What happens when you leave your loved one behind in a care facility? In this eye-opening episode of Eldercare Success , Nancy May , alongside eldercare expert Eilon Capsis PhD , unveils the hidden realities of eldercare facilities. Eilon, with his extensive background, brings to light the often-overlooked pitfalls and alarming practices within these facilities. This compelling conversation explores the intricate balance between profit and care, the nuances of elder mistreatment, and the critica...
Jan 24, 2024•51 min•Ep. 104
Navigating the Storm of Caregiver Anger with Eldercare Success In this emotionally insightful episode of the Eldercare Success Podcast, host Nancy May kicks off the New Year 2024 by addressing, head-on, a critical emotion in the caregiving journey: anger. This episode, part of the Eldercare Success Winter Shorts series , is specially designed to help caregivers manage and understand the complexity of anger, an emotion that can often leave us feeling out of control and overwhelmed, and even more ...
Jan 17, 2024•17 min•Ep. 103
Sounds That Can Heal: Brainwave Entrainment Tools In this episode of Eldercare Success , Nancy May engages in a fascinating discussion with Morry Zelcovitch , a Brainwave Entrainment Engineer, and creator of The Morry Method. Morry has used this innovative tool to help save his own life and help others with less complex issues. Their conversation delves into the potential of brainwave entrainment to alleviate stress, anxiety, and sleep issues for caregivers, offering valuable insights into its p...
Jan 10, 2024•36 min•Ep. 102
The holidays often overwhelm us, caregivers, especially if we are the primary caregiver. As a result, we often forget or forgo our own wants and needs. In this episode of Eldercare Success , I give you several ways to tap into what YOU want and need -- physically and emotionally. And, no, it is not selfish at all. In fact, asking for what you want – from your parents, your family, medical, and other professionals, can help you find more strength to continue through the months and years ahead. It...
Jan 03, 2024•6 min•Ep. 101
This is the 100th Celebration Episode of Doing it Best with Eldercare Success ! Caring for an aging parent is not easy: it can take up much time, effort, and even money. But when your job as their caregiver ends, it often stops abruptly. For many of us, it becomes one of the most difficult transitions we'll go through in our caring journey, especially when we still have questions to ask, and things to learn. This is our 100th Episode of Eldercare Success and I wanted to mark this occasion with s...
Dec 27, 2023•52 min•Ep. 100
In this episode of Eldercare Success , I dive into how to help your parents adjust to change(s) without it becoming a stubborn battle of wills. Most of us know that change is a constant, and quite often necessary part of living. Yet sometimes we forget this when change becomes dramatic, such as when we see our parents or loved ones become older, trailer, or even infirm. Sometimes their own fears, especially if unshared, lead to misunderstandings and relationship-breaking points among family memb...
Dec 20, 2023•10 min•Ep. 98
As Caregivers, we're all under tremendous pressure and sometimes that leads us to say things we regret. S#*-T happens and it can lead to short and long bouts of anger. However, anger doesn’t just happen, it grows from something small, lingers, takes over, and can blow up suddenly. Anger begets more anger. Sometimes the parents we love and care for get intensely angry at us. We get angry at them. Siblings get angry at us, and we back at them. The list can go on. Caring for an aging parent can tak...
Dec 13, 2023•54 min•Ep. 98
This is my Eldercare Success holiday gift to you who have been here with me and others while caring for your mom, dad, spouse, or partner. It's a short episode on h ow to get better, more restful sleep . As caregivers, we all typically have far too many worries or issues running through our minds about what to do next, or what might happen next to our loved one, and us?! For me, it's even worse in the middle of the night, and those first early hours well before sunrise. However, all of these tip...
Dec 06, 2023•18 min•Ep. 97
This is an Eldercare Success Black Friday Special . I (your host, Nancy May) want to share a rather interesting and enlightening discussion I had with the original jolly old man himself: Santa. What does Santa have to do with aging or elder care? Well, a lot more than you might realize. He’s also got some insightful ways to bring younger children into the caring process. Santa also revealed how to create special gifts for those who say they have everything, how to manage grief during the holiday...
Nov 29, 2023•27 min•Ep. 96
Keeping up your spirits through the Thanksgiving holiday while caring for an elderly or frail loved one isn’t easy. Yet, there are ways to find time to catch your breath, stop, and get others to do some of the heavy lifting for you. This is a Thanksgiving holiday short Eldercare Success Episode with caregiver tips, tools, and ideas to make this time of year just a bit easier for you and someone you care for. Even if you’re doing this alone, with family members who swoop in and think they can do ...
