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 father passed, he began thinking deeply about one of the hardest questions caregivers face: how do we help loved ones stay in their own homes safely without turning every conversation into a check-in?
Jeanette and Kabir discuss what aging in place actually requires beyond physical safety, including autonomy, community, financial readiness, purpose, and dignity. Kabir also explains why many older adults resist complicated technology, why cameras and apps are not always the right answer, and how Hello Everyday was designed to offer reassurance without surveillance.
They also talk about solo aging, advance directives, family conversations before a crisis, dementia-friendly technology, and Hello Tunes — a simple music and reminder device created for people living with cognitive decline or dementia.
This conversation is for family caregivers, adult children, solo agers, and anyone trying to help an aging parent, spouse, or loved one stay home safely while still protecting their independence and quality of life.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Jeanette Yates speaks with Kabir Bhatia, co-founder and CEO of Hello Everyday, about how caregivers can help aging parents and loved ones stay safe at home without taking away their independence or privacy.
Kabir shares the personal caregiving experience that shaped his work, including supporting his father through three rounds of cancer and helping his mother adjust to life alone after his father passed. That experience led him to think about the emotional reality many caregivers face: wanting reassurance that a loved one is okay, while also wanting to respect their dignity and autonomy.
The conversation explores what aging in place really requires beyond physical safety. Kabir explains that older adults need financial stability, community, purpose, and support systems that allow them to remain connected without feeling monitored. He and Jeanette also discuss why advance directives and care conversations are easier before a crisis, and why families often wait too long to talk about what an aging parent actually wants.
Kabir explains the design principles behind Hello Everyday, a simple safety sensor built for older adults who want to live independently. The device does not use cameras, microphones, apps, or Wi-Fi setup. Instead, it helps caregivers know when something may be wrong while allowing the older adult to control privacy settings and avoid feeling watched.
Jeanette and Kabir also discuss Hello Tunes, a dementia-friendly music and reminder device designed for people living with cognitive decline. Kabir explains how familiar music, simple controls, reminders, routine, and presence detection can support both the person living with dementia and the caregiver.
This episode gives caregivers a clearer way to think about aging in place: not just as staying home safely, but as staying home with dignity, connection, purpose, and the right kind of support.
Audio Chapters
00:00 — Helping Aging Parents Stay Home Safely 01:20 — Meet Kabir Bhatia, Co-Founder and CEO of Hello Everyday 02:00 — Caring for His Father Through Three Rounds of Cancer 05:05 — How His Mother Adjusted to Living Alone 06:40 — Why Constant Check-Ins Can Feel Like a Microscope 08:40 — Grief, Identity, and Learning to Live Differently 11:20 — What Aging in Place Actually Requires 13:20 — Planning Ahead Before a Crisis Happens 15:20 — How to Talk About an Aging Parent’s Wishes 17:40 — Why Advance Directives Are Easier Before the Hospital 19:20 — What Makes Hello Everyday Different 20:14 — Safety vs. Autonomy in Aging in Place 21:40 — Why Older Adults Struggle With Complicated Technology 23:20 — The Story That Inspired Hello Everyday’s Sensor 24:40 — A Safety Device With No Cameras, No Microphones, and No App 26:20 — How Privacy Settings Work for Families 27:40 — When Caregivers Only Get Alerts if Something Is Wrong 28:40 — Daily Texts, Activity Updates, and Family Peace of Mind 30:27 — Supporting Both the Older Adult and the Caregiver 31:07 — Why Hello Everyday Supports Existing Relationships 32:40 — The In-Between Stage: Not Nothing, Not Full Monitoring 33:27 — Solo Agers, Peer Support, and Aging in Community 35:40 — Hello Tunes for Dementia and Cognitive Decline 37:20 — Why Music Helps People Living With Dementia 39:00 — Reminders, Routine, and Reducing Caregiver Friction 40:20 — Call Buttons, Presence Detection, and Dementia Care Support 41:20 — Designing Technology Older Adults Actually Want to Use 42:40 — Aging in Place Successfully, Not Just Safely 45:40 — Being Mortal, Elderhood, and What Medicine Misses About Aging 48:40 — What to Do if You Worry About a Parent Living Alone 51:20 — Helping Loved Ones Stay Home Without Constant Fear
Guest Bio
Kabir Bhatia is the co-founder and CEO of Hello Everyday, a company building simple safety technology for older adults who want to age in place without giving up their independence or privacy.
