Parenting UP! Caregiving adventures with comedian J Smiles

J Smiles
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  • ALTERNATIVE HEALTH
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Get engulfed in the intense journey of a caregiver who happens to be a comedian. J Smiles use of levity reveals the stress and rewards of caregiving interwoven with her own personal journey.  Over 10 years ago, she was catapulted into caregiving overnight when the shock of her dad's death pushed her mom into Alzheimer's in the blink of an eye. A natural storyteller, her vivid descriptions and impressive recall will place you squarely in each moment of truth, at each fork in the road. She was a single, childless mechanical engineering, product designing, lawyer living a meticulously crafted international existence until she wasn't. The lifestyle shift was immediate. Starting from scratch, she painstakingly carved out useful knowledge and created a beneficial care plan for her mom.  J Smiles will fly solo and have expert guests. You will get tips, tricks, trends and TRUTH.  Alzheimer's is heavy, we don’t have to be. All caregivers are welcome to snuggle up, Parent Up!

  1. FEB 9

    Alzheimer’s Advocacy at the State Capital: Fighting for local Caregivers and Caree’s

    In today's episode, you will hear all that went on for Alzheimer's Advocacy at the Georgia State Capital in Atlanta. We showed up with facts, handwritten notes, and a clear ask: allocate $2 million for caregiver support programs that keep families afloat and reduce avoidable health costs.  That number might seem small until you compare it to what families already contribute—775 million hours of unpaid care in Georgia, valued at $13 billion. When you see that gap, the request becomes a refund on dignity. What brought the day to life were the people behind the statistics. Meet Ross: two years into an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, a former long-term care insurance pro who now leans on the very coverage he once sold. He can’t work in the same way, but he’s found a new job—advocating, educating, and showing up for others who wake to the same reality.  We walked offices, delivered fact sheets, and invited representatives to a simple lunch. We also learned a powerful truth repeated on both sides of the aisle: lawmakers want to hear from us. They need the lived details—how mornings fall apart without rest, how training prevents injuries, how a navigator can keep a family from burning out. Data sets the stage, but stories decide the scene.  Many thanks to the Alzheimer's Association of Georgia for inviting us. Visit Alz.org for more information.  If you’re caring, cared for, or simply care, your voice can shift policy. Share the episode, bring a friend into the conversation, and tell your representative what support would change your week. Subscribe, leave a review, and send this to someone who needs strength today. Executive Producer/Host: J Smiles Producer/Videographer: Mia Hall Editor: Annelise Udoye Support the show "Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!" IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup TEXT 'PODCAST" to +1 404 737 1449 - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi! Be sure to leave us a review!

    15 min

  2. JAN 26

    Who Cares? Answers to 5 Frequently Asked Questions by Family Caregivers

    The honest part of caregiving isn’t just the long nights and endless appointments—it’s realizing you’ve become the project manager for a situation nobody trained you for. Family Caregivers take that and turn it into a plan, starting with the meds that don’t help or flat-out make things worse. In this episode, you’ll learn how to loop back to the exact prescriber with clear reports, and why your pharmacist may be your most valuable teammate for catching dangerous drug interactions. We also clear up a major confusion between Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Then we hit the wallet questions with straight talk. Can you get paid as a Family Caregiver?  Family drama? Trade wishful thinking for structure. We talk about real solutions for issues with family and village members who may not agree or want to contribute to care.  And for the fear you carry—what if I get this too—we offer a path forward. If this conversation helps, subscribe and share it with someone in your care village. Leave a quick review to help other caregivers find this resource, and tell us: what’s the one question that keeps popping up on your journey? Support the show "Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!" IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup TEXT 'PODCAST" to +1 404 737 1449 - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi! Be sure to leave us a review!

    23 min

  3. JAN 12

    Let’s Talk Caregiving: The Questions Everyone Has

    Caregiving comes with a stack of questions that rarely fit into neat answers—and that’s exactly where we go in this episode.  We open up about the moments no one posts: the dark days, the quick resets that actually help, and the honest boundary decisions when history with a parent or partner is painful. If you’ve ever wondered how to stay steady, how to stop resenting the wrong things, or how anyone “does it all,” you’re in the right place. I share the mindset tools that keep me functional—gratitude micro-resets, contrast memories that remind me we’ve made progress, and the simple practice of wearing one hat at a time. We talk about caring for someone you don’t love and how shifting roles, sharing duties, or bringing in professional help can be an act of integrity, not abandonment. We also tackle the hot-button topic of resentment: why it belongs with broken systems and scarce resources, not with a person living with dementia who didn’t choose this path. If you’re a family caregiver, a professional, or a friend trying to show up better, this conversation blends real talk with usable strategies. Subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and send us your caregiving questions. Your question may shape our next deep dive. Support the show "Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!" IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup TEXT 'PODCAST" to +1 404 737 1449 - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi! Be sure to leave us a review!

