The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide

Candace Dellacona, Offit Kurman
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Welcome to The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide, where we explore the challenges and strategies of navigating life caught between work demands and supporting our loved ones while maintaining our own well-being. Join us in this dynamic podcast series as we uncover the complexities individuals face balancing multiple roles in the modern world. Our host, Candace Dellacona, shares personal experiences and professional insights to guide listeners through this complex journey.

  1. Discovering Strength Through Caregiving with Lisa McCarty

    3D AGO

    Discovering Strength Through Caregiving with Lisa McCarty

    Host Candace Dellacona welcomes acclaimed writer Lisa McCarty for a powerful conversation on caregiving, resilience, and the courage to tell deeply personal stories. McCarty reflects on her essays that resonated with thousands—from losing her father just as she welcomed her second child to stepping into the role of caregiver for her mother at just 13—and how those experiences shaped her voice and perspective. Now developing a reported nonfiction book, she shares hard-earned insights on identity, boundaries, and advocacy, offering thoughtful guidance for young caregivers navigating similar paths.    00:00 Discovering Strength Through Caregiving with Lisa McCarty  00:07 Welcome and Guest Intro  01:31 Why Write Personal Stories  02:08 Sharing the Caregiving Essay  05:26 Story Timing  08:53 How Young Caregiving Shaped Lisa  13:17 Realizing She Was a Caregiver  16:41 Systemic Failures and Isolation  24:03 Advice for Young Caregivers  27:09 Writing the Book and Self Care  32:10 Privacy and Telling the Truth  35:08 Defining Thriving, Not Surviving  38:27 Closing Remarks    For a collection of Lisa’s essays and articles, visit https://linktr.ee/lbmccarty      Follow Lisa McCarty on social media: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mccarty-8905513/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lbmccarty717/  (00:00) - v2 Discovering Strength Through Caregiving with Lisa McCarty (00:07) - Welcome and Guest Intro (01:31) - Why Write Personal Stories (02:08) - Sharing the Caregiving Essay (05:26) - Story Timing (08:53) - How Young Caregiving Shaped Lisa (13:17) - Realizing She Was a Caregiver (15:31) - Systemic Failures and Isolation (22:54) - Advice for Young Caregivers (26:00) - Writing the Book and Self Care (30:09) - Defining Thriving, Not Surviving (33:27) - Closing Remarks

    35 min
  2. Building a Legacy of Love with Christy Byrne Yates

    APR 16

    Building a Legacy of Love with Christy Byrne Yates

    Host Candace Dellacona welcomes Christy Byrne Yates—author, psychologist, and former podcaster—to discuss her book, "Building a Legacy of Love: Thriving in the Sandwich Generation" and the realities of caring for aging parents while raising children. They discuss how caregiving often begins subtly, why many people don’t identify as caregivers, setting communication rules, asking for specific help, “ruthless self-care,” and recognizing grief throughout the caregiving process. (00:00) - Welcome and Guest Intro (00:43) - Why the Sandwich Generation Matters (01:53) - Christy’s Caregiving Story (05:06) - Feeling Stuck in the Middle (06:05) - Claiming the Caregiver Role (09:17) - Starting the Hard Conversations (12:58) - Aligning Expectations and Boundaries (16:10) - Asking for Help and Delegating (22:41) - Planning for the Long Haul (24:22) - Ruthless Self Care (26:44) - Raising Capable Compassionate Kids (28:06) - Grief and Finding Support (31:18) - Final Takeaways and Book Information To learn more about Christy and to purchase her book, visit https://www.christyyates.com/Follow Christy Byrne Yates on social media:Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChristyByrneYates LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christybyates/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/christybyates/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@christyyates

