From Overwhelmed to Relieved The Senior Caregiving Podcast

Shannon Calles

Are you an adult daughter caring for an aging parent and feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure how much longer you can keep going? From Overwhelmed to Relieved: The Senior Caregiving Podcast is a compassionate, truth-telling space for women navigating the emotional and practical realities of caring for aging parents—especially moms. Hosted by Shannon Calles, Independent Agency Owner, Senior Care Consultant, a Certified Dementia Practitioner, and someone who has walked this caregiving path personally. She offers honest guidance on dementia, assisted living and memory care decisions, caregiver burnout, family dynamics, and how to get your parent the care they deserve without losing yourself in the process. This isn't about doing caregiving perfectly. It's about sustainable care, dignity for your parent, and relief for you. If you've ever whispered, "I love my mom… but I'm exhausted," you're in the right place. Subscribe to the podcast and share it with another adult daughter who is quietly carrying a lot too who needs to guidance and support on her caregiving journey. Connect with Shannon! Website: https://clarkcountyseniorresources.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clark_county_senior_resources Call her directly: 564-227-8847 Schedule a Call with Shannon - https://calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min?month=2026-01

  1. POA: What It Actually Means (And What It Doesn't)

    May 24

    POA: What It Actually Means (And What It Doesn't)

    POA: What It Actually Means (And What It Doesn't)   "Power of Attorney is not a title. It is a role. And like any role, it comes with responsibilities, boundaries, and a need for support." — Shannon Calles, Episode 19   Episode Overview Most families treat Power of Attorney like a checkbox — sign it, file it, breathe easier. But the gap between what POA actually means and what most people think it means can cause serious harm when a care crisis hits. Using a composite client story, Shannon breaks down the five most common POA misconceptions — and gives you a clear framework for understanding your role and your limits before the next crisis arrives.   What You'll Learn in This Episode •        Why POA doesn't give you unlimited authority while your parent is still legally competent •        The difference between Financial POA and Healthcare POA — and why one without the other leaves a dangerous gap •        When your POA authority expires (yes, it can expire) •        How to protect yourself legally and emotionally when family conflict arises •        The documentation habits that protect both you and your parent •        What the role of POA actually requires — and what it doesn't   The 5 Most Common POA Misconceptions 1. POA means you're in charge. (Not necessarily — not while your parent is still legally competent.) 2. One document covers everything. (Financial POA and Healthcare POA are separate documents.) 3. POA is permanent. (It expires at death and may not be honored if it's outdated.) 4. POA protects you from family conflict. (It gives you legal authority — not family harmony.) 5. You can handle this alone. (You cannot — and you shouldn't have to.)   This Week's Challenge: The POA Document Audit •        Find and locate the POA document •        Read it — note the type, date signed, and when your authority activates •        Identify the gap — do you have both financial and healthcare POA? Is it current and on file? •        Take one single next action to close the gap •        Share your takeaway on Instagram and tag @clark_county_senior_resources   This Week's Mantra "I don't have to have all the answers. I just have to know my role, ask for help, and keep showing up for her."   Resources Mentioned •        National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys: naela.org •        AARP Power of Attorney Guide: aarp.org •        Area Agency on Aging (Clark County): 360-735-5720 •        Strong Daughters Club (Free Facebook Community): The Strong Daughters Club •        Book a Call with Shannon: calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min   Join the Strong Daughters Club If today's episode brought up questions — about POA, about what comes next, about how to even start these conversations — you don't have to sit with them alone. The Strong Daughters Club is our free Facebook community built specifically for adult daughters navigating senior care.   Join here: The Strong Daughters Club   Connect with Shannon Calles Website: clarkcountyseniorresources.com Email: shannon@clarkcountysr.com Phone/Text: 564-227-8847 Instagram: @clark_county_senior_resources Book a Call: calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min

    15 min
  2. How to Have the Hard Conversation About Your Parent's Care Plan

    May 18

    How to Have the Hard Conversation About Your Parent's Care Plan

    Episode 18 | How to Have the Hard Conversation About Your Parent's Care Plan (Before Crisis Forces It) Are you avoiding "the talk" with your aging parent about their care plan — and secretly hoping it never has to happen? You're not alone. But the longer we wait, the more that decision gets made for us. In an ER. By strangers. In crisis. In this episode, Shannon Calles — senior care consultant, certified dementia practitioner, and someone who has walked this caregiving road personally — breaks down the three hardest conversations in caregiving and gives you the tools to finally start having them. In this episode you'll learn: ✔ How to start "the talk" with your parent before a crisis forces it — including exact conversation starters you can use this week ✔ How to navigate the sibling dynamic when not everyone is showing up equally  ✔ What to do when your parent refuses help — and what that resistance is really telling you ✔ Why having this conversation early is one of the most loving things you can do Want to talk through your specific situation and what your options are? In a call together, I'll help you understand where things stand with your parent, what care options are available now and in the future, and exactly how I can support you. RESOURCES MENTIONED: •        Strong Daughters Club (Free Facebook Community): facebook.com/share/g/1DnDv72Hfx •        Book a Call with Shannon: calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min •        The Caregiver's Relief Guide (Free Download): clarkcountyseniorresources.com   CONNECT WITH SHANNON: •        Email: shannon@clarkcountysr.com •        Phone/Text: 564-227-8847 •        Website: clarkcountyseniorresources.com •        Instagram: @clark_county_senior_resources

