From Guilt to Good with Jeanette Yates
Support for caregivers, plus care tech you can trust.Practical guidance on burnout, boundaries, and guilt, with simple care-tech translation so tools feel safe, supportive, and straightforward.
Assisted Living vs. Memory Care: How to Know What Your Parent Needs
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Assisted living and memory care can look surprisingly similar from the outside. But how do you know which level of care your aging parent actually needs?
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates explains the key differences between assisted living and memory care, including the support each provides, the role of dementia-related needs, and the safety questions families should consider.
Drawing from her own experience navigating her mother's long-term care decision, Jeanette discusses what to ask when touring communities, how to approach situations where parents need...
When Your Siblings Won't Help Care for Your Aging Parents
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What happens when you're the one managing every doctor's appointment, pharmacy call, and emergency for your aging parents, while your siblings stay on the sidelines?
Family caregiving can be exhausting, but the resentment that comes from carrying the responsibility alone can make it even harder.
In this episode, Jeanette Yates explores why siblings sometimes withdraw from caregiving, why asking for help often doesn't work, and how assigning specific responsibilities can change the conversation.
She also discusses ways siblings can contribute from a distance, how to handle advice...
What to Do When Your Aging Parent Refuses Help
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What do you do when your aging parent insists they're fine, even though you're the one constantly managing their appointments, meals, medications, and emergencies?
For many family caregivers, getting an elderly parent to accept help can feel like an endless argument. But what if their refusal isn't really about stubbornness?
In this episode, Jeanette Yates shares her personal experience caring for her mother, who was determined to remain in her own home and reluctant to accept outside support.
Jeanette explores the fears that may be hiding behind...
The Parts of Caregiving We’re Afraid to Say Out Loud with Bernadette
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What happens when caregiving isn’t a role you chose — but one you were drafted into?
In this deeply honest conversation, Jeanette sits down with her friend Bernadette of Caregiver Collaborative to talk about the parts of caregiving families often struggle to say out loud.
After more than a decade of caring for her elderly parents, Bernadette shares what it meant to commute eight hours between states, raise her own children while caring for her parents, lose her father, reach her own breaking point, and finally decide that caregiving had...
An Interview with Juana Lebedinsky, author of DOWNHILL: A Memoir of an Accident, Two Comas, Many Books, and Starting Over
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When Juana Libedinsky's husband, Conrado, suffered a catastrophic skiing accident in Patagonia, life changed in an instant.
The journalist, wife and mother suddenly became a caregiver navigating a severe brain injury, a coma, international medical logistics, two children, insurance, hospitals and the enormous uncertainty of what came next.
In this episode, Juana joins Jeanette Yates to talk about the experience behind her memoir, Downhill: A Memoir of an Accident, Two Comas, Many Books, and Starting Over.
They explore the side of caregiving that rarely makes it onto...
How to Help an Aging Parent Stand Up Safely Without Replacing Their Favorite Chair
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What happens when your aging parent starts struggling to get out of their chair—but absolutely refuses to give up the chair they love?
Jeanette talks with Matt Cavanaugh, Director of Customer Engagement at Enhance-It, about a simple device that converts an existing recliner into a powered lift chair.
They discuss how even a small amount of assistance can make standing easier, why repeatedly lifting a loved one can take a physical toll on caregivers, and how maintaining the ability to sit and stand independently can affect an older ad...
Safety Without Hovering: Helping Aging Parents Stay Independent
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What if your aging parent had a simple way to tell you when they actually needed help?
No phone.
No complicated app.
No yelling from another room.
And no constant monitoring.
In this episode, Jeanette talks with Dominique “Dom” Austin, founder of Parent Ping, about the constant state of alert many caregivers experience.
Dom originally created Parent Ping for exhausted parents caring for newborns.
But almost immediately, families caring for aging adults began telling her they had the exact same...
How to Use Music to Calm, Connect and Engage Someone With Dementia
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Most caregivers already know music can be comforting. But there’s a big difference between putting on a favorite playlist and intentionally using music as a caregiving tool.
Jeanette talks with board-certified music therapist and SingFit co-founder Andy Tubmann about how active singing, rhythm and movement can help caregivers connect with someone living with dementia.
