Irreverent Eldercare Insights Rachel Lee

Today I am catching up with Grandma for the first time in four months. In good news she is still alive, still Covid free, and appears to be on track to make it to her 88th birthday at the end of July. In bad news, she has lived to see many unthinkable events.

Today I am interviewing a new friend and kindred spirit, Carolyn Zaikowski. While Carolyn makes a living as a writer and writing professor, she also has a take on dying as a trained Death Doula. Our conversation covers everything from WHY to become a Death Doula ... HOW to become Death Doula ... and ways to FIND a Death Doula to assist with the tactical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the end of YOUR life, or a loved one’s. She also shares her experience with Death Cafes, and the insightful suggestion that "death can be trusted." Learn more about Carolyn and our conversation topics at the websites below.
www.carolynzaikowski.com
www.pioneervalleywriters.org
radicaldeathstudies.com
queerdeathstudies.net
Deathcafe.com

A bonus holiday podcast with my buddy and expert eldercare consultant, Howard. We cover a hypothetical 12 years of aging when an elder may need: morphine for numbing, 11 rounds of diapering, medical equipment beeping, 24 / 7 nursing, eight specialists billing, help with cognition dimming, elder lawyer paying -- but at least you may get FIVE, INHERITED RINGS ....! -- then they offer four galling words, need three pair of lens and two surgeon gloves ... plus a cartridge of medicine, please!

Today I'm interviewing my dear friend, neighbor, and eldercare consultant, Howard, who will provide hot tips on the Start, Middle, and End of the eldercare adventure. We talk about the creative problem solving of excellent eldercare experts, and how to build the best support system for your needs. And we even offer a bonus holiday podcast as my Season 1 finale!

My own Doctor of Acupuncture, Claire McManus, provides eldercare-givers with her expert SELF care tips. She extols the benefits of strategically placed needles, contemplative care retreats, photographing the dead, Death Cafes, meditation apps, therapy dogs, laughter, exercise, and a good night’s sleep. She also has advice for anyone who gets sprayed by a Baird’s tapir, needs to rehabilitate a sea turtle, or wants to befriend an ornery warthog (AND his wife). Mainly Claire is here to remind us: we're all gonna die.

Irreverent Rachel, creator of THIS-IS-GETTING-OLD.COM, interviews an End of Sh*t Sister who offers wisdoms from her personal and professional elder care experiences. We talk about state services that can support elders who have adult children at a distance. And my guest puts in a sincere plug for engaging every elder about their own story.