How We Got Here Caregiving.com

On the final episode of the season we say farewell to Chris who reflects on the knowledge and connections gained from being a part of How We Got Here. He expresses hope about the next chapter of where his life of "Aging Gayfully" will take him. We also introduce season 3 co-host, Caregiving.com Associate Editor Sarah Trott. Christina and Sarah share their plans for the forthcoming season.


This season of "How We Got Here" is sponsored by Anthem.

Heather Zoccali is the current founder and director of the No Barriers Caregiver Program. She is also a co-host for The Brutally Beautiful podcast. Heather has been on the giving and receiving end of care throughout her life. In this conversation with Chris and Christina, Heather talks about her personal health issues as well as her son Connor's life-changing accident and how he's doing now. She also reflects on forgiveness and self-compassion and shares how modeling this behavior in our own lives can help others do the same. Heather offers advice on how to let others know when we need them to listen to us. She explains what happens at a No Barriers retreat and the tools attendees gain to incorporate self-care and empowerment pracrices into their caregiving.


This season of How We Got Here is sponsored by Anthem.


The application and nomination deadline for all 2022 No Barriers Caregiver retreats is March 18.

Fumiko Chino, MD is a cancer researcher and Assistant Attending in Radiation Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She was also a caregiver for her husband Andrew Mark Ladd, PhD who died from cancer in 2007. Fumiko joins How We Got Here for a conversation about the many ways caregiving and loss shape and inspire us in our personal and professional lives. She talks about how caring for Andrew enriched her understanding of love and commitment. She also discusses the biggest challenge they faced — one that many families can relate to: the inability to keep up with the rising costs of medical care after a diagnosis (a phenomenon called financial toxicity). Fumiko explains how open conversations about care expenses can free us from the shame of not being able to afford care and make others more aware of our financial limitations.


This season of How We Got Here is sponsored by Anthem.

Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey serves AARP’s diverse membership, including over a million LGBTQ-plus members, as the organization’s Senior Advisor and National LGBTQ Liaison. In his conversation with How We Got Here, Nii-Quartelai describes several of the childhood experiences that ignited his passion for advocacy work. He also shares some of the latest AARP research on LGBTQ caregivers and how to care for members of the LGBTQ community and explains why advancing longevity is a justice issue. Nii-Quartelai also discusses the forthcoming long-term care index from SAGE and the Human Rights Council and how it will help families find safe and accepting communities, becoming a long-distance caregiver for both his mother and brother during the pandemic, and the difference between equality and equity.


Click here for LGBTQ information from AARP, and click here to access their resources for caregivers.


This season of How We Got Here is sponsored by Anthem.

Robert Pardi is a life coach and former caregiver to his wife Desiree, who was a palliative care physician. On this episode of How We Got Here, Robert describes his experiences with caregiving, including being trusted to execute his wife’s care wishes, and explains why a disease or diagnosis does not have to become your identity. He also talks about the unique nature of every caregiving experience and the importance of telling your story — while no two journeys are the same, there are pieces of every person's story that other's may benefit from. He also offers advice on how to talk to friends and family about caregiving and asking for help and reflects on the perspective to be gained from our impermanence.


Learn more about Robert and his coaching services here.


This season of How We Got Here is sponsored by Anthem.

Michael Hebb is the founder of EOL.Community and Death Over Dinner. On this episode of How We Got Here, Michael talks about how his father's Alzheimer's diagnosis, and the ways his family dealt with it, affected him as a child and helped shape his earliest memories of caregiving and grief. He also tells us about a life-changing experience he had as a patient that taught him surrender at a very young age. Michael explains why the the end of life is ripe with opportunity for healing and revealing our humanity and the beauty that comes from learning how our loved ones want to be remembered. He shares how his work is increasing death literacy and walks us through what happens at a Death Over Dinner event. Michael describes the steps you can take to make sure your care and end-of-life wishes are honored and why inner work is the most important work of all.


Visit EOL.Community for resources on grief, end of life, and more.


This season of How We Got Here is sponsored by Anthem.