    13 min

  3. May 6

    You Can't Pour from an Empty Daughter

    Episode 17: Self-Care for the Daughter in You 7 Types of Care You Actually Deserve — Not Just the Ones You Give Away   EPISODE QUOTE: "You are not just a caregiver. You are a whole person. And your care matters." — Shannon Calles   When did you last do something that was just for you? If the answer takes more than two seconds, this episode is for you.   Shannon Calles, Certified Dementia Practitioner and senior care consultant, breaks down 7 essential types of self-care that caregiving daughters deserve—but rarely allow themselves. Through the story of composite client Denise (a relatable stand-in for so many caregiving daughters), Shannon reframes self-care from a luxury to a caregiving strategy.   IN THIS EPISODE: •        Why caregiver depletion is a direct threat to your parent's care quality •        The 7 types of care caregiving daughters neglect most •        How to start reclaiming your well-being without overhauling your life •        A weekly challenge and mantra to get you started this week   THE 7 TYPES OF SELF-CARE COVERED: •        Physical Care — Rest, movement, and showing up for your own body •        Emotional Care — Permission to feel, space to grieve, support to process •        Mental Care — Protecting cognitive bandwidth and releasing what isn't yours •        Social Care — Staying connected when isolation creeps in •        Spiritual Care — Reconnecting to meaning, stillness, and what matters most •        Creative Care — Reclaiming what makes you feel alive •        Identity Care — Remembering who you are beyond your caregiver role   RESOURCES MENTIONED: •        Strong Daughters Circle — In-Person Event: May 19, 5–7 PM | Founders Mercantile Coffee, Vancouver, WA •        Strong Daughters Club (Free Facebook Community): facebook.com/share/g/1DnDv72Hfx •        Book a Call with Shannon: calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min •        The Caregiver's Relief Guide (Free Download): clarkcountyseniorresources.com   CONNECT WITH SHANNON: •        Email: shannon@clarkcountysr.com •        Phone/Text: 564-227-8847 •        Website: clarkcountyseniorresources.com •        Instagram: @clark_county_senior_resources   WEEKLY CHALLENGE: •        Choose ONE of the 7 types of care from this episode •        Take one small action in that area this week •        Tell someone you're doing it (accountability!) •        Post on Instagram and tag @clark_county_senior_resources with the caption: "I deserve care too."   THIS WEEK'S MANTRA: "I am not just a caregiver. I am a whole person, and my care matters."

    16 min

  4. May 4

    What No One Tells You About the Final Days

    Episode 16 Summary Nothing in caregiving fully prepares you for the final days with your parent. Not the years of experience. Not the training. Not even the love you carry.   In this deeply personal episode, Shannon speaks truth with tenderness about the sacred collision of exhaustion and honor that lives in end-of-life caregiving. She talks about caregiver autopilot — the survival mode that keeps us functioning but sometimes steals the very moments we're trying to be present for. She addresses the FOMO of watching the world keep moving while you keep vigil. And she offers four truths to help you navigate the final days with grace.   This episode is permission. To slow down. To be here. To let this season be exactly what it is.   What You'll Learn in This Episode •        Why autopilot is both a survival gift and a presence thief for caregivers •        The difference between anticipatory grief and the grief of witnessing •        How to release FOMO when the world keeps moving and you can't •        Four honest truths that will carry you through the final days •        Why hearing is the last sense to go — and what that means for you •        How to give yourself permission to be exactly where you are   This Week's Challenge •        Give yourself permission to slow down. Write it down: "I have permission to be here." •        Find one moment today to just be present. Sit beside them. Hold their hand. Breathe. •        Share this episode on Instagram and tag @clark_county_senior_resources. Let another daughter know she's not alone.   This Week's Mantra "I am exactly where I am supposed to be. This is my sacred season, and I am enough for it."   Resources & Links •        Join the Strong Daughters Club (free Facebook community): The Strong Daughters Club •        Book a call with Shannon: calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min •        Email Shannon: shannon@clarkcountysr.com •        Follow on Instagram: @clark_county_senior_resources •        Website: clarkcountyseniorresources.com

