"Did you schedule your emergency? No. We like to think it isn't going to happen." 🎙️✨
In this episode, Diane Carbo, RN and Dot Boyd explore modern safety solutions that go far beyond "grandma's medical alert". Discover how to use technology to monitor vitals, track movement patterns for early UTI detection, and provide "digital respite" for caregivers.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/aging-with-confidence-dot-boyds-senior-safety-solutions-episode-142
In this episode:
The danger of the "charging cradle" for smartwatches.
How to customize emergency protocols so family is called first.
Why caregivers need their own "oxygen mask" (and safety device).
Resource Link: Find your safety fit at DotForSeniorSafety.com.
Recovery from a stroke or neurological diagnosis is a lifelong journey that requires more than just clinical therapy—it requires community and creativity. Today, Diane Carbo welcomes Kiersten Kanaster, a voice pedagogy expert who is redefining aphasia recovery through her program, Beyond High C.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/beyond-high-c-redefining-recovery-for-aphasia-stroke-and-parkinsons-survivors-with-kiersten-kanaster-episode-141
Kiersten explains why many survivors can sing lyrics even when they struggle to speak, and how she uses that musical connection to build confidence and communication skills in a supportive group setting. Whether you are a survivor, a family caregiver, or a clinician, this episode offers a powerful message: Progress is always possible.
Key Takeaways:
Bridging the Gap: How to continue recovery after being discharged from formal therapy.
The Power of Rhythm: Using movement and beat to overcome "stuck" words.
Confidence First: Creating a safe space where mistakes are welcomed as part of growth.
Listen now to hear how rhythm and song are turning "silence into song" for survivors worldwide. 🎧
In this episode, host Diane Carbo talks with trauma recovery coach and author Shirley Buck about breaking the cycle of caregiver guilt. Shirley shares her journey from surviving severe childhood abuse to finding emotional freedom through mindset transformation.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/sweet-freedom-in-caregiving-letting-go-of-guilt-and-holding-onto-hope-with-shirley-buck-episode-140
In this episode, we discuss:
The Caregiver Crisis: Why 63% of caregivers risk their own health and how to stop the "martyr" cycle.
The "Crumpled Paper" Tool: A simple mental exercise to dump negative thoughts instantly.
Forgiveness as Power: Why letting go is the ultimate "healthy revenge" to reclaim your joy.
Energy Healing: How releasing emotional blockages can improve physical wellbeing.
Stop living in the past and start choosing yourself. You are worth the care you give to others.
Why do many LGBTQIA+ elders feel forced back into the closet just when they need care the most?
In this episode, Diane Carbo, RN, is joined by Dr. KaRon Spriggs-Bethea, a licensed clinical social worker and founder of Let’s Talk Solutions. Together, they dive into the critical, often overlooked topic of aging within the queer community.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/unseen-and-underserved-the-realities-of-aging-in-the-lgbtqia-community-with-karon-spriggs-bethea-episode-139
Key Discussion Points:
Intersectionality: How ageism and heterosexism create unique barriers in healthcare.
The Isolation Gap: The impact of lacking traditional family support and the vital role of "chosen family".
Historical Context: Lessons from the AIDS crisis and the resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Affirming Care: Actionable steps for healthcare providers and allies to improve cultural competency.
"People are people. Just because they identify as LGBTQIA+ doesn't mean they're not a person." — Dr. KaRon Spriggs-Bethea.
Can technology actually bring us closer together? 🌉 For aging loved ones, the answer is a resounding "Yes."
Host Diane Carbo, RN, welcomes Costin Tuculescu, the innovator behind Onscreen, Inc. and Joy Calls. They dive deep into how a "person-centered" approach to AI and video tech is fighting the loneliness epidemic.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/from-isolation-to-connection-how-joy-calls-is-redefining-senior-companionship-with-costin-tuculescu-episode-138
Why listen?
Total Accessibility: Discover how to reach loved ones via TV, tablets, or even traditional landlines.
Proactive Connection: Learn about the AI companion that starts the conversation so the senior doesn't have to.
Caregiver Respite: See how these tools act as a "care team partner," providing interaction when you can’t be there.
Privacy First: Understand the security measures that keep these connections safe and encrypted.