Nov 22, 2023•16 min•Ep. 95
In this episode of Eldercare Success, I tackle a common, yet overlooked, caregiving obstacle: the loss of family treasures. Whether it's an antique, jewelry, or a sentimental photo, these items often disappear. They can be accidentally misplaced and never found again, stolen, or taken by an antique dealer offering to pay cash for them – this was what happened in our case. Either way, the loss of a family treasure, can leave you angry, distraught, or frustrated in not understanding why, or how su...
Nov 15, 2023•10 min•Ep. 94
In this inspiring episode, I dive into a journey of resilience, innovation, and tranquility with my guest, Jennnifer Fink . She not only cared for two aging parents with Alzheimer's, but she also knows how it's impacted three previous generations. When facing recurring waves of caregiving, a unique stress can arise that often goes unnoticed: it takes an emotional and mental toll on everyone, especially when Alzheimer's disease runs in the family. Jennifer has a unique way of managing anger and s...
Nov 08, 2023•32 min•Ep. 93
What are some of the most common unseen caregiver wounds, and how to understand PTSC? In this episode of Eldercare Success, I shed light on a less discussed but critically important topic: Post-Traumatic Stress for Caregivers (PTSC). While the conversation around PTSD become pretty much mainstream, PTSC remains in the shadows, often overlooked, even by family and those of us experiencing it. If you're caring for an aging parent, family member, or loved one, this is an episode you'll want to turn...
Nov 01, 2023•16 min•Ep. 92
What are “go-go,” “slow-go,” and “no-go” years, and which of these phases are your parents in? What happens when they can’t cover the cost of their own care and you need to step in financially? How can you create ways to protect their assets – at different stages in their lives - so they don’t become a financial liability for you, your siblings, or your own children? What’s safe and what’s not? There’s a lot that falls into the money bucket when we take over caring for our parents. Even if we ha...
Oct 25, 2023•31 min•Ep. 91
In this episode, I discuss what can result from being caught between our parents when each thinks the other is losing their marbles. What do you do when each says to you, confidentially, “Something seriously wrong with him (or her)”? Or even worse, one parent, out of fear or concern, unintentionally “gaslights” the other into thinking that they have cognitive issues, when it may be the other way around! This is an unnerving position when you’re just about to step in to care for your parents. It ...
Oct 11, 2023•8 min•Ep. 90
I’m guessing you’ve seen some of those older actors, in TV ads, promoting reverse mortgages. One of whom got jammed up as the firm he was representing was pursued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over concerns that they were misleading seniors. Even I became skeptical, afterward, on this subject. However, my guests, Peter Tourigny and Jason Nightingale, shed some light on this topic in our next discussion, including:· How they work Who can benefit and who won’t Related costs (yes, the...
Oct 04, 2023•38 min•Ep. 89
What happens when we, the primary caregivers, get sick or injured? Can our elderly parents, frail spouses, or other dependents help care for us? Too many of us let our own health fall short of where we need to be. This can make us miserable and add to the financial burdens on our families and others we love and care for. In this episode, I share several ways to get help from work colleagues, friends, neighbors, those we care for, and even from a few sources you might not have thought about. I’ll...
Sep 27, 2023•11 min•Ep. 88
What’s it like to be diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia when you’re an entrepreneur running a successful business? How can you recognize its symptoms for yourself or a loved one? Can good things come out of a Lewy Body diagnosis? Can someone continue to lead a meaningful life, run their business, and contribute to the world, society, or community after diagnosis? How do family and friends usually behave, once they hear about the diagnosis? What are the “silver bullets” that can help someone with ...
Sep 20, 2023•46 min•Ep. 87
In this episode of Eldercare Success , we discuss the answers to a question that everyone should ask themselves before and while caring for an aging parent: Is this a privilege, an obligation, or is it going to be a burden that I will regret? If you’re already on the caregiving path, knowing the answer to this will color every decision you make along the way. I recently asked this same question of other caregivers. Although a tough question to ask, the responses received surprised even me. It’s ...
Sep 13, 2023•11 min•Ep. 86
Who’s out there in the medical world fighting to protect our loved ones with Alzheimer’s or dementia? I address this big question, and others, with my guest, Dr. Allen Power , a geriatrician and noted expert in providing good care for and protecting aging adults. In this episode, we look at the most recent push for FDA approval of Alzheimer’s drugs - those “magic pills” that we’re all hoping will save our parents from a fate we even fear for ourselves. The most recent ones have some nasty side e...