    33 min
  3. Understanding Palliative Care with Dr. Matthew Tyler

    APR 2

    Understanding Palliative Care with Dr. Matthew Tyler

    Candace Dellacona speaks with Dr. Matthew Tyler, hospice and palliative care physician and founder of How to Train Your Doctor, about why palliative care should begin earlier—and how it differs from hospice. They break down what families need to know about timing, insurance, and the real gaps in in-home care. Dr. Tyler also shares practical guidance on requesting referrals, navigating family dynamics, and planning ahead with the right decision maker. (00:00) - Understanding Palliative Care with Dr. Matthew Tyler (01:00) - What Palliative Care Is (02:30) - Why Dr. Matthew Tyler Started Social Media (03:42) - Palliative Care vs Hospice (06:59) - What Palliative Teams Do (08:09) - Why the Confusion Persists (10:49) - How to Ask for a Referral (16:05) - Training Doctors to Talk Goals (21:30) - Handling Family Disagreements (25:35) - Values Based Decision Makers (27:44) - Spiritual and Cultural Beliefs (29:31) - Insurance and Coverage Basics (31:39) - Hospice Benefits and Gaps (34:10) - What Families Wish They Knew (35:28) - Final Thanks and Wrap Up To learn more about How to Train Your Doctor, visit https://howtotrainyourdoctor.com/ Follow How To Train Your Doctor on social media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095193314200  Threads - https://www.threads.com/@howtotrainyourdoctor  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/howtotrainyourdoctor/  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@howtotrainyourdoctor  TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@howtotrainyourdoctor

    37 min
  4. Caregiving Strategies and Avoiding Financial Scams with Chuck Whitlock

    MAR 26

    Caregiving Strategies and Avoiding Financial Scams with Chuck Whitlock

    Host Candace Dellacona welcomes investigative journalist and author Chuck Whitlock to this episode of The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide to discuss caregiving, advocacy, and protecting seniors. Chuck shares how writing about white-collar crime led to a media career, and how his experiences caring for an incapacitated first wife and later advocating in healthcare shaped his focus on caregivers. He describes turning to support groups and national associations for resources and respite, and explains how his partnership with healthcare leader Peggy Baddour led to co-authoring “LifeSource, A Caregiver’s Guide for Managing Mental Wellness for the Older Adult.” This episode offers practical tips for doctor visits, medication oversight, and inpatient facility selection. Chuck discusses neglect and overmedication risks, recounts his mother’s death after improper oxygen administration, and warns about medical and financial scams that target vulnerable seniors. (00:00) - Welcome and Guest Intro (01:54) - Chuck’s Career Journey (03:39) - Caregiving Lessons Learned (07:15) - Entering Senior Care Advocacy (10:40) - LifeSource and Advocacy Basics (14:00) - Choosing Care Facilities (18:44) - Overmedication and Neglect (23:00) - Scams Targeting Seniors (28:10) - Final Thanks and Wrap Up To purchase Chuck and Peggy’s book, visit https://lifesourceinc.org/book/ Connect with Chuck Whitlock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckwhitlock/

    30 min
  5. Building Sustainable Peace with Shalom Center's Father Patrick Devine

    MAR 16

    Building Sustainable Peace with Shalom Center's Father Patrick Devine

    The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide is honored to participate in this year’s Podcasthon with this special episode featuring Father Patrick Devine, a world-renown peace and conflict expert and the Executive International Chairman and Founder of the Shalom Center for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation. Tune in as host Candace Dellacona speaks with Father Patrick about Shalom Center and their work across Eastern Africa to build sustainable peace through dialogue, mediation, grassroots peacebuilding, and development projects. He explains Shalom’s focus on positive peace rooted in justice, truth, mercy, and dignity, and describes programs addressing inter-ethnic conflict, religious ideological extremism, and violence against women and children. Shalom trains local leaders for 18–24 months, builds schools and other stabilizing institutions, has implemented 800+ education projects in 450+ institutions, and emphasizes community ownership. Shalom is headquartered in Kenya and has obtained certification of charitable status in the USA, UK, and Ireland, with 95 cents of every donated dollar going directly to projects. 00:00 Welcome and Podcasthon00:38 Meet Father Patrick02:28 Why Shalom Began05:32 Meaning of Shalom07:01 Conflicts Shalom Tackles08:33 Peacebuilding Method10:58 Schools and Development13:20 Owning the Peace16:46 Lessons for Home18:42 Hope and Human Spirit20:43 How to Support Shalom21:54 Thanks and Wrap Up To learn more about Shalom Center for Conflict Resolution & Reconciliation, visit https://shalomconflictcenter.org/ To donate today, visit https://shalomconflictcenter.org/donate/   Follow Shalom Center on Social Media: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shalom-sccrr-570026162/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ShalomConflictCenter   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shalomconflictcenter To learn more about Podcasthon and explore the other participating podcasts and their featured nonprofits, visit https://podcasthon.org/

    23 min
  6. The Importance of Supportive Care with Sheri Biller & Anneliese Barron

