What to do with that dusty box of trophies? Don’t collect - curate!

What to do with that dusty box of trophies? Don’t collect - curate!

What to do with those trophies in your mom's closet?   In this personal essay episode of Who Gets the China?, Kirsten wrestles with a dusty box of old trophies and ribbons—items that feel too meaningful to toss yet too awkward to keep—while sharing memories of childhood summers sailing Blue Jay boats on Long Island Sound with friends, where participation mattered far more than winning.   She reflects on how trophies can hold vivid stories and milestones that might otherwise fade. Drawing on Heather Nickerson of the Artifcts app, she offers practical ways to handle trophies: * Curate rather than collect by keeping only one or two favorites, * Capture and share the story through photos and recordings, and * Creatively repurpose or donate extras. The takeaway is to cherish the memories, not the objects. 00:00 Trophies in the Closet 01:08 A Favorite Sailing Prize 02:13 Summer Racing Memories 03:35 Why Trophies Matter 05:23 Curate Not Collect 06:00 Capture and Share Stories 06:26 Repurpose and Let Go 07:01 Final Takeaways and Goodbye   Visit https://artifcts.com/ [https://artifcts.com/] to learn more and read all about what to do with trophies and other emotionally valuable collectibles in your mom's closet.   Please share this episode and rate, review, and subscribe to Who Gets the China? wherever you get your podcasts. * Follow and subscribe to Who Gets the China? on Substack for a bi-weekly email newsletter with information, advice and a little dose of caregiving humor @whogetsthechina.substack.com/ [http://whogetsthechina.substack.com/] * Listen on Apple podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saving-your-sanity-while-navigating-life-with-aging/id1823264326], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7h3w2YWQyhMxwFIeiBH2BN] or wherever you get your podcasts * Watch and subscribe @ www.youtube.com/@WhoGetstheChina [https://www.youtube.com/@WhoGetstheChina] * Find all our channels on Podbean [https://whogetsthechina.podbean.com/] Credits * Produced by Aaron Bryce @ www.bluogden.com/ [https://www.bluogden.com/] * Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ www.windsandproductions.com [https://www.windsandproductions.com/] * Graphic design by Jenn Beam @jigawattsstudio.com [https://jigawattsstudio.com/]

The Best Podcast Therapy Session I’ve Ever Had: Succeed at Hard Conversations with Aging Parents

Here’s something I should probably disclose upfront: Colleen Attoma-Mathews is one of my dearest friends. She is also a therapist.  So what happened when I sat her down in front of a microphone to talk about navigating hard conversations with aging parents? She gave me therapy. On tape. For all to hear and learn from.  And honestly? I needed every minute of it. Grab a coffee or your dog leash and listen up. You'll be so glad you did! Colleen is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in working with families navigating cognitive decline and late-in-life transitions. She knows the clinical side of what we’re all dealing with. She also knows the deeply personal side — she has lost both of her own parents, and is currently navigating some of these same conversations with her older brother.   What I love about this conversation is that it started, as many of our typical conversations do, with me venting about my mom — the card table and chairs in the garage that “we might need if we have a party,” the bamboo garden stakes I tried to sneak past her to the dump, the AM/FM Walkman she is apparently keeping for reasons that remain unclear. And Colleen, being Colleen, gently helped me see that maybe there’s a better way to have some of these challenging conversations.  The episode is a re-edited, re-release of one of the most popular episodes of Season 1 with LCSW, Colleen Attoma-Mathews. Colleen Attoma Mathews, LCSW works with couples, families, and individuals navigating cognitive decline, late-in-life transitions, and family caregiving. This episode of Who Gets the China? is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Connect with Us Subscribe to Who Gets the China? on Substack for a bi-weekly email newsletter with information, advice and a little dose of caregiving humor @ WhoGetsTheChina.substack.com [https://substack.com/@whogetsthechina] Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@WhoGetstheChina [http://youtube.com/@WhoGetstheChina] Email us: info@whogetsthechina.com