    19 min

  4. 12/22/2025

    Dementia Dilemma: Push Through, or Delay the Hairdo?!

    What does perseverance look like when words are gone and the day goes sideways? We set out to honor a promise—no gray roots, ever—and walked straight into a masterclass on safety, dignity, and the tiny choices that keep identity alive. A new caregiver, a wardrobe wobble, and then the moment every caregiver dreads: knees buckling on a ramp and a slow fall to the ground. No injuries, just a spike of adrenaline and the question that lives in the gut—do we abort, or do we push through? I take you beat by beat through the real dilemma: when to use the walker versus the wheelchair and how a gait belt and a one‑rep deadlift salvaged the transfer. We get transparent about the doubt and we also get honest about the grace that kept us moving. A stylist waited, cleared the room, and turned a noisy salon into a quiet sanctuary. Shampoo, color, cut, and something rarer: the look on my mom’s face when she recognized herself again in the mirror. That smile said we chose right. Caregiving spares no one, but we always persevere.  If you’re navigating Alzheimer’s, mobility challenges, or just the daily logistics of being a caregiver, you’ll leave with practical takeaways on the kind of patience that keeps everyone safer and well groomed. If this story made you feel seen, subscribe, share it with your village, and leave a review so other caregivers can find us. Tell me your small win this week—I’m cheering for every single one. Executive Producer/Host: J Smiles Comedy Producer: Mia Hall Editor: Annelise Udoye  Support the show "Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!" IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup TEXT 'PODCAST" to +1 404 737 1449 - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi! Be sure to leave us a review!

    22 min

  5. 12/08/2025

    Caregivers Without Barriers: Chanda’s Fight for Care Equity

    What if the care system you need doesn’t exist yet? Chanda didn’t wait.  In this episode, we speak with Chanda Hinton, founder of the Chanda Center for Health. After a childhood spinal cord injury and years of depending on medicines and medical care, Chanda found that daily movement, touch-based therapies, and a team that talks to each other worked to help her overcome challenges brought on by medicine.  Then she pushed further—she helped pass a first-of-its-kind law in Colorado  and built a disability-competent clinic where primary care, PT, behavioral health, and integrative services live under one roof. We walk through the turning points: hitting failure-to-thrive at 59 pounds, swapping pills for proactive care, and proving cost savings by reducing 911 calls and ER visits. Chanda explains why caregiver choice matters as much as any therapy, how rotating schedules protect everyone from burnout, and why even toileting can be a place for dignity and laughter.  You’ll learn how the Chanda Center addresses real barriers providers face, how to create caregiver networks that flex with life, and how disability and dementia communities can join forces to push healthcare toward prevention and collaboration. It’s a story about agency and design: when care aligns with the person, everything works better—body, budget, and spirit. If this conversation sparked ideas, share it with your care circle. Follow and subscribe for more candid, solutions-focused episodes, and leave a review to help other caregivers find us. Your story could be the seed for the next big change. For more information about the Chanda Center, visit ChandaCenter.org.  Exec. Producer/Host: J Smiles Producer: Mia Hall  Editor: Annelise Udoye Support the show "Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!" IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup TEXT 'PODCAST" to +1 404 737 1449 - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi! Be sure to leave us a review!

    1h 3m

  6. 11/24/2025

    From Then Until Now: A Personal Moment on my Caregiving and Comedy Journey

    A single shock can reorder a life. When my father passed suddenly and my mother’s Alzheimer’s deepened, I became the point person for everything. My pivot—raw, messy, and unplanned—sparked a mission: use comedy to have a positive outlet during those trying times. In this special mini episode, you'll hear me as I celebrate five years of our caregiver-centered podcast, ten years of stand-up, and my mom’s 77th lap around the sun, while pulling back the curtain on how humor, faith, and community turned chaos into a living blueprint for care. I share how the pandemic forced me off the stage and into the mic, and how saying out loud “my mom has Alzheimer’s” changed the room. We talk about legacy—the grandparents who seeded my skits, the cousin who still lights up the room at ninety-three—and why I took my family name to the stage to honor where I come from.  Caregiving touches almost everyone, whether you’re in it now, still healing, or propping up a friend. That’s why we lean into practical solidarity—financial vigilance after loss, late-night logistics, and the radical act of laughing on the worst days. Subscribe, share this with your village, and leave a review with one lesson caregiving taught you—someone reading it will need exactly that today. Executive Producer: J Smiles Comedy Producer & Editor: Mia Hall  Support the show "Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!" IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup TEXT 'PODCAST" to +1 404 737 1449 - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi! Be sure to leave us a review!

