Money is one of the hardest parts of caregiving to talk about, but it is also one of the most important. In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart sits down with longtime personal finance expert Rob Carrick for part one of a two-part conversation about the financial realities of aging, caregiving, and planning for the future. From aging in place to retirement homes, long-term care, home equity, personal support workers, and the hidden costs families often do not see coming, Rob explains w...
May 26, 2026•34 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Caregiving in Canada is not a private family issue. It is one of the biggest social, economic, and healthcare realities of our time. In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart speaks with Liv Mendelsohn, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, about CCCE’s newly released Caring in Canada report and what it reveals about the true state of care across the country. Liv shares the staggering scale of unpaid caregiving in Canada, including the estimated $97.1 billio...
May 19, 2026•39 min•Season 1Ep. 33
A lot of people dealing with dementia caregiving quietly wonder: Is it supposed to feel this overwhelming? Troy McCallum understands the kind of exhaustion that comes from constantly being “on” for someone you love. As his mother’s dementia progressed, Troy found himself trying to manage everything at once: the confusion, the wandering, the emotional volatility, the constant fear that something could go wrong. He was exhausted, anxious, and running on adrenaline for so long that his own health b...
May 12, 2026•44 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Caregiving is not just a personal challenge. It is quickly becoming one of the biggest healthcare issues of our time. On this episode of The Hart of It All, host Teri Hart sits down with Neal Shah, founder of CareYaya, to explore why caregiving needs to be treated as a core part of our healthcare system, not an afterthought. Neal shares his journey from hedge fund leader to caregiver advocate, and breaks down the hidden ways caregiving impacts physical and mental health. From rising hospitalizat...
May 05, 2026•42 min•Season 1Ep. 31
When it comes to caring for aging parents, siblings can be the hardest part. You might agree on everything for years, and then suddenly you’re facing decisions about care, money, or where your parent should live and nothing feels simple anymore. Old dynamics resurface, tensions build, and conversations that should bring you together can start to pull you apart. In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri sits down with family dynamics expert Dr. Amy D’Aprix to unpack why caregiving can turn sibl...
Apr 28, 2026•44 min•Season 1Ep. 30
What if saying goodbye felt more like a celebration than a loss? Teri sits down with wedding and event planner Trevor Frankfort to explore how we can rethink end-of-life gatherings in a way that feels personal, meaningful, and even uplifting. Instead of defaulting to tradition, Trevor shares how a celebration of life can reflect who someone truly was, from their favourite music and meals to the stories and moments that defined them. Through real examples, including a concert-style tribute for a ...
Apr 21, 2026•36 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Most people don’t realize how much caregiving reshapes you until you are living it. When sportscaster Evanka Osmak’s mother was diagnosed with ALS, everything changed quickly. What followed was a period of intense caregiving, difficult decisions, and the emotional weight of watching someone you love decline. In this episode, Evanka reflects on that time with honesty and clarity. She shares what it looked like to balance her career with being present for her mom, Jeanne, and how she navigated the...
Apr 14, 2026•47 min•Season 1Ep. 28
What if a TV show could actually change how we care for each other? In this special National Caregiver’s Day episode, The Pitt creator and showrunner R. Scott Gemmill joins Teri Hart for a powerful conversation about the real-world impact of one of television’s most talked-about medical dramas. Praised for its accuracy, The Pitt is built directly from the experiences of frontline healthcare workers. Scott shares how conversations with doctors, nurses, and caregivers shape the show’s storylines, ...
Apr 07, 2026•33 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Aging in place is something most Canadians want, but making it possible takes more than good intentions. In this practical and reassuring conversation, Teri Hart is joined by Deb Galet, President and CEO of Baycrest Hospital and Apotex Centre, Jewish Home for the Aged, to talk about what it really takes for older adults to live safely and independently at home. Drawing on her background as an occupational therapist and healthcare leader, Deb breaks down the physical, cognitive, and environmental...
Mar 31, 2026•42 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Are you making the most of your doctor’s appointments as a caregiver? Or leaving with more questions than answers? Dr. Nadine Laraya, a Toronto-based family physician with over a decade of experience, shares what caregivers need to know about navigating the healthcare system, advocating for loved ones, and building stronger doctor-patient relationships. From how to prepare for medical appointments to understanding confidentiality, communication, and family dynamics, Dr. Laraya offers practical, ...
