For Those Who Care

79 - Pressing Pause: Because Caring Never Really Ends

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397447/fan_mail/new] In this short episode, I share a personal update about why I’m pressing pause on new episodes of For Those Who Care for a little while. I talk about what it’s been like to keep caring about caregivers after my years of caring for Lance, and why even people who support caregivers need to pay attention to their own limits. I’m not offering “magic solutions” here—just honesty, encouragement, and the same questions I often ask you: What have you done to care for yourself lately? While I take a break to finish school and keep rebuilding my life, all previous episodes will still be here for you to revisit, share, and sit with whenever you need a reminder that your work matters and you are not alone. I do plan to be back, because I care about caregivers–deeply. And you matter more than you know.

78 - Isaiah’s Story, Part 2: What End‑of‑Life Care Taught Him About Living

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397447/fan_mail/new] In this second part of my conversation with Isaiah, we pick up where we left off – looking back on his time helping care for Lance and what it was like as we moved into the beginning of hospice care. Isaiah had already been with us for months by then, and he witnessed that transition – the change in pace, the weight in the air, and the effort it took to keep finding moments of humor and connection. Even with the heaviness of that time, there’s a lot of laughter in this episode. Isaiah, who many may remember as my former co-host Jenna’s son, shares the memories that have stayed with him and the lessons he carries now about empathy, patience, and growing up quickly. We talk about how caregiving shaped him, what end‑of‑life care taught him about being present, and what he learned about himself through it all. And at one point, Isaiah turned the tables and started asking me questions: Were you afraid of the grief? Had you already started grieving before Lance died? How was the process of healing different than you thought it would be? Those questions led to an honest and deeply human conversation about love, loss, and the way healing really works. This episode holds both the honesty and the hope of that time. I share how afraid I was of Lance dying, how I truly didn’t know if I would survive losing him, and how lost I felt when I finally reached a point where I could start living again but didn’t know how. We talk about that final stretch of Lance’s life, how it affected both Isaiah and me, and what it has looked like to move forward through it—not away from it or by ignoring it. For anyone who’s walked through caregiving or loss, I hope this conversation encourages you to believe that life after grief is still possible, and that healing doesn’t erase the story, it helps you carry it forward.  At the very end, Isaiah offers a simple invitation: if you ever have the opportunity to care for someone, say yes. You won’t regret it.

77 - Caregiving at 18: How Walking Beside Lance Shaped Isaiah’s Understanding of Care (Part 1)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397447/fan_mail/new] When Isaiah agreed to become Lance’s caregiver at just 18 years old, he already knew Lance’s diagnosis was terminal. Most people his age were thinking about school, work, or friends—but Isaiah said yes to something much harder and far more meaningful. In this first part of our two‑episode conversation, he shares what led to that decision, how caregiving reshaped his understanding of compassion and presence, and how those experiences still shape him today, more than five years after Lance’s passing. Isaiah’s care wasn’t medical. It was about showing up. Whether working on small yard projects together, taking drives with us, or laughing over frozen yogurt, Isaiah brought connection and light into a season that could have been defined only by illness. We talk about how simple companionship can ease isolation, what younger caregivers bring to the care experience, and how families can better support them as vital parts of a care team. Toward the end of this episode, you’ll hear a personal conversation Isaiah and I recorded after the formal interview ended. It’s an open reflection on that chapter of our lives—the impact it had on Lance, on Isaiah as a young man, and on me as both Lance’s wife and caregiver. This episode honors that shared journey and reminds us that caregiving, at any age, is really about love, connection, and showing up—especially when the road ahead is uncertain.

76 - Supported, Not Shielded: How Jenna Led Her Kids Into Our World of Terminal Illness

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397447/fan_mail/new] As my husband, Lance, lived with dementia and a terminal diagnosis, the reality of our life stood in stark contrast to the world most families knew. In a season when many people pulled back or didn’t know how to be with us, my friend and former cohost, Jenna, made a different choice: instead of keeping her children at a distance from our reality, she intentionally brought them into our world. In this conversation, Jenna and I talk about what it looked like for her to invite her kids into a life that was not their own — into our home, our routines, and the visible realities of disability and terminal illness. She shares how she decided what to say (and what not to say), how she weighed their different ages and personalities, and how she tried to be honest without overwhelming them. We walk through some of the hardest moments: the unpredictable behaviors that can come with dementia, the questions her kids asked, and the conversations that followed their time with Lance. Jenna also reflects on what she saw growing in her kids as they showed up again and again — their capacity for presence, empathy, and staying with someone whose life looked very different from their own. I share what it meant to me, as Lance’s wife and caregiver, to have a friend willing to sit with us in our reality and bring her children along, not because they had to, but because she believed this was part of forming who they are. If you’ve ever wondered whether to include kids in situations involving disability, dementia, or terminal illness — or if you’re worried you might get it “wrong” — I hope this episode gives you ideas, courage, and a sense that you don’t have to navigate it alone.

75 - The Transformative Power of Writing: Maureen Stanton on the Healing Art of Memoir

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397447/fan_mail/new] In this heartfelt conversation, writer and memoir teacher Maureen Stanton joins me to talk about how writing our stories can help us heal, especially when we’ve lived through seasons of caring for someone we love. Maureen, author of The Murmur of Everything Moving, shares what drew her to memoir, why she loves teaching it, and why caregiving stories are so often overlooked. People outside this world often have no idea how hard caregiving can be, and we talk about why telling these stories out loud and on the page matters so much. We talk about the difference between memoir and autobiography, how to figure out what your memoir is really about, and some common misconceptions new writers bring with them when they start. Maureen also offers down‑to‑earth, practical ideas for writing about hard things—illness, family, and grief—without feeling guilty, disloyal, or selfish. She shares clear, simple ways to begin shaping a life into a book: choosing a focus, finding your voice, and using small everyday moments to bring a story to life. Whether you’re a current or former caregiver, or someone who simply knows it’s time to tell your story, this episode is for you. It is a conversation that feels like sitting down with a trusted friend who believes your story matters and wants to help you tell it. You can read more about Maureen and connect with her through her website: https://www.maureenstantonwriter.com. Photo credit: Heather Perry