Before Hello Everyday, Kabir held senior leadership roles at Nike, Bank of America, and Merrill Lynch, and led two biotech companies as CEO. He is a mechanical engineer by training, an entrepreneur by choice, and a caregiver by experience.
Kabir’s work is shaped by his own caregiving journey, including supporting his father through three battles with cancer and helping his mother adjust to life alone after his father passed. Through Hello Everyday and Hello Tunes, he focuses on creating technology that supports safety, dignity, autonomy, connection, and human relationships.
In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life.
NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy!
At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.
We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.
Arvind Sarin on How AI Is Changing Home Health Care Without Replacing Nurses
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 home.
Jeanette and Arvind discuss why documentation overload contributes to clinician burnout, how that burnout can affect patient care, and how AI can help reduce administrative friction so nurses can spend more time focused on patients and families.
They also talk about what caregivers should ask before choosing a home health agency, why privacy and HIPAA compliance matter, and how technology can be used to protect human care rather than replace it.
This conversation is for anyone navigating home health care for a parent, spouse, or loved one who wants to better understand what happens behind the scenes and how to advocate for safer, more human-centered care.
00:00 — Why Home Health Nurses Spend Less Time at the Bedside
02:38 — Arvind Sarin’s Connection to Caregiving and Clinician Burnout
06:37 — Building Copper Digital After the Loss of His Brother
10:58 — Why Home Health Became the Focus for AI Automation
14:22 — What a Home Health Nurse’s Day Actually Looks Like
Annalee Kruger on Caregiver Burnout, Guilt, and Why Families Need an Aging Plan
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 keeps caregivers saying yes long after care becomes unsafe or unsustainable, and why saying no can be an act of love rather than abandonment. She also shares why every family needs an aging plan, what families often get wrong about senior care, and why planning before a crisis can protect both the caregiver and the person receiving care.
This conversation is for anyone caring for an aging parent, spouse, or loved one who feels exhausted, guilty, resentful, unsupported, or afraid they are disappearing in the process.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Jeanette Yates speaks with Annalee Kruger about what happens when caregivers try to care without a plan. Annalee explains why so many family caregivers become overwhelmed by medical decisions, senior care costs, legal confusion, sibling conflict, and guilt before they even realize they are in crisis.
The conversation explores Annalee’s concept of “The Invisible Patient,” the family caregiver who is doing everything for everyone while receiving care from no one. Jeanette and Annalee discuss what caregiver burnout actually looks like, why guilt appears so quickly, and how saying no can be one of the most loving things a caregiver does.
Annalee also explains what an aging plan is, why families resist planning until crisis hits, and what caregivers can do if they are already in the middle of a crisis. This episode offers validation, language, and practical direction for caregivers who are trying to care for an aging loved one without losing themselves.Audio Chapters00:00 — Why Caregiving Without a Plan Leads to Burnout05:31 — Why Families Are Unprepared for Senior Care Decisions09:27 — What Families Get Wrong About Power of Attorney, Medicare, and Care Plans12:14 — The Invisible Patient: Why Family Caregivers Disappear15:55 — Why Caregiver Burnout Is So Hard to Prevent19:44 — Caregiver Burnout Symptoms: When Stress Becomes Dangerous24:45 — Caregiver Guilt: Why It Shows Up Everywhere27:06 — Why Saying No to an Aging Parent Is Not Abandonment32:30 — What Is an Aging Plan for Aging Parents?34:40 — Aging in Place Costs: What Families Usually Underestimate37:43 — Grab and Go Binder: What Caregivers Should Organize Before a Crisis40:50 — Power of Attorney Is Not Enough: Why Families Need Real Conversations45:57 — How to Choose the Right Power of Attorney Decision Maker47:21 — Is It Too Late to Make a Caregiving Plan?50:20 — How to Talk to Parents Who Refuse an Aging Plan52:13 — Why a Neutral Third Party Helps Family Caregiving Conversations53:57 — What Caregivers Should Do First When They Are Burned OutGuest Bio
Dr. Rondalyn Whitney on Why Grief Changes Your Body, Identity, and Daily Life
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 the same evidence-based journaling practices she had studied in her academic work.