Mar 24, 2026•52 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Taylor Kaye became a caregiver overnight when her husband, Greg, suffered a devastating stroke in 2022. In this deeply honest conversation with Teri Hart, she shares what it means to navigate life after a sudden stroke while also raising three daughters, working full time, and adjusting to the unexpected realities of becoming a family caregiver. Taylor opens up about the shock of those early hospital days, the pressure of making life-altering medical decisions, and the responsibility of advocati...
Mar 17, 2026•36 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Jeanne Beker had just turned 70 and felt, in her own words, “invincible.” Weeks later, a routine mammogram revealed breast cancer. In this candid conversation with Teri Hart, Jeanne reflects on what it meant to suddenly become the person needing care after a lifetime of independence. She shares how the support of her husband Iain, her daughters, friends, and an outpouring of community helped carry her through chemotherapy, surgery, and recovery. With remarkable honesty and positivity, Jeanne als...
Mar 10, 2026•47 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Caregiving burnout isn’t just feeling tired. It’s a slow, chronic depletion that can quietly impact your mental clarity, physical health, and emotional resilience. In this episode, returning guest Alyson Schafer, parenting expert, family counsellor, and current caregiver, joins Teri to unpack what burnout really looks like for caregivers. They explore how love, duty, and guilt can blur the early warning signs, and why so many caregivers don’t recognize what’s happening until they are already run...
Mar 03, 2026•49 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Most Canadians have heard about Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), but what does it truly entail? Dr. Jean Marmoreo, one of Canada's first practitioners of MAiD, reveals how this groundbreaking program has evolved over nearly a decade and why it remains a vital part of end-of-life care. If you or loved ones face difficult choices or simply want a clearer understanding of how MAiD works, this episode offers essential insights rooted in compassion, legality, and dignity. In this candid conversati...
Feb 24, 2026•58 min•Season 1Ep. 21
When Cheryl Hickey’s father was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, her family was thrown into a world they were not prepared for. In this candid conversation, Cheryl shares the emotional and practical realities of caregiving for an aging parent navigating dementia and Parkinson’s disease, including the difficult decision to move him into long-term care. She reflects on caregiver guilt, burnout, and the quiet strength required to keep going, all while balancing the demands so many in ...
Feb 17, 2026•47 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Where we live as we age is one of the biggest decisions families face, and one of the most confusing. In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart is joined by elder-care expert Pat Irwin, president and founder of ElderCareCanada, to walk through the full spectrum of senior living options, from aging in place and naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs), to retirement communities, life-lease housing, and long-term care. Drawing on nearly three decades of experience and her own fami...
Feb 10, 2026•46 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Most people underestimate how deeply Parkinson’s disease reshapes identity, independence, and daily life. In this revealing episode, award-winning writer and journalist Marni Jackson shares her journey from diagnosis to redefining how she lives, including the unexpected ways she pushes back through boxing, mindfulness, and movement. Marni speaks candidly about living with an incurable disease, the importance of honest conversations around caregiving and asking for help, and finding joy and humou...
Feb 03, 2026•40 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Caring for someone living with dementia changes everything. In this episode of The Hart of It All, host Teri Hart sits down with Dr. Adriana Shnall, program director at the Baycrest Koschitzky Centre for Innovations in Caregiving, to explore what caregivers are really carrying. Dr. Shnall shares why dementia caregiving is uniquely complex, touching on ambiguous loss, personality changes, repetition, and the grief that unfolds over time. Together, they discuss why language matters, how behaviour ...
Jan 27, 2026•51 min•Season 1Ep. 17
In this deeply personal episode of The Hart of It All, host Teri Hart is joined by filmmaker and casting director Heidi Levitt, who shares her journey as a caregiver to her husband, Charlie Hess, following his diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s. Heidi opens up about the emotional weight of caregiving, the shock and clarity that came with an early diagnosis, and how love and partnership evolve in the face of profound change. She also discusses her documentary "Walk With Me", a film borne from l...
Jan 20, 2026•33 min•Season 1Ep. 16
When should you see a geriatrician? Dr. Amina Jabbar explains aging, cognitive decline, and care options for older adults and their families. If you are caring for aging parents or worried about dementia or Alzheimer’s, this conversation brings clarity without fear. This week, Teri Hart is joined by Dr. Amina Jabbar, a GTA geriatrician and health policy PhD candidate at McMaster University, for a powerful conversation about cognitive decline, dementia vs. Alzheimer’s, and why geriatric medicine ...
