The Babs and Dot Show

The Babs and Dot Show
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Relationships
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to the Babs and Dot Show - When Moms Age, and Daughters Adapt (or not)! Join us as we navigate the joys, challenges, and surprises of caring for our aging mothers, "Babs" and "Dot." With every episode, we share heartfelt stories, frustrations, unexpected laughter, and moments of connection. Whether you're a caregiver, care manager, or just curious about the journey, this is your space to listen, relate, and maybe even find a smile along the way.

Episodes

  1. 08/24/2025

    The Real Costs of Long-Term Care: Part 3 - Nursing Homes

    After looking at care at home and assisted living, we’re now exploring one of the most complex and often overwhelming options: nursing homes. In this episode, we dig into what nursing homes actually provide, how they differ from assisted living, the actual costs involved, and the factors families need to consider when this level of care becomes necessary. It’s not an easy topic, but it’s one many of us will face. Our goal is to share what we’ve learned, clear up some of the confusion, and make the conversation a little less intimidating.

    33 min

  2. 08/07/2025

    The Real Costs of Long-Term Care: Part 2 – Assisted Living

    In Part 1, we shared what it’s been like trying to support our aging moms at home. In this episode, we’re turning our attention to assisted living—one of the options we’ve explored along the way. We’ll get into what assisted living actually offers, the costs involved (some of which really surprised us), and the questions we didn’t know to ask. This isn’t a how-to—it’s what we’ve learned so far, and what we’re still trying to figure out. If you’re starting to look into long-term care options for someone you love, we hope this helps you feel a little more informed and a lot less alone.

    30 min

  3. 06/30/2025

    The Real Costs of Long-Term Care: Part 1 – In-Home Care Realities

    When it came time to care for our aging mothers, our first thought was, "Of course they can stay at home—we’ll figure it out." But we quickly learned there’s so much more to it. In this episode, we’re sharing our personal stories, the surprising costs, the emotional toll, the things no one tells you, and the parts that completely caught us off guard. If you’re already going through this or know it’s just around the corner, we hope this conversation helps you feel a little more prepared and a little less alone. Stick with us—Part 2 is coming soon, where we’ll dig into the costs and realities of assisted living and more.

    34 min

  4. 05/29/2025

    Care Managing When They are Aging AND Stubborn!! | Part 2

    In Part 2, we’re back in the care managing trenches—this time tackling the last 9 tips from The Arbor Company’s article “18 Tips for Dealing with Stubborn Aging Parents.” From boundary-setting gymnastics to mastering the art of selective hearing, we’re breaking it down with humor, exasperation, and the occasional wine-fueled truth bomb. Thanks to The Arbor Company for the inspiration: ⁠https://www.arborcompany.com/blog/18-tips-for-dealing-with-stubborn-aging-parents

    45 min

  5. 05/02/2025

    Care Managing When They are Aging AND Stubborn!! | Part 1

    They’re getting older… but that doesn’t mean they’re getting easier. In this episode, we talk about what it’s like to care for aging family members who are just a little (or a lot) stubborn. From power struggles to laugh-out-loud moments, we’re sharing stories, real talk, and a few tips for keeping your cool. 📝 Thank you to The Arbor Company: https://www.arborcompany.com/blog/18-tips-for-dealing-with-stubborn-aging-parents

    45 min

  6. 04/03/2025

    Tech & Aging Parents: Help or Hindrance?

    Technology can be a lifesaver for aging parents—but it can also be a headache. In this episode of The Babs and Dot Show, we dive into the struggles of texting, the risks of online scams, and the fine line between helping and hovering. We share personal stories, a few laughs, and some hard truths about balancing independence and safety. If you're navigating this with your own parents, you’re not alone!

    53 min

  7. 03/14/2025

    Wait… Do They Need Help or Just Being Stubborn?