Don't forget to follow and leave a review if this episode helped you! 🌟
Can a robot be a best friend? 🤖 In this episode, Diane Carbo explores the future of caregiving with Dor Skuler, CEO of Intuition Robotics and creator of ElliQ.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/meet-elliq-the-robot-companion-changing-caregiving-for-seniors-with-dor-skuler-episode-137
ElliQ is the world’s first empathetic AI companion designed specifically for older adults. Dor explains how this "sidekick" helps seniors stay active, cognitively sharp, and socially connected—all while giving overwhelmed caregivers peace of mind.
We discuss:
Why ElliQ is proactive (she talks first!).
Balancing safety with privacy and trust.
How ElliQ helps capture family memoirs and legacies.
Special Offer: Use code IknowDor at elliq.com for a discount on your ElliQ subscription.
Does your doctor say you’re fine, but you know something is wrong? 📉 Today, Dr. Debra Muth joins us to bridge the gap between traditional and functional medicine. We discuss why women and caregivers are often dismissed by the healthcare system and how to dig deeper to find the root cause of your illness.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/functional-medicine-a-holistic-approach-to-treating-chronic-disease-with-dr-debra-muth-episode-136
In this episode, you will learn:
🌿 Functional vs. Traditional: Why a 15-minute visit isn't enough to heal you.
🩸 Lab Results: Why "normal" ranges for Thyroid and Vitamin D might be keeping you sick.
🧠 Brain Health: Cutting-edge therapies like peptides and exosomes for cognitive decline.
⚡ Caregiver Tips: Simple ways to heal adrenal fatigue and reduce toxic load.
"Healing begins when someone finally listens." 🧡
Are you feeling overwhelmed by caregiving? Discover how AI can be your essential co-pilot! In this episode, host Diane Carbo sits down with Aparna Pujar, founder and CEO of Zemplee, to explore the world's first AI-powered platform for elder care.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/caring-smarter-not-harder-zemplees-ai-caregiving-revolution-with-aparna-pujar-episode-135
Aparna shares her personal journey as a remote caregiver that inspired her to build a platform that focuses on dignity and privacy while enhancing safety for seniors and offering peace of mind to family and professional caregivers.
Tune in to learn how Zemplee uses passive sensors and smart technology to provide non-intrusive monitoring and turn data into actionable insights, making the caregiving equation exponentially better!
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
🚫 Privacy First: How Zemplee's technology works without video cameras to respect the senior's privacy and dignity.
🧠 The AI Blueprint: How non-intrusive sensors create a blueprint of a senior's daily life and detect critical changes or anomalies in behavior.
🤝 Empowering Caregivers: Why this tool is designed to enhance, not replace, the human touch by simplifying workflows and boosting operational efficiency.
🏡 Remote Peace of Mind: The incredible value Zemplee offers to long-distance and working family caregivers, providing 24/7 reassurance.
🗣️ Combating Loneliness: The surprising role of curated Alexa integration in providing entertainment and addressing social isolation.
📊 Data-Driven Health: How collected data can be used in reports to collaborate with doctors and refine clinical care plans.
An emergency deep dive with Diane Carbo, RN, and Aria Rashidian on the financial pressures threatening home care.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/the-crisis-in-home-care-how-medicaid-and-medicare-advantage-are-failing-americas-most-vulnerable-with-arya-rashidian-episode-134
Key Issues Exposed:
Systemic policy failures and government involvement leading to lower quality care and higher costs.
Administrative burdens like EVV and reimbursement delays that jeopardize small agencies.
How Virginia's family caregiver pay model works (and why it's not enough).
The critical need for policy reform to stabilize the industry.
Caregiving is hard. Learn how the system is failing and what needs to change. ✊
Are you simply surviving your caregiving journey? Therapist Edy Nathan joins the show to discuss the three hardest parts of caregiving: grief, burnout, and trauma.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/grief-burnout-and-trauma-tools-for-caregivers-with-edy-nathan-episode-133
In this episode, you will learn:
The Liberation Protocol: A 3-step method to reclaim your identity and stop feeling "stuck".
Radical Rapport: How to set boundaries with judgmental family members without crumbling.
