Make Me Smart How to start the caregiving conversation
Dec 19, 2025
Elizabeth Miller, founder of Happy Healthy Caregiver, shares her inspiring journey from personal caregiver burnout to advocating for others. She discusses the financial stresses caregivers face, practical self-care strategies, and how to initiate tough caregiving conversations with family. Miller emphasizes the importance of scheduling dedicated caregiver time and suggests involving professionals as needed. Plus, listeners enjoy a fun holiday-themed round of 'This or That' to add some festive cheer!
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Burnout Sparked Her Platform
- Elizabeth Miller started Happy Healthy Caregiver after burning out while caring for her parents and mother-in-law simultaneously.
- She began the platform not because she had solutions but because she needed support and wanted to help others avoid burnout.
Plan Financially — Medicare Won't Cover It
- Don't assume Medicare will cover long-term care and plan for the high costs upfront.
- Consider options that let caregivers keep working because 70% of family caregivers are employed.
Isolation Fuels Burnout; Community Helps
- Caregivers isolate as they withdraw from activities they enjoy, which worsens burnout.
- Tapping into community provides venting, practical resources, and connection when answers are fragmented.