Voices of Care with Porsche Middleton

Get Care at Home

Voices of Care is a podcast for families, caregivers, and professionals navigating dementia, aging, and in-home care. Each episode offers practical guidance on caregiver burnout, dementia behaviors, senior safety, Medicare, Medi-Cal, long-term care resources, and knowing when an aging parent may need more support. We talk about what families face, what questions to ask, what red flags to watch for, and how to create care that respects the person receiving it. Real stories. Useful information. Human-centered care.

Episodes

  1. Oct 9

    Why does someone with dementia suddenly refuse to bathe?

    Why does someone with dementia suddenly refuse to bathe? What looks like stubbornness may actually be fear, confusion, embarrassment, pain, loss of balance, or a routine that no longer feels familiar. In this episode of Voices of Care, Porsche Middleton explains why bathing can become difficult for someone living with dementia and what families can do to make the experience safer and less confrontational. You’ll hear practical ways to adjust timing, language, the bathroom environment, and the level of assistance you provide while protecting dignity and independence. You’ll also learn when a sudden change in bathing behavior may be a sign that something physical needs attention, and why a parent who refuses help from family may respond differently to a professional caregiver. In this episode: Why dementia can make bathing confusing or frighteningHow to reduce resistance without forcing the issueSimple changes that can make the bathroom feel saferWays to preserve privacy and independenceWhen pain or another health issue may be contributingWhy outside caregiving support can sometimes help Voices of Care offers practical guidance for families navigating dementia, aging, caregiving, and in-home care.

    Why does someone with dementia suddenly refuse to bathe?

  2. Sep 25

    How to Spot the Signs and Stop the Scammers

    About 4.3 million older adults live alone with cognitive decline, often invisible, often with no one to catch the small warning signs. In this episode, Porsche shares a neighbor's checklist of what to watch for, then turns to the fraud that targets these folks specifically: the grandparent scam, AI voice cloning, government imposters, and the three red flags that give nearly every scam away. Practical protection for anyone who loves someone aging alone, including the free AARP helpline to keep on hand. Voices of Care, Get Care at Home.

    How to Spot the Signs and Stop the Scammers

  3. Sep 18

    Caregiver Burnout: You're Allowed to Need Care, Too

    Caring for a parent with dementia doesn't come with a scorecard that ever says "done," so many family caregivers carry a quiet belief that they're not doing enough. In this episode, Porsche shares what Sacramento-area families taught her about protecting your own life while caring for someone else's: why comfort matters more than being right, and where free local support exists for you, the caregiver, not just your loved one. If your evenings feel long, this one's for you. Voices of Care, Get Care at Home.

    Caregiver Burnout: You're Allowed to Need Care, Too

  4. Sep 11

    Senior Loneliness: Why Social Isolation Is a Health Risk

    We tend to treat loneliness as a mood. The research says it's a genuine health risk, one that shows up in the heart and the brain. In this episode, Porsche unpacks what decades of studies actually found about connection and survival, why an isolated parent is more vulnerable than we realize, and the simple, powerful truth underneath it all: showing up for someone isn't just kind, it's protective. Hopeful, practical, and worth sharing with anyone caring for someone who's home alone. Voices of Care, Get Care at Home.

    Senior Loneliness: Why Social Isolation Is a Health Risk

  5. Sep 4

    California Elder Care Resources: Finding Your Way Through the Maze

    The moment you realize your parent needs help, you don't get a map. You get a maze of agencies, acronyms, and eligibility rules. In this episode, Porsche hands you the blueprint: what ADRCs, LTSS, and "No Wrong Door" actually mean in plain English, the three steps from diagnosis to daily care, and how to make the next phone call feel less like guessing. You were never supposed to be born knowing how this system works. Let's walk through it together. Voices of Care, Get Care at Home.

    California Elder Care Resources: Finding Your Way Through the Maze

  6. Jul 6

    Dementia Aggression: The Behavior Is Not the Problem

    Your parent lunged. Or screamed something they've never said before. And in that moment, every strategy you knew flew right out of your head — because staying calm doesn't feel like enough when you're the one getting hit. In this episode, Porsche unpacks what a 2026 peer-reviewed overview confirms: that dementia aggression is not a personality problem. It's a communication signal. She walks family caregivers through the Unmet Needs Model — the science behind why aggression happens — and gives four real, dignity-preserving steps you can use at home today to detect what your parent's brain is actually trying to say. This is the episode to share with every family member who has ever asked, 'Why does this keep happening?'

    Dementia Aggression: The Behavior Is Not the Problem

  7. 10/06/2025

    Medicare Advantage and Home Care: When Your Insurer Becomes Your Caregiver

    What if your insurance company is secretly driving up your care costs while pocketing the difference? Right now, major insurers are buying up home care providers and exploiting a federal loophole that lets them inflate prices on paper while avoiding consumer rebates. The result: your Medicare Advantage premiums climb, independent care agencies get squeezed out, and you lose both transparency and choice in who provides your care. This episode reveals how "payviders" are gaming the system and what lawmakers are finally doing to stop it. Because understanding this practice is the first step to protecting yourself and demanding better.

    Medicare Advantage and Home Care: When Your Insurer Becomes Your Caregiver
  • 7 Episodes

About

Voices of Care is a podcast for families, caregivers, and professionals navigating dementia, aging, and in-home care. Each episode offers practical guidance on caregiver burnout, dementia behaviors, senior safety, Medicare, Medi-Cal, long-term care resources, and knowing when an aging parent may need more support. We talk about what families face, what questions to ask, what red flags to watch for, and how to create care that respects the person receiving it. Real stories. Useful information. Human-centered care.

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