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The Caregiving Soul
National Family Caregiver's Month - Service Dog Highlights
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In our first bonus episode for National Family Caregiver month, we revisit abridged versions from two episodes of The Caregiving Soul about service animals. Dannelle speaks with Aubree and Makenzie from Canine Companions, a nonprofit providing free service dogs to veterans and individuals with disabilities. They delve into the unique ways these dogs empower their handlers, discussing topics such as PTSD support, alert systems, and life-changing independence. Later, Cienna Ditri shares her inspiring journey with her service dogs, highlighting how Piper's remarkable abilities have revolutionized her life, from alerting to low blood sugar to preventing fainting episodes. From opening doors and picking up dropped items, to emotional support and helping to reduce stress and anxiety, service animals can help their owners live more independent and fulfilling lives.
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The Exchange Live Recording
31:30In our second bonus episode for National Family Caregiver month, we present The Caregiving Soul’s first live episode recording from the annual Exchange Conference presented by Good Days. Dannelle speaks with Erin Galyean, a dedicated patient advocate who shares her family's caregiving journey. Erin offers invaluable insights on navigating healthcare, stressing the need for informed questioning, self-advocacy, and a robust support system. She provides actionable tips for optimizing medical appointments, including effective questioning techniques and the power of recording conversations with healthcare providers for later review. Additionally, Erin introduces her "Five R's" morning routine for caregivers, emphasizing the crucial balance between self-care and caregiving responsibilities.20. Thank you for Season 2!
03:32Thank you so much for another wonderful season! As we're wrapping up season two, I'd like to extend a big thank you for joining us in some difficult but critical, encouraging, and always hope-filled conversations. Throughout this season, we learned from the lived experiences of care partners and experts who shared really eye-opening insights into the impact on our close relationships and how we can work our way through hard conversations and unexpected caregiving challenges with our sanity intact. I hope the stories and perspectives shared by our incredible guests make a positive difference that we know won't make the mountain any smaller, but gives you some provision, ideas, and faith to sustain you to the other side of your caregiving journey. They certainly have for me.19. AMA: Dementia Care with a Speech Therapist
35:10Caring for a loved one going through brain change can be overwhelming, with daily tasks often met with difficulty and frustration. In our very first “Ask Me Anything (AMA)” episode, Speech language pathologist and dementia educator, Adria Thompson, shares the importance of focusing on what brings joy and purpose to our loved ones, making daily tasks more meaningful and motivating for them. With her extensive experience, Adria has shared a number of ways to lean into their interests and passions, personalizing the approach to their unique needs.18. Unleashing Independence: Service Dogs By Your Side
24:22In last week’s episode we explored how service dogs are trained and matched to their owners’ unique needs. From chronic illness to other medical needs, service dogs possess the incredible ability to provide vital assistance and unwavering support to their human partners. Not only do they bring a sense of companionship, but can also serve as an invaluable lifeline on a person’s care team. This week, chronic illness and disability advocate Cienna Ditri sheds light on the immense impact that her service dogs, Piper and Pamina have had on her day-to-day life, independence, and medical safety.17. Canine Caregivers
25:04This unique episode explores the companionship and care that service animals can provide for their owners. Today Dannelle speaks with Client Services Manager Aubree Wright and Client turned Instructor Assistant Makenzie McGuire from Canine Companions, a national organization that's making a huge impact in the lives of people with a variety of needs and abilities by providing highly trained service dogs at no charge to the recipient. These amazing dogs go beyond the companionship that pets provide. From opening doors and picking up dropped items, to emotional support and helping to reduce stress and anxiety, service dogs can help their owners live more independent and fulfilling lives.16. In Sickness and in Health: Marriage and Caregiving
30:27Dannelle speaks with Liz Earnshaw, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who is here to share her invaluable insights and top tips for fostering meaningful connections while caring for others. When we find ourselves deeply involved in the responsibilities of caregiving, it's not uncommon for us to go into survival mode. This can pose a challenge when it comes to connecting with others, particularly our spouse or intimate partner. On top of the daily tasks of being in a care partnership, we must also prioritize maintaining a strong connection and nurturing our relationships. Without awareness, our intimate partnerships can unfortunately become breeding grounds for resentment.15. When Marriage is Hijacked by Illness
25:31Dannelle speaks with Terri Corcoran, who married her husband when he was 64. Terri’s story shows the heartbreak of a marriage hijacked by illness, in her case with the added devastation caused by an undiagnosed disease as it was for her husband. Terri had to navigate the loneliness in her marriage as his advocate and caregiver but finding support through Well Spouse saved her.14. The Loss of Future Plans: Caring for a Spouse
25:27LeAnn Specht and her husband Jeff's love story took an unexpected turn when some of Jeff's cognitive behaviors started to shift. What they thought was stress, slowly progressed into a formal diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's. As Jeff's full-time care partner, LeAnn documents their journey on TikTok as @alzheimerstips, providing valuable insights and tips from the unique perspective of being husband and wife, as well as the ups and downs of being in a care partnership. While grieving the future that they will be unable to have, LeAnn remains focused on normalizing the present moment and meeting him where he is.