    MAR 11

    The Importance of Supportive Care with Sheri Biller & Anneliese Barron

    Tune into the latest episode of The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide as host Candace Dellacona speaks with Sheri Biller (of The Sheri and Les Biller Foundation) and Anneliese Barron (Executive Director of Bradley Cooper’s One Family Foundation) about “supportive care” for both patients and caregivers—particularly those navigating life in the sandwich generation. Sheri and Anneliese explain how vital “supportive care” is for those dealing with illness. They also announce a new caregiving initiative, Care Out Loud, which is focused on helping caregivers self-identify, access resources, and address gaps in care due to the persistent barriers faced by underserved, rural, and communities of color. 00:00 Welcome to the Sandwich Generation Survival Guide00:58 Meet Sheri Biller & the Sheri and Les Biller Foundation03:28 What “Supportive Care” Really Means and Why It Improves Outcomes04:17 Meet Anneliese Barron & One Family Foundation06:20 Building a Supportive Care Coalition08:03 Why Supportive Care Is Finally in the Spotlight10:24 How Families Can Find and Ask for Support11:50 Financial Help in Practice13:26 Care Out Loud Resources14:59 Asking for Help, Delegating, and Caregiver Guilt17:04 Reaching Underserved, Rural, and Non‑English-Speaking Communities19:41 How to Connect with Care Out Loud21:48 Building a Movement To learn more about Care Out Loud, visit https://www.wecareoutloud.org/ To learn more about Together for Supportive Cancer Care, visit https://supportivecancercare.org/ For more information on The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, visit https://billerfamilyfoundation.org/ For more information on One Family Foundation, visit https://onefamilyfoundation.one/ To watch “Caregiving,” produced by Bradley Cooper, visit https://www.pbs.org/show/caregiving/

    25 min
  7. Mastering Financial Caregiving Techniques with Beth Pinsker

    FEB 16

    Mastering Financial Caregiving Techniques with Beth Pinsker

    Caring for aging parents often means managing their money, too. On this episode of The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide, Candace Dellacona talks with Beth Pinsker—CFP, MarketWatch columnist, and author of ‘My Mother’s Money’—about the financial realities of caregiving. From red flags to powers of attorney to navigating sibling dynamics, this episode is a must-listen for anyone supporting an aging parent.   00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:55 Beth Pinsker's Journey to Financial Expertise03:27 Writing 'My Mother's Money'07:52 The Importance of Power of Attorney and Healthcare Proxy15:59 Handling Financial Responsibilities and Scams26:39 Sibling Collaboration and Financial Realities33:48 Conclusion and Book Promotion To learn more about Beth and to purchase her book, visit her website at https://bethpinsker.com/   Follow Beth on Social Media:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bpinsker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethpinsker_ny Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bethpinsker.bsky.social

    35 min
  8. Autism. Science. Hope.

    FEB 2

    Autism. Science. Hope.

    On this episode of The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide, host Candace Dellacona sits down with Dr. Theresa Lyons—a Yale-educated scientist and founder of Navigating AWEtism—to talk candidly about raising a child with autism while navigating the complex medical system. From decoding the autism diagnosis process to building the right healthcare team, Dr. Lyons shares practical guidance, research-backed insights, and a message of real hope for families doing it all. A must-listen for parents balancing special-needs parenting and elder care. 00:00 Introduction to the Sandwich Generation Survival Guide00:45 Meet Dr. Theresa Lyons: A Yale-Trained Scientist and Autism Advocate01:40 Dr. Lyons' Personal Journey with Autism02:41 Navigating the Emotional and Scientific Challenges of Autism06:43 Building the Right Healthcare Team09:29 Conventional vs. Functional Medicine14:25 Scientific Insights and Hopeful Research23:05 Balancing Care for Children with Autism and Aging Parents25:01 The Importance of Self-Care and Delegation28:12 Celebrating Small Victories and Building Support Systems29:39 Conclusion and Resources For more information on Navigating AWEtism, visit their website at https://awetism.net/ Subscribe to Navigating AWEtism’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@navigatingawetism Follow Navigating AWEtism on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/navigating_awetism/ Follow Dr. Lyons on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresamlyonsphd/ Purchase The Lyons Report 2020: https://www.amazon.com/Lyons-Report-2020-Functional-Medicine/dp/1734358203

    31 min
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4.9
out of 5
37 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide, where we explore the challenges and strategies of navigating life caught between work demands and supporting our loved ones while maintaining our own well-being. Join us in this dynamic podcast series as we uncover the complexities individuals face balancing multiple roles in the modern world. Our host, Candace Dellacona, shares personal experiences and professional insights to guide listeners through this complex journey.

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