    17 min

  7. 11/17/2025

    Beyond the Actor: Why Brandon Claybon is Passionate about Alzheimer’s Advocacy

    Parenting Up Family! Tune in for a special episode during National Family Caregivers Month! We are usually bi-weekly, but thanks to the Alzheimer's Association of Georgia, we are releasing this bonus episode this month!  In this episode, Actor Brandon Claybon joins us to unpack the shift that happens when family members forget your name and start losing their memory, with honesty and heart. He speaks with us about how Alzheimer’s touched both sides of his family, what he learned as a ten-year-old watching elders change, and why his purpose goes far beyond the screen. Brandon also talks about carrying light for his community, the accountability that keeps him grounded, and the practical ways a tight-knit family can share care without losing dignity in the process. We also explore the grief of lost recipes and why recording family culture is important. Brandon shares how he protects his energy with rest and travel, and why intuition can save caregivers time, pain, and frustration. For teens and young adults stepping in to help, there’s clear guidance here: tune in for more. You may also watch the visual version on Youtube.com/@parentingup. If this resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs a village today. Your support helps amplify Alzheimer’s awareness, fuel research, and keep these stories—and solutions—within reach. To join the fight against Alzheimer's, visit alz.org/georgia Executive Producer/Host: J Smiles Comedy Producer: Mia Hall Editor: Annelise Udoye  Support the show "Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!" IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup TEXT 'PODCAST" to +1 404 737 1449 - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi! Be sure to leave us a review!

    37 min

  8. 11/10/2025

    Is Caregiving Your Calling?

    What does it look like to choose love—and keep choosing it, day after day? We sit down with JET, a grandson who decided his grandmother with dementia wouldn’t go to a facility. He brought her into his home, rebuilt his life around her needs, and learned how dignity lives in small rituals: clean sheets, a sharp outfit, a slow stroll through every aisle at the market just to smell the spices. It’s funny, tender, and honest about what caretaking really takes. JET walks us through the first clues that something was off—credit-card charges, memberships, late-night orders—and how financial habits can be early flags in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. You’ll hear how a neighbor, Miss Tommy, became an unsung hero, how overnight shifts kept the lights on, and why community might be the most underrated part of elder care. We talk about men in caregiving, identity, and what competence really looks like when schedules, bathing, meds, and meals collide. There’s laughter—coriander adventures and “field trips” down grocery aisles—and there’s grief. If you’re navigating dementia, Alzheimer’s, or family caregiving, you’ll leave with practical ideas: build your support early, accept help without guilt, protect dignity through small routines, and keep joy on the calendar. Most of all, you’ll feel less alone. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone who’s carrying the load—what’s one small ritual that kept you going? Support the show "Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!" IG: https://www.instagram.com/parentingup FB: https://www.facebook.com/parentingup YT: https://www.youtube.com/@parentingup TEXT 'PODCAST" to +1 404 737 1449 - to give J topic ideas, feedback, say hi! Be sure to leave us a review!

    48 min
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About

Get engulfed in the intense journey of a caregiver who happens to be a comedian. J Smiles use of levity reveals the stress and rewards of caregiving interwoven with her own personal journey.  Over 10 years ago, she was catapulted into caregiving overnight when the shock of her dad's death pushed her mom into Alzheimer's in the blink of an eye. A natural storyteller, her vivid descriptions and impressive recall will place you squarely in each moment of truth, at each fork in the road. She was a single, childless mechanical engineering, product designing, lawyer living a meticulously crafted international existence until she wasn't. The lifestyle shift was immediate. Starting from scratch, she painstakingly carved out useful knowledge and created a beneficial care plan for her mom.  J Smiles will fly solo and have expert guests. You will get tips, tricks, trends and TRUTH.  Alzheimer's is heavy, we don’t have to be. All caregivers are welcome to snuggle up, Parent Up!

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