So Your Parents Are Old

Economist Corinne Low maps the math of women’s time to understand why “having it all” isn’t really possible, especially when aging parents enter the equation. She gives practical advice on how to buy back time, outsource guilt-free, and make choices your future self will thank you for.  Read Corinne's bestselling book, Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women's Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours.  To connect with the team and gain access to behind the scenes content, join our community at joincampside.com⁠. You can also find us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ & ⁠Youtube⁠. If you have questions you want Vanessa to try to answer, or just want to tell us what you think of the show, email us at parents@campsidemedia.com. Can't wait to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this engaging conversation, comedian and author Roy Wood Jr. shares insights from his memoir, The Man of Many Fathers. He reflects on losing his father at 16 and the impact of various father figures in his life. Roy discusses his writing process, emphasizing emotional honesty and the lesson-driven structure of each chapter. He contrasts grief with humor, aiming to balance the two while protecting family privacy. Ultimately, he reveals how writing his story served as a personal journey of healing, both for himself and for his son.

Journalist and author Alissa Quart joins Vanessa to talk about how to turn a parent’s art into a living legacy while navigating the impossible “third shift” of caregiving. They also zoom out to discuss the economics of aging in America and what it’s like to live in an “anti-compassion time.” Read Alissa’s books Bootstrapped: Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream and Squeezed: Why Our Families Can't Afford America. You can also check out her NY Times Op-Ed, My Mother, the Artist, Discovered at 90, her most recent Guardian article, or see some of her mother’s art @barbaraquartpainter or in this photo inventory. Learn more about the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, or send them a pitch.  To connect with the team and gain access to behind the scenes content, join our community at joincampside.com⁠. You can also find us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ & ⁠Youtube⁠. If you have questions you want Vanessa to try to answer, or just want to tell us what you think of the show, email us at parents@campsidemedia.com. Can't wait to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Collin Moulton’s parents hadn’t spoken in decades—until their failing health forced a reunion no sitcom could script. The comedian joins Vanessa to talk about the chaotic final years of his parents’ lives and what it means to truly grow up when your parents are old. Follow Collin on Instagram to find Collin’s tour dates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist and former CNN anchor Amara Walker opens up about her mother’s Alzheimer’s—how she found support in community, how she talks to her children about their grandmother’s illness, and how she arrived at the difficult decision to move her mother to a nursing home. Find out more about the Alzheimer’s Association on their website.  The book Vanessa read to her son is called Nana Nana by Nate Bertone and illustrated by James Claridades. To connect with the team and gain access to behind the scenes content, join our community at joincampside.com⁠. You can also find us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ & ⁠Youtube⁠. If you have questions you want Vanessa to try to answer, or just want to tell us what you think of the show, email us at parents@campsidemedia.com. Can't wait to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian Kathleen Madigan has turned the trials of caring for her parents into some of her sharpest material. She joins Vanessa to commiserate about Medicare and creepy porcelain basement dolls—and to show how humor can help you through the hardest moments. Hear more from Kathleen on Madigan's Pubcast, and find tour dates on her website. Her new special, The Family Thread is available on November 21. To connect with the team and gain access to behind the scenes content, join our community at joincampside.com You can also find us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ & ⁠Youtube⁠. If you have questions you want Vanessa to try to answer, or just want to tell us what you think of the show, email us at parents@campsidemedia.com. Can't wait to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actress Erika Christensen joins Vanessa to talk about her new film After All, where she plays a daughter caring for her ill mother. Together, they explore the unexpected intimacy of birth, death, and everything in between. To connect with the team and gain access to behind the scenes content, join our community at joinparents.com You can also find us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ & ⁠Youtube⁠. If you have questions you want Vanessa to try to answer, or just want to tell us what you think of the show, email us at parents@campsidemedia.com. Can't wait to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ann Neumann, author and hospice volunteer, shares her profound insights into end-of-life care. She discusses how hospice is about comfort and dignity, breaking down the misconceptions around it. Ann reflects on her personal journey caring for her father and becoming a volunteer. She highlights the importance of pain management and quality of life in hospice, as well as the historical context of its development. With touching stories and practical advice, she encourages a new perspective on death and the beauty of caring for one another.

Amanda Uhle, a writer and publisher at McSweeney's and author of the memoir Destroy This House, shares her poignant journey of growing up with hoarder parents. She reflects on her childhood in a cluttered home, the impact on her own habits, and her fierce love for her family despite their dysfunction. The conversation touches on how her mother's preparedness spiraled into hoarding and the emotional toll of clearing their belongings. Uhle's candid storytelling brings a cathartic insight into family dynamics and the meaning we attach to objects.

In this engaging discussion, realtor Tina Fallon shares her insights on the emotional rollercoaster of managing a parent's home. She highlights reasons why many seniors are reluctant to sell and effective strategies for clearing out their belongings. Tina explains the tax advantages of inheriting properties and discusses the complexities of family dynamics during clean-outs. Plus, she reveals how buyers often seek estate opportunities through obituaries. It's a heartfelt exploration of navigating real estate with care and compassion!