Sep 06, 2023•41 min•Ep. 85
Have you ever considered that your #career skills might be your secret weapon in helping you better survive caring for your aging parents well? In this episode, I dive into how to think, and work through your #caregiving years, a bit differently. I’ve often said that caring for our parents is like running a highly complex small enterprise. That sounds a bit cold, but the ups, downs, ins, and outs can often be best managed if we understand how to leverage our career skills well. Listen in as I br...
Aug 30, 2023•8 min•Ep. 84
In this episode, my guest Jeanne Denney and address how to talk about life's most difficult moments. When the end of life draws near, what do those you’re caring for want for themselves? It’s a question that stops many dead in their tracks (no pun intended). We are all drawn to, yet repelled from, asking questions about death and dying. Is it because of fear or some other reason? What fears and taboos do we hold onto that keep us from sharing our wishes? What should we be afraid of? Should we ev...
Aug 23, 2023•37 min•Ep. 83
What does it mean when your mom pleads with you and says, “ I want to go home ,” but she’s already at home? Even worse, your lead aide tells you what she really means is that she wants to die! There are all sorts of things that hurtful and even incompetent professional caregivers will say and do. Here’s what that phrase (which just might drive you nuts) really means. It’s not always an easy thing to resolve, yet, in this episode, we’ll give you a path to a better solution. Episode Links Eldercar...
Aug 16, 2023•10 min•Ep. 82
In this episode of Doing it Best with Eldercare Success , we unpack the ultimate sandwich-generation caregiving experience. If you’ve been caught between caring for aging parents, in-laws, a spouse, your own kids, and even yourself, you’ll find this episode funny and of value. Jennifer Hardy, podcast host of Fabulous Over 50, and I explore practical ways to manage those complex emotions and issues that arise in the caregiving journey, such as; successful ways to invite others to help you; learni...
Aug 09, 2023•28 min•Ep. 81
In this episode of Eldercare Success, I address one of the more challenging issues you’ll have as a caregiver – “is it ever okay to lie to an elderly parent?” This is a tough question, and you'll see it's trickier than you might first think. A clear 'yes' or 'no' just doesn't fit here. It’s important to remember that our elderly parents are special and unique. So, with each twist and turn, your response will likely shift too. As one of the most googled queries by caregivers, lying to a parent wi...
Aug 02, 2023•15 min•Ep. 80
In this compelling episode of Eldercare Success, I speak with two esteemed experts on social security benefits. My guests are Marc Kiner and Jim Blair who know this subject from the inside out. This is an invaluable discussion for anyone caring for an aging parent. These two demystify the convoluted process of adjusting benefits, something that can help those caring for an aging parent avoid common financial mistakes. They also reveal how to uncover additional financial resources that may be due...
Jul 26, 2023•42 min•Ep. 79
In this episode of Doing it Best with Eldercare Success , I share the top 10 mistakes that I made along the way in caring for my parents. These were not-so-proud moments in my journey. Hopefully, my experiences will help you avoid some of the landmines I stepped on. Caregiving can be filled with challenges. Even if there was a play-by-play or “Caregiving for Dummies” book, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for each of our journeys. They all have their unique ups, downs, and calm moments. So...
Jul 19, 2023•19 min•Ep. 78
What happens when an infectious disease spreads through a care facility or nursing home? Just because the Pandemic has been declared over doesn’t mean our loved ones are safe in a facility, hospital, or even at home. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Diane Cervantes, Assistant Professor and Director of the MPH Epidemiology program at the University of North Texas School of Medicine. Dr. Cervantes has worked as an infectious disease expert for over 17 years, has been a Bioterrorism Response Micro...
Jul 12, 2023•45 min•Ep. 77
In this episode, I unearth some of the ways that those “free services” abuse you while proposing to help you find a place for your elderly or infirm parents to live. Most are very adept at pulling on your emotions. They all are aggressive, and, in being so, ask for some very personal information. This is so they can better “help you and your parents.” How do they get paid? Are they really working for you? Is there actually a good way to use these services to help you narrow your choices? Episode...
Jul 05, 2023•11 min•Ep. 76
In this episode, you’ll get an insider’s look into some issues related to anesthesia and some unspoken fears about it when a loved one undergoes a medical procedure. Anesthesia, despite its benefits, can also present problems for the body and mind, especially for an aging person. The last thing any one of us wants is for someone we care for who has “gone under” for a procedure and woken up forgetting who you or they are! Nor do we want to experience the other life-threatening complications that ...
Jun 28, 2023•53 min•Ep. 75