Somatic Healing: A quick breathing technique to combat anxiety immediately.
This episode highlights the crucial, yet often overlooked, role of meaningful activities in dementia care. Host Diane Carbo, RN, speaks with Angela Fairhurst , CEO and founder of Geri-Gadgets®, about her personal journey with her mother's Lewy Body Dementia and the innovative, patented silicone sensory tools she created.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/connecting-generations-how-geri-gadgets-r-spark-joy-and-reduce-stress-with-angela-fairhurst-episode-132
Angela explains how Geri-Gadgets®—safe, durable, and failure-free engagement kits (like the Fidget Gidget® Bucket)—are designed to meet the sensory needs of older adults with dementia, as well as neurodivergent individuals and rehab patients.
Learn how engagement acts as a form of medicine to reduce anxiety and challenging behaviors, enhances multi-generational connection, and ultimately helps slow the disease process, offering a huge relief to caregivers.
Host Diane Carbo welcomes Greg Lawrence, a transformational coach and educator at the forefront of psychedelic integration, to discuss how these experiences can lead to lasting change.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/triggers-trauma-and-transformation-coaching-through-psychedelics-with-greg-lawrence-episode-131
What is Integration? Greg explains that the real work begins after the psychedelic experience, focusing on integrating the expanded state of consciousness into daily life.
The Brain and Behavior: Learn how psychedelics increase neuroplasticity, allowing you to effectively "reprogram" old habits and overcome the brain's natural resistance to change.
Healing Trauma: The discussion covers MDMA's effectiveness in treating severe PTSD by quieting the fight-or-flight response, highlighting the critical role of assisted therapy.
Caregiver Relevance: Understand why realizing your triggers and incorporating practices like mindfulness can help caregivers navigate the enormous stress and emotional load of caregiving.
A must-listen for every caregiver and family member! Host Diane Carbo, RN, discusses a critical health crisis—the silent epidemic of substance abuse in older adults—with special guest Dr. John Dyben, Chief of Research and Innovation for the Hanley Foundation.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/hidden-in-plain-sight-the-silent-epidemic-of-substance-abuse-in-older-adults-with-dr-john-dyben-episode-130
Dr. Dyben, who did his doctoral practicum specifically on this issue, explains why millions of seniors are struggling with alcohol, prescription drugs, and other substances, often without detection. You'll hear about the groundbreaking older adult program at Hanley, which was the first of its kind in the country.
The Hidden Struggle: Learn why addiction in seniors often goes unrecognized and the serious risk of combining common medications (especially benzodiazepines) with alcohol.
The Caregiver's Burden: We discuss the overwhelming stress on family caregivers, the shocking statistic that 63% of them become seriously ill or die before the person they are caring for, and the temptation to cope using substances themselves.
A Call for Change: Discover why treatment must be tailored to the older generation, emphasizing a holistic approach that addresses their physical, mental, and spiritual needs.
Dr. Dyben shares that successful treatment for older adults is possible, especially in a peer-group setting focused on moving from success to significance.
Don't let the silent epidemic continue. Learn the signs, seek help, and support hope and recovery.
Waiting for an emergency to get your affairs in order leads to chaos. In this episode, elder law attorney Richard a Beckner joins host Diane Carbo to discuss the "must-have" documents every adult needs to sign now.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/before-the-emergency-get-your-essential-life-papers-signed-now-episode-129
Learn the critical difference between a will and a trust, why you need both financial and healthcare powers of attorney, and how these essential papers provide peace of mind and prevent devastating family conflicts. This is an essential guide to protecting yourself and your family before the crisis hits.
In this essential episode, we're shifting the spotlight to the person who holds it all together: the caregiver.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/supporting-the-caregiver-from-burnout-to-empowerment-with-emma-soy-rn-bsn-ma-episode-128/
For too long, the caregiver's well-being has been overlooked. Emma Soy, founder of Gentle Shepherd Care, joins Diane to tackle the root causes of caregiver burnout and offers a path to empowerment. They discuss why the current healthcare system often fails families, leaving them untrained and overwhelmed after a hospital discharge.