Andy shares what he learned professionally after more than 25 years working with music therapy—and personally while serving as the primary caregiver for his mother throughout an eight-to-ten-year dementia journey.
They explore why...
How to Have Hard Conversations With Aging Parents Without Creating Resistance
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Talking to an aging parent about driving, assisted living, finances or accepting help can quickly turn into an argument.
According to Aging and Change Coach Tami Calais, one reason is surprisingly simple: families often begin the conversation with the solution already decided.
“Mom, you need to stop driving.”
“We need to talk about assisted living.”
“You need someone helping you at home.”
After 16 years in senior living, Tami has seen what happens when families wait until a crisis forces these decisions — and what changes when t...
You’re One Phone Call Away From Becoming a Caregiver with Nicole Smith
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Most people don’t become caregivers gradually.
Sometimes everything changes with one phone call.
For Nicole Smith, it was more like three.
Her mother developed Alzheimer’s, her stepmother was diagnosed with aphasia, and her father dealt with normal pressure hydrocephalus—all while Nicole was navigating family life and the uncertainty of 2020.
That experience eventually led Nicole to become a Certified Senior Advisor, Daughterhood circle leader, caregiving advocate, and author of Diagnosis Dementia: Your Guide to Elder Care Planning and Crisis Management.
In this e...
Can AI Help Aging Parents Stay Independent Without Replacing Family? With Nick Mehdi
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Caregivers often become responsible for the essentials: medications, medical appointments, finances, transportation and safety.
But what happens to the small moments that make an older adult’s life enjoyable?
In this episode, Jeanette Yates speaks with Nick Mehdi, co-founder of Donna, an AI phone companion designed for older adults.
The idea began when Nick noticed that his grandfather—a lifelong Detroit Tigers fan—kept missing baseball games because he did not realise they were on. His family was successfully managing the major responsibilities of caregiving, but smaller remind...
The Dark Side of Caregiving Nobody Talks About
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Can you love the person you care for and still feel angry, resentful, exhausted or desperate for the caregiving to end?
Brent has spent nearly two decades caring for his wife, Trudy, after she was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease at 33. In this honest conversation, Brent and Jeanette discuss the side of long-term caregiving that is often hidden behind inspirational quotes and toxic positivity.
Brent explains why caregiving can feel like a “death by a thousand cuts,” how unspoken resentment almost broke him, and why acknowledging difficult thoughts does not make s...
Planning Long-Term Care Before a Family Crisis with Lindsay Friedman
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Most families do not make a comprehensive long-term care plan before they need one.
Instead, they rely on a few assumptions:
“Mom will move in with me.”
“My siblings will help.”
“We’ll figure it out when the time comes.”
But when an aging parent experiences a fall, receives a diagnosis, develops dementia, or can no longer live safely without assistance, those assumptions can quickly become a family crisis.
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates speaks with Lindsay Friedma...
Dementia Separation Anxiety, Repetitive Calls, and Caregiver Guilt
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When someone with dementia calls repeatedly, it can leave caregivers exhausted, distracted, and afraid to put down the phone.
Even when the last several calls involved the same question, the next one could be an emergency. And when caregivers cannot answer, they may be left wondering whether their loved one feels frightened, confused, or abandoned.
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates speaks with Kirstin Thomas, co-founder and president of KindredMIND.
After a stroke significantly accelerated her mother’s cognitive decline, Kirstin began receiving as...
Patrick Coughlin on Protecting Aging Parents From AI Scams
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AI scammers can now clone a loved one’s voice, impersonate trusted organizations, and create messages that are almost impossible to identify as fake.
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with cybersecurity expert Patrick Coughlin about the AI-powered scam economy targeting older adults, caregivers, and families.
Patrick shares how his mother was targeted by a fake kidnapping call using a cloned version of his sister’s voice. That experience led him to create Savi Security and a great free tool called Scamwise, which easily chec...
Kabir Bhatia on Helping Aging Parents Stay Home Safely Without Watching Them
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Most aging parents want to stay home, but how do caregivers keep them safe without taking away their independence, dignity, or privacy?
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Kabir Bhatia, co-founder and CEO of Hello Everyday, about aging in place, caregiver worry, senior safety technology, and how families can support loved ones without making them feel watched.
Kabir’s work began from personal experience. After supporting his father through three rounds of cancer and watching his mother adjust to living alone after his fa...
