No Siblings, No Backup

Care, Service, and Representation

Ethan Wechtaluk is no stranger to caregiving. His dad had Parkinson's. His grandfather was in a car accident and needed help afterward. He worked across Medicare, the FDA, the Health Insurance Marketplace, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, helping untangle broken systems and make public services actually work for the people who depend on them. Now, he's running for a seat in the US House of Representatives for the MD-06. This is an in-depth discussion of his personal experiences, professional knowledge, and how he wants to lead the country to properly care for its citizens.

Connecting Care for Facilities and Families

Wynter Johnson watched her mom carry the weight of caring for her grandmother. Appointments were missed, communication was scattered, and when her grandmother was hospitalized, the family didn't know for a week. When you're in the throes of caregiving, conversations often get stuck on day-to-day task updates rather than focusing on how your loved one is doing as a person. In this episode, we discuss how this experience became the backbone of Caily, the HIPAA-compliant app she co-created with McKenna McCormick. It is designed to be available through senior living communities so they can chat directly with family members regarding their loved ones' care. Resources www.carefullist.com [https://www.carefullist.com] www.caily.com [https://www.caily.com] https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynter-johnson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynter-johnson]

Leading the Future of Aging Care

Nina Herndon (MA, CMC, CLPF) founded Sage Eldercare Solutions in 2001 as a solo practitioner dedicated to improving the quality of care of older adults. This came on the heels of her own caregiving experiences; first in her 20s while caring for her mom, who had cancer, and then again later in life when her dad developed dementia. She realized the importance of combining gerontology, social work, nursing, and counseling psychology into the care plan. In 2012, she launched The Hummingbird Project, dedicated to improving quality of life and combating the plagues of loneliness and boredom that too often come with aging. She is the 2026 President of the Board of Directors for Aging Life Care Association. This national organization provides support through consultation, assessment, care coordination, and advocacy to address the challenges of aging and disabilities. Resources www.carefullist.com [https://www.carefullist.com] www.sageeldercare.com [https://www.sageeldercare.com] www.hummingbirdproject.net [https://www.hummingbirdproject.net] www.aginglifecare.org [https://www.aginglifecare.org]

No Siblings, No Backup

Jennifer Levin was in her late 20's and living her dream in LA as a screenwriter working on multiple shows across major networks. Back home in New York, things were changing. Her dad was initially misdiagnosed and then correctly diagnosed later. The only child of divorced parents, she bore the decisions about his care. We talk about this aspect, along with how odd it can be for a young caregiver when others the same age are living very different lives- not that friends don't try to understand, it's that they simply can't. Listen to this discussion to learn more about her Facebook group, Caregiver Collective, and her book "Generation Care". Resources www.carefullist.com [https://www.carefullist.com] www.facebook.com/groups/CaregiverCollective [https://www.facebook.com/groups/CaregiverCollective]

The Caregiving Crunch: Sandwich Generation

Paul Wynn is a nationally recognized patient advocacy leader, healthcare communicator, author, and award-winning medical journalist. He is particularly passionate about telling stories about patients and caregivers, frequently drawing from his own experience as a sandwich-generation caregiver raising children while caring for aging family members. Paul's chapter in The Caregiver's Advocate Vol. 2, titled "Surviving the Sandwich Generation Years," offers a compassionate and insightful perspective for anyone balancing multiple caregiving roles. Join us as we chat about the challenges of sandwich-generation caregiving. Resources www.paulwynn.com [https://www.paulwynn.com] www.carefullist.com [https://www.carefullist.com]