and lessons learned through trial and error while juggling caregiving, parenting, work, and a divorce
[10:37] - How AI and technology can transform the caregiving experience
[12:05] - Behind the making of My Mom and the Girl and why humor matters in the caregiving narrative
[16:08] - Turning the film into an educational tool for caregivers and employers
[18:40] - Unveiling her new documentary No Country for Old People and the systemic issues in long-term care
[26:44] - Why self-advocacy at work matters and how to speak up
[30:26] - Bringing humanity back into caregiving and employer flexibility
[32:17] - Introducing the ROAR movement: Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, Reform
[34:22] - Where to find Susie’s films, join the ROAR movement, and help push change
[35:52] - Zack’s challenge to employers: Watch the docu-series and lead the way in workplace change

Links & Resources:

· Susie’s Podcast “Love Conquers Alz” with Don Priess: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-conquers-alz/id1492023291

· Episode with Breana Patel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breana-patel-can-ai-transform-long-term-care/id1492023291?i=1000711955899

· Watch the trailer for My Mom and the Girl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlTRldVFw74

· No Country for Old People Docu-Series (available on Amazon August 1): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21954988/

· Dopesick: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopesick_(miniseries)

· Challenge: Zack challenges Employers to watch the docuseries and support Suzie Singer Carter and her movement.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a review. Remember to check out our website at invisibleemployeeadvocates.com for more resources, and subscribe to our newsletter for updates! We’ll catch you in the next episode.