Discover how to transform your journey through proactive planning, setting firm boundaries, and understanding that asking for help is not a weakness—it's a lifeline. Learn why Advanced Life Care Planning is one of the greatest gifts you can give your family and why your role as a daughter, son, or spouse is too precious to be lost in the title of "caregiver."
This conversation is a crucial reminder that to give the best care, you must first take care of yourself.
The "panic button" is a thing of the past. Welcome to the future of senior safety: 3D animated virtual caregivers. 🤖
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/from-panic-buttons-to-virtual-caregivers-the-evolution-of-senior-safety-episode-127
In this episode, host Diane Carbo RN and Senior Safety Consultant Dot Boyd discuss Addison, an interactive and proactive virtual caregiver.
Learn how Addison connects to Bluetooth medical devices (like glucometers and blood pressure cuffs) to manage chronic conditions, reminds seniors to take medications, and even provides cognitive stimulation with games, puzzles, and guided exercises.
This is a must-listen for long-distance caregivers, working caregivers, or any family navigating the challenges of aging in place, especially after an unsafe hospital discharge.
Think bone loss and stooped posture are just a normal part of aging? Think again.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/bones-posture-and-aging-episode-126
In this empowering episode, holistic health practitioner Linda MacDougall joins host Diane Carbo to bust the biggest myths about aging and bone health.
Discover:
Why your bones can (and do) remodel every seven years
The vital minerals you're missing that are more important than calcium
The shocking truth about how an improperly-sized walker or cane could be causing more pain and increasing fall risk
This is a must-listen for seniors and caregivers who want to take back control of their health, strength, and independence.
In this powerful episode of the Caregiver Relief Podcast, host Diane Carbo, RN sits down with Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds — social entrepreneur, Ironman triathlete, and two-time cancer survivor. 🌟
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/every-mile-matters-triumph-over-cancer-with-dr-jeffrey-reynolds-episode-125
From finishing an Ironman to facing down prostate and colorectal cancer, Dr. Reynolds shares how endurance training gave him the mental strength to overcome life’s toughest race — and how his journey reshaped his views on health, resilience, and purpose.
💬 In this episode:
The life lessons from triathlons and cancer treatment
How to embrace vulnerability and accept help 🤝
Redefining success — from personal records to clear scans
The power of community, hope, and perseverance 💖
🎧 Whether you’re a caregiver, survivor, or simply in need of inspiration, this story will remind you that every mile — and every moment — matters.
📘 Learn more about Dr. Reynolds: 🌐 everymilematters.com
📗 Every Mile Matters: How Triathlon Trained Me for Triumph
Over Cancer — available now on Amazon & Audible!
💡 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to help us reach more caregivers in need of hope and support!
Host Diane Carbo, RN, talks with Dr. Beth Kurland, psychologist, TEDx speaker, and author, about how the mind-body connection can help caregivers and anyone facing stress or loss. Discover simple, science-based practices to calm your nervous system, reframe negative thoughts, and find inner balance — even in the toughest times.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/the-mind-body-connection-thriving-through-lifes-challenges-with-beth-kurland-phd-clinical-psychologist-mind-body-coach-episode-124
🌿 Mind-body science explained 💗 Self-kindness & emotional resilience 🌳 Grounding and breath techniques you can do anywhere
Listen now and start thriving through life’s challenges.
Do you feel like you're running on empty? For family caregivers, that feeling is a constant state of being. But the reality is far more dangerous than just being tired.
https://www.caregiverrelief.com/choosing-you-how-radical-self-care-saves-lives-including-yours-episode-123
Host Diane Carbo opens with a staggering statistic: 63% of family caregivers become seriously ill or die before the person they're caring for. This isn't just burnout; it's a health crisis.
In this episode, healer and spiritual teacher Alx Derman joins us to explain why this happens. As caregivers, we are "giant sponges" that absorb the pain, stress, and negativity of those around us. If we don't "wring out" that sponge, that energy builds up and becomes illness.
This isn't about bubble baths. This is about "radical self-care" using what Alx calls "stupid simple" ancient tools that work in minutes. Alx shares an incredibly simple yet powerful technique to "decharge" negative energy using nothing more than a black rock.
Learn how to choose yourself, reclaim your energy, and heal at the soul level—so you can continue to care for your loved one without losing yourself in the process.