Jan 13, 2026•51 min•Season 1Ep. 15
January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and we’re opening a 4-part series on Alzheimer’s and dementia with Cathy Barrick, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Ontario. In this first episode, Cathy helps cut through fear and misconceptions to focus on what really matters early on, including why getting a clear diagnosis is so important, what “respite” actually looks like in real life, and how caregivers can communicate through repetition, confusion, and behaviour changes. Listeners will come away with...
Jan 06, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Caregiving is growing fast in Ontario and across Canada, and too many people are doing it quietly, without support. To wrap up 2025, Teri Hart is joined by Ontario Caregiver Organization CEO Amy Coupal to break down the biggest takeaways from this year’s Spotlight on Ontario Caregivers report, from burnout to the financial and workplace impact. They also talk about why identifying as a caregiver matters, and where to find help when you’re running on empty. Resources: The Ontario Caregiver Organi...
Dec 30, 2025•49 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Caregiving does not always look the way we expect, and sometimes the hardest role is the one filled from a distance. In this episode, Teri Hart speaks with The Honourable Marci Ien about caring for her mother after a devastating stroke that occurred just days before Marci was elected as Member of Parliament. With a demanding new role, young children at home, and her sister taking on full-time care, Marci reflects on guilt, grief, sibling strain, and the long road to forgiveness. This honest conv...
Dec 23, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Holiday gatherings can be busy, loud, and full of nostalgia, yet they can also carry quiet clues about how a senior in your life is truly coping. In this bonus episode, Teri sits down with geriatrician Dr. Amina Jabbar to explore how to spot those subtle signs with warmth rather than worry. Dr. Jabbar shares a thoughtful perspective on aging that blends clinical experience with real-life stories, helping you understand what matters most, what can wait, and how to start supportive conversations t...
Dec 19, 2025•18 min•Season 1Ep. 11
If you have ever wondered whether you or a loved one should get your hearing checked, this episode is for you. Registered audiologist and educator Beverley Wolfe sits down with Teri to explain how common hearing loss really is in midlife and beyond, why so many people wait years before seeking help, and what changes in conversation, background noise, and everyday listening might actually be telling you. She walks through what happens during a hearing test, the difference between basic and more a...
Dec 16, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Planning for future care can feel intimidating, but it is one of the most meaningful steps you can take to protect yourself and the people who may need to make decisions on your behalf. In this episode, Wills and Estates Lawyer Jordana Talsky returns to explain the two key documents that operate while you are alive: Power of Attorney for Property and Power of Attorney for Personal Care. Jordana breaks down what each one does, how they work together, and the real-life situations where they become...
Dec 09, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Estate planning can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, Wills and Estates Lawyer Jordana Talsky sits down with Teri to demystify the documents, decisions, and conversations that shape what happens after we are gone. Jordana explains what a will actually does, why choosing an executor matters, and how probate really works. She also touches on digital assets, common mistakes she sees in her practice, and why reviewing your plan every few years is one of the kindest gifts...
Dec 02, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 9
When Corie Begley’s parents first moved in, it was to support her mom through the final stages of her life. Thirteen years later, her dad still lives with them, woven into the daily routine, the dinner table, and even the laundry schedule. Corie joins Teri Hart to talk honestly about what long-term multigenerational living really looks like: the grief that started it, the boundaries they had to figure out, and the many ways her dad’s presence has been a gift to her kids and to her. This conversa...
Nov 25, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Join Teri Hart as she sits down with the hilarious Gerry Dee, one of Canada's most beloved comedians, to discuss his journey from teaching to comedy, his new Netflix special "Funny You Should Say That," and the heartfelt realities of caregiving for his aging father. With humor and sincerity, Gerry shares personal stories that highlight the importance of laughter in life's challenging moments. Don't miss this engaging conversation that blends comedy with poignant insights into family and aging. F...
Nov 18, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In this powerful episode, Dr. Brian Goldman, renowned ER physician, author, and broadcaster, joins Teri Hart to share his deeply personal experience caring for his sister living with dementia. Together, they explore the emotional and practical realities of caregiving, the importance of early diagnosis, and how even a lifetime of medical expertise can’t prepare you for the heartbreak of watching someone you love change. This conversation also shines a light on the often-overlooked role siblings p...
Nov 11, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 6