Arvind Sarin on How AI Is Changing Home Health Care Without Replacing Nurses
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AI is already changing home health care, but does that mean it is replacing nurses?
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Arvind Sarin, founder and CEO of Copper Digital, about how AI can support home health clinicians without taking the human out of care.
Arvind explains what many family caregivers never see: the paperwork, documentation, compliance forms, billing pressure, visit notes, and after-hours charting that home health nurses often carry long after they leave a patient’s ho...
Annalee Kruger on Caregiver Burnout, Guilt, and Why Families Need an Aging Plan
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Caregiver burnout does not happen all at once. It often starts with love, responsibility, and the belief that you can keep figuring things out as you go.
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Annalee Kruger, founder and CEO of Care Right Inc. and author of The Invisible Patient, about what happens when family caregivers become overwhelmed, invisible, and responsible for decisions they were never prepared to make.
Annalee explains why so many adult children and spouse caregivers end up in crisis, why guilt...
Dr. Rondalyn Whitney on Why Grief Changes Your Body, Identity, and Daily Life
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Grief is not just sadness. It can affect your body, your brain, your routines, your relationships, and your sense of who you are.
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Dr. Rondalyn Varney Whitney, an occupational therapist, narrative medicine practitioner, and author of Habits of Widows and Lies in the Afterlife. After the traumatic death of her husband in 2020, Rondalyn began writing every day for a year and a day, using...
Dr. Julie Merriman on Why Midlife Women Feel Exhausted Even After Rest
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Dr. Julie Merriman explains why so many midlife women feel exhausted in a way rest no longer fixes.
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Dr. Julie Merriman, a counselor educator, licensed clinician, speaker, author, and podcast host who works with professional women over 50 experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, nervous system depletion, disconnection, and shutdown.
Julie’s work focuses on women who are high-achieving, high-responsibility, and still functioning — but operating far beyond capacity. These are women who have spent years holding families, workplaces, caregiving responsibilities, and...
Mark Wilson on the 5-Pillar Framework Every Dementia Caregiver Needs
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Mark Wilson shares the 5-pillar framework every dementia caregiver needs to lead care.
Mark Wilson believes dementia caregivers need more than love and good intentions — they need a system.
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Mark Wilson, author of Breakthrough Alzheimer’s Care, about what happened when he brought executive leadership skills into hands-on Alzheimer’s and dementia caregiving.
Mark spent more than 25 years leading leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and HR functions at Fortune 500 companies, including PepsiCo and Taco Bell. But when h...
Kait Giordano on Raising a Baby While Caring for Parents With Dementia
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Kait Giordano is raising a baby while caring for both parents with dementia.
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Kait Giordano, co-founder of The Melty Middle, about life inside the sandwich generation and what it really looks like to build a home, routine, and family life around dementia care.
Kait shares how caregiving became part of her life long before motherhood, beginning with her grandmother and sister, and later continuing as both of her parents were diagnosed...
Why Family Caregiving Feels So Overwhelming Featuring Lance A. Slatton
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Most families become caregivers before anyone tells them what help exists.
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Lance A. Slatton, host of All Home Care Matters, senior care advocate, author, healthcare professional, and president of AlzAuthors.
Lance shares how caregiving entered his life unexpectedly when his father needed serious medical care after a fall, infection, surgery, and a long recovery. What was supposed to be “a couple of weeks” of support turned into almost three years of caregiving. During that time, Lanc...
When Your Phone Is the Problem: Emotional Firewalls, Boundaries, and Caregiving with Sol Kennedy
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Caregivers are used to being “on call” for the person they care for. But what happens when the person blowing up your phone is just as stressful as the person you’re caring for—and you can’t simply block or mute them?
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette talks with Sol Kennedy, founder of BestInterest, an AI-powered co-parenting communication app built to help people navigate high-conflict relationships after divorce. Sol shares how his own high-conflict divorce and co-parenting experience led him to create what he calls an “emotional fi...
FINDING JOY IN THE RUINS: A STORY OF CAREGIVING, LOSS, AND UNWAVERING LOVE
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In this heartfelt interview, Susie McNamara shares her caregiving journey through her husband's early-onset Alzheimer's, exploring themes of grief, dignity, and finding joy among ruins. Jeanette Yates delves into the importance of honoring loved ones' identities and the power of storytelling in healing.
