Happy Healthy Caregiver

Kris McCabe is a dedicated family caregiver for her grandmother, Mary, navigating Alzheimer’s since 2017 and sharing their journey with nearly half a million followers online. In this discussion, Kris opens up about her caregiving life, emphasizing the balance of responsibilities and self-care. She humorously shares her experiences with internet trolls and reflects on what she wishes she could tell her past self. Additionally, Kris highlights her intentional steps towards mental wellness and the importance of community support in caregiving.

Matthew Cauli became a full-time caregiver to his wife, Kanlaya, after she experienced two massive strokes and an ovarian cancer diagnosis. Matthew and his wife are in their thirties and raising their 6-year-old son Ty. In this episode, Matthew displays his dedication to keeping his family physically, emotionally, and financially afloat. We chatted about how his family’s life was turned upside0down, how he found therapy through social media channels, why he could no longer keep working while caregiving, and how the caregiving community has shown up for him in ways he didn’t anticipate. Show notes with product and resource links: https://bit.ly/HHCPod158 Receive the podcast in your email here: http://bit.ly/2G4qvBv Order a copy of Elizabeth's book Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal: http://bit.ly/HHCjournal For podcast sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth: https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/contact-us/ The Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast is part of the Whole Care Network. Rate and Review the podcast: https://bit.ly/HHCPODREVIEW

Tena Scallan cared for her parents and her uncle through hospitalizations and end of life events. She was introduced as a family caregiver very young when her mom was diagnosed with liver cancer. Later, Tena worked in healthcare where she developed her passion for supporting family caregivers and sharing her secrets. In this episode, Tena and I reveal secrets around squeezing in time for yourself, helping your care recipients bust boredom and grumpiness, staying organized, and finding the resources you need to be the ultimate caregiver. Show notes with product and resource links: https://bit.ly/HHCPod157 Receive the podcast in your email here: http://bit.ly/2G4qvBv Order a copy of Elizabeth's book Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal: http://bit.ly/HHCjournal For podcast sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth: https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/contact-us/ The Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast is part of the Whole Care Network. Rate and Review the podcast: https://bit.ly/HHCPODREVIEW

Sue Ryan, a family caregiver for over 40 years, helps others navigate life transitions through her speaking and coaching. In this discussion, she shares her journey from overwhelm to empowerment. Topics include guilt-free decision-making strategies and building caregiving-friendly work environments. Sue emphasizes the significance of massive acceptance and radical presence in caregiving, ensuring individuals feel supported. She also highlights resources to prioritize self-care and creatively manage stress, advocating for the mental well-being of caregivers.

Most people run away from the topics of death and dying but Registered Nurse and family caregiver Barbara Karnes runs toward it. She’s a quoted expert in many national media publications and has been awarded the NHPCO Innovator award for her decades as an end-of-life educator. She is a pioneer in the hospice industry and the author of what is referred to as “the little blue hospice book”.  In this episode, we talk about all things related to hospice and end of life. We dispel the popular myths, define the terms, and discover why Barbara continues to make this her life’s work. Show notes with product and resource links: https://bit.ly/HHCPod155 Receive the podcast in your email here: http://bit.ly/2G4qvBv Order a copy of Elizabeth's book Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal: http://bit.ly/HHCjournal For podcast sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth: https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/contact-us/ The Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast is part of the Whole Care Network. Rate and Review the podcast: https://bit.ly/HHCPODREVIEW

In this episode, meet Sherrell D. Mims. She is a family caregiver, registered nurse, entrepreneur, and author. Her passion is empowering caregivers worldwide. In this episode we talk about the importance of securing help in your community, sharing your story, being patient with yourself, seeking a good belly laugh, and proactively dealing with the cloudy days that come upon us. Show notes with product and resource links: https://bit.ly/HHCPod154 Receive the podcast in your email here: http://bit.ly/2G4qvBv Order a copy of Elizabeth's book Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal: http://bit.ly/HHCjournal For podcast sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth: https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/contact-us/ The Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast is part of the Whole Care Network. Rate and Review the podcast: https://bit.ly/HHCPODREVIEW

In 2019 Tiffany moved home to Maui, Hawaii to become primary caregiver to her adult brother Christian. Christian is now in his thirties and has been living with autism. Inspired by her brother's interest in jewelry and wanting to help him find a job, Tiffany created Depo Market, a retail business that provides jobs to other adults with disabilities like Chris. In this episode, we chat about what made Tiffany relocate from NYC to Maui, how her partner created a personal living space for her brother Chris, what it’s like to balance care for a brother and a brand new baby, and how Depo Market came to be and how others can support what they are doing. Show notes with product and resource links: https://bit.ly/HHCPod153 Receive the podcast in your email here: http://bit.ly/2G4qvBv Order a copy of Elizabeth's book Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal: http://bit.ly/HHCjournal For podcast sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth: https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/contact-us/ The Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast is part of the Whole Care Network. Rate and Review the podcast: https://bit.ly/HHCPODREVIEW

Joe Vazquez and his wife Laura live in Texas and have been married over 11 years. In February 2021, Laura suffered a traumatic and anoxic brain injury. With Laura’s freak garden accident, life as they knew it changed. Joe had to find his way as a family caregiver with zero care experience. In this episode, Joe shares his story and we discuss marital commitment, mental health therapy, FMLA benefits, and the role TikTok has played in his caregiving journey. Show notes with product and resource links: https://bit.ly/HHCPod152 Receive the podcast in your email here: http://bit.ly/2G4qvBv Order a copy of Elizabeth's book Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal: http://bit.ly/HHCjournal For podcast sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth: https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/contact-us/ The Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast is part of the Whole Care Network. Rate and Review the podcast: https://bit.ly/HHCPODREVIEW

Susie Singer Carter cared for her mom Norma for 16 years until she passed away last July from Alzheimer’s disease. Susie is a multi-award-winning filmmaker, actor, and caregiver advocate. You can see all of these skills intertwine in her 2018 Oscar Qualified short film, “My Mom And The Girl” starring Valerie Harper in her final performance. Susie also produces and hosts the Love Conquers Alz podcast and is the co-creator of the outrageous horror/comedy narrative podcast “I Love Lucifer”. She is currently producing a documentary, "No Country For Old People", which centers on long term care neglect and the systemic healthcare crisis responsible for it. In this episode we dive deep into Susie’s current documentary project and the stories surrounding it. Susie also reflects on some of the toughest years of her life and the essential (and totally accessible) self-care tools which have helped make her 16 year caregiving season sustainable. Show notes with product and resource links: https://bit.ly/HHCPod151 Receive the podcast in your email here: http://bit.ly/2G4qvBv Order a copy of Elizabeth's book Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal: http://bit.ly/HHCjournal For podcast sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth: https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/contact-us/ The Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast is part of the Whole Care Network. Rate and Review the podcast: https://bit.ly/HHCPODREVIEW

Inesa Ponomariovaite is a former family caregiver living in Chicago. She is also a holistic health professional and an expert on the benefits of hemp. Inesa is the founder of Nesas Hemp, a company providing full-spectrum CBDa Hemp Oil with preserved healing compounds. In this episode, we learn about Inesa’s caregiving stories, her self-care practices and how CBDa Hemp Oil can optimize your health and healing. Show notes with product and resource links: https://bit.ly/HHCPod150 Receive the podcast in your email here: http://bit.ly/2G4qvBv Order a copy of Elizabeth's book Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal: http://bit.ly/HHCjournal For podcast sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth: https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/contact-us/ The Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast is part of the Whole Care Network. Rate and Review the podcast: https://bit.ly/HHCPODREVIEW