Re:Release: Coping with your Photo Archive with Miss Freddy

Overwhelmed by bins, books and boxes of photos? Maybe your mom has piles of negatives from the 50's and 60's? Maybe you have bins of doubles from the 80's and 90's?  There are solutions!   In this fun AND useful episode, Kirsten is joined by photo organization expert Miss Freddy, who has helped thousands of families preserve their memories. We cover: * Tackling your physical archive - create 3 piles - we'll explain! * Digital archives - simple tips and tricks for prioritizing and organizing * Scrapbooks - what to do with those personal albums * Backing it all up  It’s a fun, motivating conversation that will leave you ready to dive in and finally get those family memories organized. You can learn from her, or hire her to do it for you. Check out https://missfreddy.com/ [https://missfreddy.com/]. Follow Who Gets the China? on whogetsthechina.substack.com  [https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com] Please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. Subscribe to support Who Gets the China? and help other people find it.  Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com/ [https://www.bluogden.com/]  Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com/ [https://www.windsandproductions.com/]  Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ http://www.jigawattsstudio.com/ [http://www.jigawattsstudio.com/]

When Your Aging Parent Might Need a Therapist with Julie Butscher, LCSW

When is it time to call in reinforcements? This week Kirsten sits down with Julie Butscher, LCSW who specializes in senior mental health to talk about one of the most underused tools in the family caregiver’s toolkit: therapy for older adults.  From recognizing the signs that a parent is struggling, to navigating the “bootstrap generation’s” resistance to help, to understanding how telehealth has changed the game — this conversation is full of practical wisdom for anyone trying to support an aging parent without losing themselves in the process. In This Episode * Why mental health issues in older adults can look different from what we expect — and how they’re often mistaken for cognitive decline * How to recognize when an offhand comment from a parent is actually a cry for help in disguise * Why seniors resist assistance — and a smarter way to offer it * The “helicopter daughter” phenomenon: when protecting your parent gets in the way of their independence — and your own sanity * How a therapist can hold space for the conversations your parent won’t have with you — without the family baggage * Why “listen, don’t solve” and “hugs, not help” might be the two most important things you hear today * How telehealth therapy works for seniors — and why it’s easier than you think * What therapists can and can’t share with family members, and how to navigate HIPAA and confidentiality Resources Mentioned in This Episode Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us]  Center for Mental Health and Aging: https://www.mentalhealthandaging.com/ [https://www.mentalhealthandaging.com/]  Find Julie Butscher to set up a 15 minute consultation : https://care.headway.co/providers/julie-butscher [https://care.headway.co/providers/julie-butscher] Connect with Us * Subscribe to Who Gets the China? on Substack: whogetsthechina.substack.com [http://whogetsthechina.substack.com] * Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7h3w2YWQyhMxwFIeiBH2BN] or Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saving-your-sanity-while-navigating-life-with-aging/id1823264326] * Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@WhoGetstheChina [http://www.youtube.com/@WhoGetstheChina] * Email us: info@whogetsthechina.com [info@whogetsthechina.com] If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation.  Please help us reach more people and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.   Credits * Produced by Aaron Bryce @ www.bluogden.com/ [https://www.bluogden.com/] * Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ www.windsandproductions.com [https://www.windsandproductions.com/] * Graphic design by Jenn Beam @jigawattsstudio.com [https://jigawattsstudio.com/]

When Caregiving Crosses Cultures and Continents with Adrian Chung

Kirsten sits down with caregiver, entrepreneur, and writer, Adrian Chung, to explore the various cultural differences in caring for aging parents, Adrian’s experience of caregiving and organizing from across an ocean, the importance of community, and Adrian’s new organizational tool inspired by his caregiving journey.   Resources mentioned in this episode: * Adrian’s Substack “Caregiving, Practically Speaking”: https://substack.com/@caregivingpractically?r=59cxnp&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=stories&shareImageVariant=blur [https://substack.com/@caregivingpractically?r=59cxnp&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=stories&shareImageVariant=blur]  * Carevation Caregiving App: https://www.carevation.ai/ [https://www.carevation.ai/]    Follow Who Gets the China? On Stubstack: https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com  [https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com] If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.   Credits: Edited by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com [https://www.bluogden.com]      Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com    [https://www.windsandproductions.com]     Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com [https://www.jigawattsstudio.com]