00:00 Introduction to Caregiving and Grief
01:48 Suzy's Caregiving Journey
04:16 The Invisible Weight of Grief
06:23 Finding Joy Among Ruins
14:01 Preserving Dignity and Autonomy
20:39 Navigating Family Dynamics in Caregiving
24:25 Navigating Grief and Change
26:51 The Impact of Caregiving on Family Dynamics
29:33 Understanding Grief...
Caregiving Must Be Designed For, Not Endured: Childhood Caregiving, Long-Term Care, and Real Self-Care with Tim Otis
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Caregiving that starts in childhood changes everything. In this episode, Jeanette talks with Empaira founder and “care-led innovator” Tim Otis, who became a caregiver at four and later cared for his dad with Parkinson’s. They unpack long-term caregiving, complicated parent-child dynamics, and why most self-care advice fails caregivers—and what more realistic support can look like.
Resources
Empaira Community
JeanetteYates.com
Tim on TikTok (The Care-Led Innovator)
TikTok we discussed in the episode!
Suppor...
The Power of Conversation in Estate Planning with HeirLight Founder, Jermaine Ee
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In this episode, Jermaine Ee shares his journey of building HeirLight, a tool that transforms difficult conversations about estate planning into meaningful storytelling...and a legal document! Discover how technology can facilitate family discussions, honor loved ones' stories, and simplify legal planning, all rooted in real human connection.
This is about tech, but more than that, Jermaine shares his heartfelt story about how having conversations with his mother and grandmother inspired him to do the hard work of creating HeirLight.
Learn more about HeirLight
Use this li...
Revolutionizing Care: How Care2U Brings ER-Level Treatment to Your Home
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In this episode, healthcare executive and caregiver Lon Hecht shares insights on high acuity care at home through Care2U, the importance of timely intervention, and how innovative healthcare models are transforming caregiving and patient outcomes.
Topics
Resources
Care2U Official Website
Support t...
Advocating Personalized Care & Workplace Support for Caregivers with Brooke Holmes, American Senior Home Finders
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In this episode of the From Guilt to Good podcast, host Jeanette Yates welcomes Brooke Holmes, CEO of American Senior Home Finders. They discuss the challenges caregivers face, the importance of personalized care, and the need for workplace support for caregivers. Brooke shares her unique journey into senior care and how her company helps families navigate complex decisions around aging. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding caregiver guilt, raising awareness, and the need for workplace flexibility to support caregivers effectively.
Takeaways
Caregivers often feel guilt and...
Building Family Support Systems: With "Stay At Home Grandbaby" Jazmyn Rivers
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In this episode of the From Guilt to Good podcast, Jeanette Yates and Jazmyn Rivers discuss the multifaceted journey of caregiving, focusing on family dynamics, community support, and the role of technology. They explore the importance of intentional sharing on social media, the need for self-care among caregivers, and the innovations in care tech that can enhance the caregiving experience. The conversation emphasizes the significance of communication within families and the value of sharing caregiver stories to foster a supportive community.
Takeaways
* Caregiving is often a complex...
Navigating AI Companions: Are They the Solution to Senior Loneliness?
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Quick Bonus Episode today based on this recent article on my blog
In this episode of the From Guilt to Good podcast, I discuss the role of AI companions in alleviating loneliness among seniors and caregivers. I explore the benefits and risks associated with these technologies, emphasizing the importance of informed decision-making. I cover the emotional isolation faced by older adults, the potential for AI to provide companionship, and the critical privacy concerns that arise from using such tools. I also highlight manipulation tactics used by AI systems and the vulnerability...
Building Healthy Digital Relationships in Caregiving: A conversation with Offline.Now founder, Eli Singer
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In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates speaks with Eli Singer about the dual nature of technology in caregiving. They explore how digital tools can both support and hinder caregivers, emphasizing the importance of balance and self-awareness in technology use. Eli shares insights from his book and platform, Offline.Now, which aims to help individuals create healthier relationships with their devices. The conversation also touches on community building, the impact of AI, and the nuances of digital engagement, including the concepts of zombie scrolling and doom scrolling.
To...