    11 min

  5. Apr 29

    That's Memory Care

    Episode 15: That's Memory Care — The Light in the Heavy and Why Planning Now Changes Everything Nobody told you it would look like this. The behaviors that stop you in your tracks. The moments your kids want to disappear into the floor. And yes — the moments that are just a little bit funny, even when you feel guilty for laughing.   In Episode 15, Shannon shares stories from her years inside Memory Care communities — including Bob, the Salt Lake City resident who walked the halls naked every day with the confidence of a man who had somewhere to be — explains the brain science behind dementia behaviors, and talks about why the families who navigate this journey with the most grace are the ones who had a plan before the crisis hit.   She also shares, for the first time on this podcast, why she left corporate senior care after 15 years and started Clark County Senior Resources — and what that means for your family.   Episode Quote: "Pre-planning is not giving up on him. Pre-planning is loving him well before the emergency takes the choice away from you."   What We Cover: •        Why Memory Care staff never flinch — and what that calm teaches us •        The 4 real causes of undressing behavior: physical discomfort, sequencing loss, disorientation, sundowning •        Why the funny moments are allowed — and why they matter •        How to talk to your kids after a difficult Memory Care visit •        Why Shannon left corporate senior care and started Clark County Senior Resources •        Why pre-planning for care is the most loving thing you can do right now •        Your Brain on Mom podcast — recommended resource for siblings in real time •        The Strong Daughters Club: your free community for the middle of the journey   Resources Mentioned: •        Your Brain on Mom Podcast — search on your favorite podcast platform •        Strong Daughters Club (Facebook): Click Here to Join •        Book a Free Discovery Call: calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min •        Clark County Senior Resources: clarkcountyseniorresources.com   This Week's Challenge: 1.   Find the laugh this week — and let yourself have it. 2.   Start the conversation about care planning — or book a free call with Shannon. 3.   Share this episode and tag @clark_county_senior_resources.   Connect with Shannon: Website: clarkcountyseniorresources.com Instagram: @clark_county_senior_resources Email: shannon@clarkcountysr.com | Phone/Text: 564-227-8847 Book a Free Call: @clark_county_senior_resources

    18 min

  6. Apr 16

    JOIN THE STRONG DAUGHTERS CLUB

    You're managing everything — the appointments, the medications, the decisions, the grief — and the loneliest part isn't the workload. It's doing all of it without a single person in your life who truly gets what this season feels like. In this episode, Shannon Calles opens up about why she built The Strong Daughters Club in January 2026, what it's grown into (250+ members and counting!), and why community might be the missing piece you didn't know to look for. She shares the story of Renee — a daughter navigating placement for her mom without anyone in her corner who understood — and walks through the three rallying cries that drive everything The Strong Daughters Club stands for: ✨ Strong doesn't mean solo. ✨ We find light in the heavy. ✨ Choose yourself AND love your parent — living in the AND. You'll also hear about the weekly rhythms inside the online community, the monthly Strong Daughters Circles launching this spring, and the first in-person gathering happening May 19th in Vancouver, WA. This episode is for the daughter who's been white-knuckling it alone. It's time to exhale. 🎧 Listen now and then come find your people. 🎯 YOUR WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Step 1 — Name your isolation. Grab a piece of paper and answer honestly: Who in my life truly gets what I'm going through? If that list is empty, that's your sign. Step 2 — Take one action toward community. If you're not in the Strong Daughters Club yet, join today — it's free: The Strong Daughters Club. Already a member? Invite one person this week. You know exactly who needs this. Step 3 — Share this episode publicly. Tag @clark_county_senior_resources on Instagram and let's normalize the reality of caregiving — the hard, the messy, and the beautiful. 💛 THIS WEEK'S MANTRA: "Strong doesn't mean solo. I was never meant to carry this alone — and starting today, I won't." JOIN THE STRONG DAUGHTERS CLUB (Free Facebook Community): Strong Daughters Club FIRST IN-PERSON EVENT — May 19th, 5–7 PM: Founders Merchantile Coffee | Vancouver, WA BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL: calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min CONNECT WITH SHANNON: 📧 shannon@clarkcountysr.com 📱 564-227-8847 📷 @clark_county_senior_resources

    16 min

  7. Apr 6

    The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide: How to Keep Mom Home Without Losing Yourself