Together, Jeanette and Rondalyn explore caregiver grief, the widowhood effect, occupational identity, and what it means to rebuild a life after loss. Rondalyn explains why grief can show up as fatigue, brain fog, physical symptoms, disrupted routines, and a feeling that the world is suddenly “off kilter.” She also shares how writing became a place where grief could be honest, messy, funny, angry, and true.
This conversation is for caregivers, grievers, and anyone who has ever felt like they are not only losing someone they love, but also losing the version of themselves that existed before the loss.
Episode summary
In this episode, Jeanette Yates speaks with Dr. Rondalyn Varney Whitney about grief as a full-body, full-life experience. Rondalyn explains how her work as an occupational therapist shaped the way she understands care, loss, routines, and identity. She shares why grief can affect the body like a stress response, why caregivers often feel disoriented after loss, and why the widowhood effect deserves more attention as a real health risk.
The conversation also explores journaling as a healing practice, Rondalyn’s year-and-a-day writing process after her husband’s death, and the two very different books that emerged from that season: Habits of Widows and Lies in the Afterlife. This episode offers language, validation, and practical care for anyone grieving after caregiving.
Dr. Julie Merriman on Why Midlife Women Feel Exhausted Even After Rest
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 entire systems together, often while ignoring the signals from their own bodies.
Together, Jeanette and Julie explore why chronic exhaustion in midlife women is often not a time management issue, a mindset issue, or a failure of self-care. Instead, it may be a sign of a nervous system that has been shaped by years of caregiving, performance pressure, emotional labor, and over-functioning.
Julie also shares her own caregiving experience, including caring professionally as a therapist for 30 years, helping her mother navigate health challenges, supporting her husband through brain cancer, and living with her own breast cancer diagnosis. Her story gives the conversation a deeply personal lens, not just a clinical one.
Jeanette and Julie discuss what most productivity hacks and self-care advice miss, why women are often socialized to live over capacity, how resentment can become important information, why midlife can be a homecoming instead of a crisis, and what it means to take a nervous-system-first approach to healing.
This episode is for midlife women, caregivers, women over 50, adult daughters caring for aging parents, professional women carrying too much, and anyone who has ever wondered why they are still exhausted after doing “all the right things.”
In this episode, we talk about
Why midlife women can feel exhausted even after rest
Mark Wilson on the 5-Pillar Framework Every Dementia Caregiver Needs
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 his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, he made the decision to leave his corporate career and care for her at home.
What followed was not one single solution. Mark built a care system around his mother that included nutrition changes, supplements, art therapy, weekly physical therapy, home safety changes, a dedicated care team, and an extended network of doctors, therapists, specialists, and home care resources.
Together, Jeanette and Mark discuss the Bold Care Leadership Framework and the Five Breakthrough Pillars from his book, including self-care, safety, identifying and keeping the finest care team, brain and body health, and what Mark calls “surround sound care” — the idea that every touchpoint in a person’s world should support safety, joy, love, and connection.
They also talk about caregiver burnout, why dementia care cannot be done alone, how to motivate and retain caregivers, how to work with doctors, how to advocate for better care, and why becoming a care leader does not mean being perfect — it means building the right support around your loved one.
This episode is for dementia caregivers, Alzheimer’s caregivers, adult children caring for aging parents, family caregivers building a care team, and anyone who feels overwhelmed trying to manage care alone.
In this episode, we talk about
Kait Giordano on Raising a Baby While Caring for Parents With Dementia
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 with dementia. After her father, who has Alzheimer’s, had already moved in with her, Kait learned that her mother could no longer live alone — and just two weeks later, she found out she was pregnant.
That moment forced Kait and her husband to rethink almost everything: their home, their layout, their safety systems, their routines, and the way they helped her parents stay involved in daily life. From moving into a house with two main-floor bedrooms to adding cameras, gates, an induction stove, and even raising the dishwasher so her mom could still help, Kait’s story shows how care can be built into the home with intention.
Together, Jeanette and Kait discuss multigenerational living, dementia care at home, Alzheimer’s care, parenting while caregiving, preserving autonomy, balancing safety with dignity, and the emotional reality of living where “first words and forgotten words collide.”
They also talk about why dementia does not take every ability at once, why structure matters more than a strict schedule, and why caregiving does not mean putting your life on hold.
This episode is for sandwich generation caregivers, dementia caregivers, adult children caring for aging parents, parents caring across generations, and anyone trying to keep living while caring for the people they love.
