So Your Parents Are Old – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Kim Elliott’s caregiving story includes a leukemia diagnosis, a stem cell transplant, and some truly deranged insurance battles. She talks with Vanessa about surviving all of it — and building Gray Monster so other caregivers don’t have to start from scratch.

Michelle Boyaner reflects on lives and relationships while sharing insights from her acclaimed film It’s Not a Burden: The Humor and Heartache of Raising Elderly Parents, which explores the joys and struggles of caring for aging loved ones.

To connect with the team, find us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠, or shoot us an email at soyourparentsareold@gmail.com. We want to hear from you! 

Our production team is Shoshi Shmuluvitz, managing producer and editor; Lily Houston Smith, senior producer; Ashley Warren, production manager; Yi-Wen Lai-Tremewan, studio recordist; and music by Mark McAdam and Amber Devereux.

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Vanessa talks with labor leader and care advocate Ai-jen Poo about the panini generation, and what happens when government fails to invest in care infrastructure.

To see what you can do to help, check out Ai-jen’s organization, Caring Across Generations.

To connect with the team, find us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠, or shoot us an email at soyourparentsareold@gmail.com. We want to hear from you! 

Our production team is Shoshi Shmuluvitz, managing producer and editor; Lily Houston Smith, senior producer; Ashley Warren, production manager; Yi-Wen Lai-Tremewan, studio recordist; and music by Mark McAdam and Amber Devereux.

Comedian and filmmaker Ryan Beck's parents are just starting to get old, but that hasn't stopped them from getting rid of nearly all their worldly possessions and creating a death binder full of useful information in case they die or lose their faculties. But Ryan wonders if they've gone too far with their Swedish death cleaning. Check out Ryan Beck's hilarious short film about his parents' death binder, A Few Days Home in Johnson County and his podcast, The Meaning of Life.

To connect with the team, find us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠, or shoot us an email at soyourparentsareold@gmail.com. We want to hear from you! 

Our production team is Shoshi Shmuluvitz, managing producer and editor; Lily Houston Smith, senior producer; Ashley Warren, production manager; Yi-Wen Lai-Tremewan, studio recordist; and music by Mark McAdam and Amber Devereux.

What documents matter most when your parents start needing help? Attorney Candace Dellacona, who calls herself a “family’s lawyer," walks through wills, powers of attorney, healthcare proxies, and the mistakes families make when they wait too long. Check out her podcast, The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide, for even more tips, and you can find Candace for all things estate and elder and sandwich planning here.

To hear more from Candace, listen to her podcast, The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide. Also mentioned: check out Regal Credit Management to learn about their monitoring services.

To connect with the team, find us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠, or shoot us an email at soyourparentsareold@gmail.com. We want to hear from you! 

Our production team is Shoshi Shmuluvitz, managing producer and editor; Lily Houston Smith, senior producer; Ashley Warren, production manager; Yi-Wen Lai-Tremewan, studio recordist; and music by Mark McAdam and Amber Devereux.

Musician and caregiving influencer Chris Punsalan talks with Vanessa about going straight from college to becoming his grandmother’s full-time caregiver. He explains the schedule, strength, and tenderness it took—and why gratitude became his North Star. Learn more about tendercare at trytendercare.com

To connect with the team, find us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠, or shoot us an email at soyourparentsareold@gmail.com. We want to hear from you! 

Our production team is Shoshi Shmuluvitz, managing producer and editor; Lily Houston Smith, senior producer; Ashley Warren, production manager; Yi-Wen Lai-Tremewan, studio recordist; and music by Mark McAdam and Amber Devereux.

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If you’ve ever felt like you spend more time buried in paperwork than with your loved one, you probably do—and it’s exhausting. Caregiving expert Pamela Wilson walks Vanessa through the practical legal and financial steps every family caregiver should know.

For more from Pamela, you can check out her website or pick up a copy of The Caregiving Trap: Solutions for Life’s Unexpected Changes.

To connect with the team, find us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠, or shoot us an email at soyourparentsareold@gmail.com. We want to hear from you! 

Our production team is Shoshi Shmuluvitz, managing producer and editor; Lily Houston Smith, senior producer; Ashley Warren, production manager; Yi-Wen Lai-Tremewan, studio recordist; and music by Mark McAdam and Amber Devereux.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Producer Shoshi Shmuluvitz turns the mic on Vanessa to unpack the personal story behind So Your Parents Are Old—and to talk about what it’s been like turning the messiest chapter of life into a podcast.

To connect with the team, find us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠, or shoot us an email at soyourparentsareold@gmail.com. We want to hear from you! 

Vanessa is joined by Barry Rothbart, whose relationship with his father was fraught for many years. What do you do when your dad is both as bad as he seems, and worse—and you love him anyway? For more from Barry, listen to Searching for Allan Rothbart.

To connect with the team, find us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠, or shoot us an email at soyourparentsareold@gmail.com. We want to hear from you! 

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, find us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠, or shoot us an email at soyourparentsareold@gmail.com. We want to hear from you!