In this episode, Allison and Justin speak with Alec Wendelboe, Education and Outreach Coordinator for the MN Brain Injury Alliance and MN Stroke Association about how people living with chronic conditions and those who are caregiving have a higher likelihood of experiencing suicidal ideation. They discuss why this is, what that may look and feel like, and where to get support.
Justin and Allison both care not only for their spouses, but also pets in their homes. In this episode, they talk about the process of deciding to add pets to their families and the ups and downs they’ve experienced since, specifically related to their caregiving role.
Jessica Kim was the primary caregiver for her mother with pancreatic cancer and later her father with congestive heart failure, both of whom lived their final years in her home. In this conversation, Jessica shares how these two caregiving scenarios impacted her life, family, and home, how she managed her relationship with her siblings throughout, and how this role inspired her to create ianacare.
The first line of the “I’m Part of the Story” song written by Priscilla Momah for The Negative Space “I’m supposed to be the strong one that rises up when the storm comes,” inspired this conversation in which Justin and Allison talk about how caregivers commonly feel or are told that they need to be strong.
Priscilla Momah is a soul-nourishing song weaver who supports healing and community through the power of sound and music. In this episode, she talks with Justin and Allison about how music and sound can support caregivers and those they are caring for.
In this episode, Allison and Justin discuss what their lives may have looked like if their partners had not ever gotten sick, the good things that have come from being on this path, and the parts they would never have chosen to experience.
Becoming a caregiver can flip life on its head, upending so much of what we thought we knew and could count on. In this episode, Justin and Allison talk about all the ways caregiving has left them feeling dizzy and unmoored over the years and present some strategies they have found to be helpful.
A terrible car accident left Kelly Lang and her young daughter with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). In this episode, she shares what happened and what it has been like parenting a child with a TBI while living with one herself.
The time, energy, and money that is involved with caregiving can often mean that hobbies a caregiver used to enjoy are no longer available to them. In this episode, Allison and Justin talk about hobbies they used to have, ones that are new since becoming caregivers, and ones that have been adapted. Also included are clips and quotes from caregivers of all kinds who submitted their thoughts on this topic.
Oncologist Dr. Arjun Gupta’s team has coined the term “time toxicity,”which refers to the significant time investment required for cancer patients and their caregivers to undergo cancer treatment and related activities. In this episode, he talks with Allison and Justin about how he came to be invested in the needs of caregivers and what his team has learned and hopes to accomplish with their research on time toxicity. Note: while Dr. Gupta’s research focuses on cancer patients and caregivers, his learnings transfer to many if not all types of caregivers.