In this episode, we talk about
How Kait’s caregiving story began
Caring for both parents with dementia
Guest bioLinks to includer
Why Family Caregiving Feels So Overwhelming Featuring Lance A. Slatton
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, Lance realized how little guidance families often receive, even as they move through hospitals, rehab, home healthcare, and veteran care systems.
Together, Jeanette and Lance discuss why caregivers often do not know what resources are available, why asking for help can feel like guilt or failure, and how outside support can actually help family members return to being a spouse, son, daughter, or loved one — not only “the caregiver.”
They also talk about the origin of All Home Care Matters, the role of AlzAuthors in helping families find trusted dementia and Alzheimer’s resources, and the promise and limits of AI and caregiving technology.
This conversation is for any caregiver who feels overwhelmed, under-supported, or unsure where to begin.
In this episode, we talk about:
Why caregiving often begins unexpectedly
Why families do not know what help exists
The guilt many caregivers feel when asking for support
Why bringing in help is still caregiving
How healthcare systems can better support family caregivers
Trusted dementia and Alzheimer’s resources through AlzAuthors
AI, caregiver technology, and where families need to be careful
Why caregivers should be recognized as part of the healthcare system
Guest bioLance A. Slatton is the host of All Home Care Matters, an award-winning podcast and YouTube channel focused on caregiving, aging, dementia, long-term care, and home care resources. He is known as the Senior Care Influencer, has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare, and serves as president of AlzAuthors, a trusted resource for Alzheimer’s and dementia books and education.
When Your Phone Is the Problem: Emotional Firewalls, Boundaries, and Caregiving with Sol Kennedy
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 firewall”—a layer of protection between you and hostile digital messages that keeps your nervous system, your legal safety, and your peace in mind.
Together, they explore what constant digital conflict and phone notifications do to your body, why delaying your response can be one of the most powerful boundaries you set, and how tools like BestInterest can filter out harmful messages while surfacing true emergencies. They also talk about codependency, the fear of being “the bad guy” when you set boundaries, and simple, concrete steps caregivers can take—today—to create enough space to heal, even when they can’t walk away from a difficult relationship.
If this episode resonates with you, please share it with a caregiver in your life who is struggling with a difficult relationship and an always-buzzing phone.
And as always: you’re allowed to feel good, not guilty.
FINDING JOY IN THE RUINS: A STORY OF CAREGIVING, LOSS, AND UNWAVERING LOVE
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 as a Lonely Journey 33:09 The Importance of Sharing Memories 36:44 Honoring Loved Ones Through Storytelling 44:07 Finding Hope Amidst Despair 46:47 The Journey of Writing and Healing
In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life.
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39:41 — Teach-Back Videos, Patient Education, and Reducing Nurse Burden
40:58 — Why AI Should Protect Human Care, Not Replace It
43:58 — What Families Should Ask About Home Health Technology
45:28 — Choosing a Home Health Agency That Actually Cares
47:27 — AI Wellness Calls and When Caregivers Need a Human
51:08 — Questions Caregivers Should Ask Before Choosing Home Health
53:47 — Caregivers as Experts in Their Loved One’s Care
54:46 — Technology’s Real Job: Putting Humans Back at the Center of Care
56:13 — Where to Learn More About Copper Digital and Arvind’s Work
Guest Bio
Arvind Sarin is the founder and CEO of Copper Digital, a company building AI-powered automation for home healthcare. With more than 15 years of experience building technology solutions for real operational problems, Arvind has focused Copper Digital’s work on helping home health clinicians reduce documentation burden and spend more time with patients.
He is also the host of the Inside Home Health Podcast, where he explores the challenges, innovations, and future of home health care. His work centers on using technology to remove administrative friction while keeping the human side of care at the center.
In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life.
NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy!
At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.
We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.
Annalee Kruger, MBA, is the founder and CEO of Care Right Inc., a national elder care consulting firm. She has spent more than 28 years in the senior care industry helping families navigate caregiving, dementia, aging parent decisions, crisis planning, senior care options, and family conflict.
Annalee is also a speaker, corporate trainer, podcast host, and author of The Invisible Patient, a practical guide for family caregivers. Her work helps families create aging plans, prepare before crisis, and support caregivers who are overwhelmed by care decisions and burnout.