    The Sandwich Generation — When Keeping Mom Home Is Costing You Everything   Are you caught between caring for your aging mom and raising your own kids — running on empty, trying to be everything to everyone? You're not alone. You're the Sandwich Generation, and this episode is for you.   In this honest, tender conversation, Shannon Calles breaks down what it really means to keep Mom home — the love behind the decision, the hidden costs nobody warns you about, and the point when "I can handle this" becomes "I can't do this anymore." Through the story of a composite client named Lisa and real-world insights from 15+ years in senior care, Shannon walks you through how to assess your situation honestly, what options exist beyond "I do it all myself," and how to build a plan that protects both your mom AND your own wellbeing.   In this episode:   •        What the Sandwich Generation really looks like (and costs) •        The difference between keeping Mom home and keeping Mom home sustainably •        Signs that the current arrangement is no longer working •        What support options exist between solo caregiving and placement •        How to take the honest assessment that changes everything •        This week's challenge: Name your one need and share your truth   Want expert guidance before you make your next move? The Clarity Before Placement Package is a structured consultation for families who need a real plan before making a placement decision. You'll walk away with clarity, a care path, and the confidence to take action.   🗓️ This Week's Challenge:  The Honest Assessment Sit down with a piece of paper and answer these questions honestly. No one is grading you. No one is watching. •        On a scale of 1–10, how sustainable is my current caregiving situation? •        What is the thing I keep pushing down because I don't have time to deal with it? •        If my best friend were in my exact situation, what would I tell her to do? 💬 Your Mantra:  "Asking for help is not weakness. It is the most loving thing I can do — for my mom, for my family, and for myself." Want to talk through your situation? Book a free 30-minute call with Shannon at calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min. Together we'll look at where things are with your parent, what options are available now and in the future, and how I can help — no pressure, no quotas. 📧 shannon@clarkcountysr.com 📱 564-227-8847 📸 @clark_county_senior_resources 🌐 clarkcountyseniorresources.com From Overwhelmed to Relieved: The Senior Caregiving Podcast is hosted by Shannon Calles, Certified Dementia Practitioner and founder of Clark County Senior Resources in Vancouver, WA. Shannon works for families — not facilities, not corporations — helping adult daughters navigate senior care decisions with clarity, compassion, and zero guilt.

    13 min

  8. Mar 31

    Placement Guilt Is Real — Here's What to Do With It | Episode 12

    That voice that says "what kind of daughter does this?" — it's lying to you. And today we're going to talk about why. Placement guilt is one of the most painful and least talked-about parts of the senior caregiving journey. In Episode 12, I'm breaking down what placement guilt actually is, where it comes from, and why feeling it does not make you a bad daughter — it makes you a daughter who loves her mother deeply. I share the story of a family I worked with — I'll call her Laura — whose relationship with her mom completely transformed after placement. Not because things got easier. But because Laura finally got to be her mother's daughter again instead of her exhausted, depleted caregiver. In this episode you'll learn: What placement guilt actually is — and what it isn't The dangerous myth of the "good daughter" that's keeping you stuck Why choosing professional care can be the most loving decision you make Three things to do when the guilt shows up at 2 AM This week's challenge and your mantra to carry through the week 🗓️ This Week's Challenge: Write the letter you'll never send — to your guilt, not your mom. Say one true thing out loud. And share this episode with a daughter who needs to hear it. 💬 Your Mantra: "Choosing professional care for my mother is not giving up on her. It is showing up for her in the most honest, loving way I know how." Want to talk through your situation? Book a free 30-minute call with Shannon at calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min. Together we'll look at where things are with your parent, what options are available now and in the future, and how I can help — no pressure, no quotas. 📧 shannon@clarkcountysr.com 📱 564-227-8847 📸 @clark_county_senior_resources 🌐 clarkcountyseniorresources.com From Overwhelmed to Relieved: The Senior Caregiving Podcast is hosted by Shannon Calles, Certified Dementia Practitioner and founder of Clark County Senior Resources in Vancouver, WA. Shannon works for families — not facilities, not corporations — helping adult daughters navigate senior care decisions with clarity, compassion, and zero guilt.

    11 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Are you an adult daughter caring for an aging parent and feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure how much longer you can keep going? From Overwhelmed to Relieved: The Senior Caregiving Podcast is a compassionate, truth-telling space for women navigating the emotional and practical realities of caring for aging parents—especially moms. Hosted by Shannon Calles, Independent Agency Owner, Senior Care Consultant, a Certified Dementia Practitioner, and someone who has walked this caregiving path personally. She offers honest guidance on dementia, assisted living and memory care decisions, caregiver burnout, family dynamics, and how to get your parent the care they deserve without losing yourself in the process. This isn't about doing caregiving perfectly. It's about sustainable care, dignity for your parent, and relief for you. If you've ever whispered, "I love my mom… but I'm exhausted," you're in the right place. Subscribe to the podcast and share it with another adult daughter who is quietly carrying a lot too who needs to guidance and support on her caregiving journey. Connect with Shannon! Website: https://clarkcountyseniorresources.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clark_county_senior_resources Call her directly: 564-227-8847 Schedule a Call with Shannon - https://calendly.com/shannon-clarkcountysr/30min?month=2026-01

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