Caregiving Gen X Style

Technology Struggles

When tech devices and older folks collide, frustration can begin.  We wanted to call this episode, "Technology is a double-edged sword, and sometimes you want to jab it into your head" but that seemed too long. Listen as Jennifer and Steve discuss some of the frustrations that technology has bought to their caregiving lives, and what they've done about it.
To contact us: Email: caregivinggenxstyle@gmail.com Voicemail/text: 804-723-1221 Twitter: https://twitter.com/genxcaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregivinggenxstyle/
 

Caregiving Advocacy

In this episode, Jennifer and Steve tackle the difficult subject of what to do when you feel like your elderly parent has been wronged.  They give examples of a situation when they lost the battle, when they won the battle, and when advocacy just made things awkward.
To contact us: Email: caregivinggenxstyle@gmail.com Voicemail/text: 804-723-1221 Twitter: https://twitter.com/genxcaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregivinggenxstyle/
 

Nightmare of Cleaning Out, Part 2

In this second part of our two-part series on cleaning out your elderly loved one's home to move them elsewhere, we talk with our guest, Meredith McNamee from Legacy Estate Sales.  We laugh, we cry (well, Jennifer does) and we learn more about what it takes to completely empty a home.
Legacy Estate Sales: https://www.estatesales.net/companies/VA/Richmond/23235/127430
To contact us: Email: caregivinggenxstyle@gmail.com Voicemail/text: 804-723-1221 Twitter: https://twitter.com/genxcaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregivinggenxstyle/
 

Nightmare of Cleaning Out, Part 1

Alternately called "The Day of the 47 Pairs of Pants," this is the first of a two-part episode on the nightmare that is cleaning out your loved one's home in order to move them to a facility or to your home.  In this first part, we talk about how to sort through all of their stuff in order to determine what will come with your loved one, and how to find a way to make it fit in her new smaller surroundings.  Also, Jennifer's Tea Pot PTSD gets triggered again.
To contact us: Email: caregivinggenxstyle@gmail.com Voicemail/text: 804-723-1221 Twitter: https://twitter.com/genxcaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregivinggenxstyle/
 

Expect the Food to Suck

The words "hospital food" don't exactly bring to mind the idea of a culinary masterpiece, and for good reason.  In this episode, Jennifer and Steve discuss the questionable food your loved one may be served in all of the different facilities where they might stay, and what you can do about it.
To contact us: Email: caregivinggenxstyle@gmail.com Voicemail/text: 804-723-1221 Twitter: https://twitter.com/genxcaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregivinggenxstyle/
 

Caregiving Cautionary Tale

In this episode, Steve and Jennifer tell the story of an "incident" with Steve's mom that taught them more lessons than they could have imagined, including why you shouldn't trust Life Alert.
To contact us: Email: caregivinggenxstyle@gmail.com Voicemail/text: 804-723-1221 Twitter: https://twitter.com/genxcaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregivinggenxstyle/
 

Everything I Know About Caregiving I Learned in Elementary School

Steve and Jennifer discuss how lessons learned in child rearing come in very handy when caring for elderly parents, including realizing people will be mean, things are scary, and assisted living facilities are basically high school for old people.
Links mentioned in this episode:https://www.amazon.com/Really-Need-Know-Learned-Kindergarten/dp/034546639X/Note: Steve referenced this as an Erma Bombeck book, which was partially incorrect.  Bombeck did write a book with a similar name that was a semi-parody of the Fulghum book linked above. 
To contact us: Email: caregivinggenxstyle@gmail.com Voicemail/text: 804-723-1221 Twitter: https://twitter.com/genxcaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregivinggenxstyle/
 

Long Distance Caregiving (Listener Mail)

In an episode inspired by a listener email, we talk with medical social worker Robin Hollar about how to take care of your loved one from a distance.
Links mentioned in this episode: 
Eldercare Locator https://eldercare.acl.gov/ 
Aging Life Care Association https://www.aginglifecare.org/ 
National Family Caregivers Association (now Caregivers Action Network) https://www.caregiveraction.org/ 
To contact us: Email: caregivinggenxstyle@gmail.com Voicemail/text: 804-723-1221 Twitter: https://twitter.com/genxcaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregivinggenxstyle/
 

Holiday Bonus Episode

We usually publish new episodes every other Tuesday, but this one is a special bonus episode! In it, we talk about how to help make the holidays better for your elderly loved one, AND we have a holiday gift for all of our listeners - bloopers and outtakes!  Jennifer is really excited about it too!  Our regularly scheduled next episode will publish next Tuesday.
To contact us: Email: caregivinggenxstyle@gmail.comVoicemail/text: 804-723-1221 Twitter: https://twitter.com/genxcaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregivinggenxstyle/
 

Different Environments

There are a LOT of different places your loved one could reside during your caregiving journey.  Jennifer and Steve talk about a variety of them, and give advice on each.  Also, Steve tells the story of when there was "almost" an old lady slap fight in his mother's assisted living.  Join us every other Tuesday for new episodes!
To contact us: Email: caregivinggenxstyle@gmail.comVoicemail/text: 804-723-1221 Twitter: https://twitter.com/genxcaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caregivinggenxstyle/