Navigating Tech Decisions When The Tech Keeps Changing | Ring Camera "Search Party" Considerations
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BONUS EPISODE:
In this episode of the From Guilt to Good podcast, Jeanette Yates discusses the emotional impact of technology on caregivers, with a particular focus on the Ring Search Party feature introduced in a Super Bowl ad. She emphasizes the importance of understanding how this technology works, the implications for privacy and dignity, and the need for caregivers to make informed choices that align with their values. The conversation also addresses the guilt caregivers may feel when making decisions about technology use and encourages open discussions within care circles.<...
Challenges for Caregivers in AI Adoption with Billy Miranda, Licensed Therapist and Family Caregiver
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In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates speaks with Billy Miranda, a licensed therapist and caregiver, about the intersection of caregiving and technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI). They discuss the emotional realities of caregiving, the potential benefits and ethical considerations of using AI tools, and the importance of self-care for caregivers. Billy shares his personal caregiving journey and insights into how AI can support mental health and caregiving tasks, while also emphasizing the need for awareness of privacy and compliance with regulations such as HIPAA. The conversation highlights...
The Power of Communication in Caregiving: A Conversation with Caily Co-founder, Wynter Johnson
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In this episode of 'From Guilt to Good,' host Jeanette Yates talks with Wynter Johnson, co-founder of Caily, about communication challenges and solutions in caregiving. They discuss the inception of Caily, a platform designed to streamline caregiving tasks and improve communication among family members. Wynter shares personal stories that highlight the importance of effective communication and the role of safe technology in caregiving.
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The Ethics of Sharing Caregiving Advice Online with Stephanie Muskat, MSW
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Summary
In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates and Stephanie Muskat discuss the complexities of caregiving, with a particular focus on the emotional and mental health challenges caregivers face. Stephanie shares her personal journey as a caregiver and how it led her to create Compassion and Caregiving, a platform that supports caregivers. They delve into the importance of acknowledging feelings of guilt, shame, and grief, and how these emotions can impact caregiving. The conversation also touches on the role of content creation in the caregiving space, the ethics...
The Future of AI in Caregiving with Dr. Ashish Aggarwal of JubileeTV
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In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates interviews Dr. Ashish Aggarwal, founder of Jubilee TV, discussing the intersection of caregiving and technology. They explore personal caregiving experiences, the innovative features of Jubilee TV that enhance remote caregiving, and the transformative role of AI in improving the lives of caregivers and their aging loved ones. The conversation emphasizes the importance of technology in fostering social connections and reducing caregiver guilt, while also addressing the future of AI in personalizing care.
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Navigating Elder Law and Estate Planning, Essential Insights for Caregivers with Michelangelo Mortellaro
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In this episode of the From Guilt to Good podcast, Jeanette speaks with Michelangelo Mortellaro, an elder law attorney, about the critical aspects of caregiving, estate planning, and elder law. They discuss the importance of understanding the differences between elder law and general estate planning, the necessity of having the right legal documents in place, and the impact of Medicaid on asset protection. The conversation emphasizes the need for proactive planning to ensure that caregivers and their loved ones are prepared for future care needs, highlighting the emotional and financial benefits of proper...
The Emotional Landscape of Caregiving with Mark J Ropeleski, host of The Caregivers Podcast
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In the latest episode of the From Guilt to Good podcast, host Jeanette Yates sits down with Mark J Ropeleski , a seasoned physician and host of The Caregivers Podcast. Together, they explore the multifaceted nature of caregiving, reflecting on personal experiences and the often unspoken challenges that caregivers face. This conversation sheds light on the importance of self-care, the emotional complexities of caregiving, and the rationalizations we make that can hinder our well-being.
Connect with Mark & The Caregivers Podcast on TikTok or Instagram
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The Hidden Struggles of Caregiving Youth with Dr. Connie Siskowski
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In this episode of the From Guilt to Good podcast, Jeanette Yates speaks with Dr. Connie Siskowski, founder of the American Association for Caregiving Youth (AACY). They discuss the challenges faced by youth caregivers, the impact of caregiving on education, and the importance of raising awareness and support for these children. Dr. Siskowski shares her personal caregiving journey and the research findings that highlight the need for resources and flexibility in schools for caregiving youth. The conversation emphasizes the importance of community support and advocacy to improve the lives of these...