In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life.
NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy!
At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.
We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.
Audio chapters
00:00 Why Caregiver Grief Is Different
05:00 What “Care” Really Means in Caregiving
10:00 Why Grief Affects the Body and Brain
15:00 Grief as a Stress Response
20:00 The Widowhood Effect and Health Risks After Loss
25:00 How to Support a Grieving Caregiver
30:00 Self-Care After Grief and Caregiving
35:00 Journaling for Grief and Healing
40:00 Caregiver Guilt, Loss, and Emotional Truth
45:00 Rondalyn Whitney’s Books and Grief Resources
Guest bio
Dr. Rondalyn Varney Whitney is an occupational therapist, narrative medicine practitioner, researcher, mother, widow, and author of 15 books. She holds advanced certificates in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University and spent more than 25 years in academia. After the traumatic death of her husband in 2020, she wrote two grief memoirs: Habits of Widows and Lies in the Afterlife. Her work explores grief, caregiving, occupational identity, writing, and the daily practices that help people live on after loss.
In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life.
NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy!
At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.
We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.
The difference between being tired and experiencing nervous system depletion
Why productivity hacks and mindset advice often fail burned-out caregivers
How women are socialized to over-function and tie their worth to performance
What “nervous system first” actually means
Why resentment can be a sacred signal instead of something to shame
How menopause, caregiving, family responsibility, and work can create a perfect storm
Why “should” and “must” can reveal old rules that no longer fit
Small ways women can begin coming back into their bodies with curiosity and compassion
Connect with Dr. Julie Merriman: Website: juliemerrimanphd.com Book: In Pursuit of Soul Joy Book: Are We Going to Have Sex or What? Podcast: Compassion Fatigue Cure Podcast: Sexy After 50
LISTEN TO THIS NEXT Recommended because this episode also explores how caregivers can stop blaming themselves and begin understanding what their bodies are trying to tell them.
Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?
In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life.
NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy!
At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.
We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.
How Mark left his executive career to care for his mother after her Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia diagnosis
Why dementia caregivers need to become care leaders, not just people trying to do everything alone
The 5 pillars of better dementia care: self-care, safety, care team, brain and body health, and surround sound care
How to build, motivate, and retain a strong care team around your loved one
Practical ways to make dementia care safer at home, from fall prevention to eating safety
Why caregiver burnout, resentment, and asking for help need to be part of the conversation
Guest bio
Mark Wilson is the author of Breakthrough Alzheimer’s Care and the creator of the Bold Care Leadership Framework. Before becoming a full-time caregiver for his mother, Mark spent more than 25 years in executive leadership, organizational effectiveness, and HR roles at Fortune 500 companies, including PepsiCo and Taco Bell.
After his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, Mark left his corporate career to care for her at home. He used his leadership background to build a care system around her that included caregivers, doctors, therapists, home safety, nutrition, physical therapy, and daily joy.
Today, Mark helps families think differently about dementia care by teaching caregivers how to become care leaders, build better care teams, and create safer, happier environments for their loved ones.
Links:
Connect with Mark Wilson: Website: https://boldcareleader.com Book: Breakthrough Alzheimer’s Care available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life.
NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy!
At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.
We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.
Finding out she was pregnant while caregiving
Moving homes to make dementia care work
Creating safety systems for aging parents and a baby
Why they chose an induction stove
Raising the dishwasher so her mom could still help
Preserving dignity and autonomy in dementia care
Why dementia does not take every ability at once
Balancing safety and independence
Parenting while caregiving
Life inside the sandwich generation
Building structure without needing a strict schedule
Why care happens in all directions
Why caregiving is not putting your life on hold
Kait Giordano is the co-founder of The Melty Middle, a platform focused on rethinking how families approach care across generations. Living in the sandwich generation, Kait is raising a young child while caring for both of her parents with dementia at home. Through The Melty Middle, she shares the ethical, practical, and emotional realities of multigenerational living, dementia care, and building a family life around care, dignity, and continued participation.
Recommended because this episode also explores how caregivers can care for others without losing themselves in the process.
Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?
In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life.
NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy!
At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.
We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.
Recommended because this episode also explores how caregivers can find support without feeling guilty.
Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?
In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life.
NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy!
At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.
We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.
Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?
In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life.
NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy!
At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.
We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.
NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy!
At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.
We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.