    Figuring out when your aging parent actually needs help is like decoding a secret language—one where “I’m fine” sometimes means “I just fell, but don’t worry about it.” In this episode of The Babs and Dot Show, we dive into the tricky balance of doing too much vs. not enough, the subtle (and not-so-subtle) signs they might need support, and why they insist on doing things that make us lose sleep. Plus, we’ll go through a handy list of 11 signs it’s time to step in—whether they admit it or not! [edit, in this episode, at some point we mention "Medicaid, "we meant "Medicare."] Please email us with questions today! babsanddot@gmail.com Articles mentioned in this episode:  7 Reasons Why Independence Is Important for Seniors https://caringseniorservice.com/blog/7-reasons-why-independence-is-important-for-seniors/ 11 Signs Your Aging Parent Needs Senior Care https://health.usnews.com/senior-care/caregiving/articles/identifying-the-right-time-for-senior-care

    57 min

  8. 03/01/2025

    Malibu Madness: When Mom Buys Two Cars… but Shouldn’t Be Driving

    In this episode of Babs & Dot, we dive into the wild, frustrating, and often hilarious realities of caregiving for aging parents. When a 93-year-old mom—who should not be driving—decides to buy not one, but two cars, chaos (and family intervention) ensues. How do you balance elderly independence, family responsibility, and safety—especially when your parent refuses to give up the car keys? We’ll talk about navigating difficult conversations, dealing with aging and memory concerns, setting healthy caregiving boundaries, and the unexpected comedy that comes with it all. If you’re facing the challenge of helping an aging parent transition out of driving—or just need a laugh—this episode is for you. Creds to www.floraphonic.com⁠ for the screeching tire sounds effects.

    1 hr

  9. 02/13/2025

    5 Realizations That Hit Hard: The Unseen Journey of Care Managing, PART 2

    In today’s episode, we’re kicking off Part 2 of our conversation where we’ll continue to share some of the realizations that hit hard on our journey of caring for our mothers. Enjoy! Also, in case you need them, these are the bandages I ordered for my mom.  Dimora Silicone Foam Dressing with Border Adhesive

    34 min

  10. 01/30/2025

    5 Realizations That Hit Hard: The Unseen Journey of Care Managing, PART 1

    In today’s episode, we’re kicking off Part 1 of a two-part series in which we’ll share some of the realizations that truly hit us hard on our journey of caring for our mothers. We’ll talk through the first half of the lessons we’ve learned—some big surprises and some practical takeaways that have made a difference in how we manage care as we navigate the complexities of caring for our aging, precious, and sometimes challenging mothers. *The correct name of our delicious wine of choice for the night is "Winemakers Selection Red Blend," and the winemaker is Andrea Brambila (sorry, Andrea).

    33 min

  11. 01/02/2025

    Why are We Doing This?

    Welcome to The Babs and Dot Show! We’re two friends navigating the uncharted waters of our moms aging—and let’s be honest, we’re figuring it out as we go. Our mothers, Babs and Dot, are at the heart of our lives, and their growing need for care has thrown us into a world we never saw coming. This podcast is our way of processing it all: the confusion, the frustrations, the unexpected laughs, and the deep love that keeps us going. We started this podcast because we know we’re not alone, and we wanted a space to share real, honest conversations about what it’s like to watch our moms age and adapt—or not. Whether you’re at the start of a similar journey or just want to listen in on two friends trying to make sense of it all, we hope you’ll join us for the ride. Connect with us today! Email: babsanddot@gmail.com

    42 min
  • 11 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Babs and Dot Show - When Moms Age, and Daughters Adapt (or not)! Join us as we navigate the joys, challenges, and surprises of caring for our aging mothers, "Babs" and "Dot." With every episode, we share heartfelt stories, frustrations, unexpected laughter, and moments of connection. Whether you're a caregiver, care manager, or just curious about the journey, this is your space to listen, relate, and maybe even find a smile along the way.

Information

  • Creator
    The Babs and Dot Show
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Babs and Dot Show
  • Show Website
    The Babs and Dot Show