The Caregiving Soul Empowered Us

In our second bonus episode for National Family Caregiver month, we present The Caregiving Soul’s first live episode recording from the annual Exchange Conference presented by Good Days. Dannelle speaks with Erin Galyean, a dedicated patient advocate who shares her family's caregiving journey. Erin offers invaluable insights on navigating healthcare, stressing the need for informed questioning, self-advocacy, and a robust support system. She provides actionable tips for optimizing medical appointments, including effective questioning techniques and the power of recording conversations with healthcare providers for later review. Additionally, Erin introduces her "Five R's" morning routine for caregivers, emphasizing the crucial balance between self-care and caregiving responsibilities.
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In our first bonus episode for National Family Caregiver month, we revisit abridged versions from two episodes of The Caregiving Soul about service animals. Dannelle speaks with Aubree and Makenzie from Canine Companions, a nonprofit providing free service dogs to veterans and individuals with disabilities. They delve into the unique ways these dogs empower their handlers, discussing topics such as PTSD support, alert systems, and life-changing independence. Later, Cienna Ditri shares her inspiring journey with her service dogs, highlighting how Piper's remarkable abilities have revolutionized her life, from alerting to low blood sugar to preventing fainting episodes. From opening doors and picking up dropped items, to emotional support and helping to reduce stress and anxiety, service animals can help their owners live more independent and fulfilling lives.
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Thank you so much for another wonderful season! As we're wrapping up season two, I'd like to extend a big thank you for joining us in some difficult but critical, encouraging, and always hope-filled conversations. 
Throughout this season, we learned from the lived experiences of care partners and experts who shared really eye-opening insights into the impact on our close relationships and how we can work our way through hard conversations and unexpected caregiving challenges with our sanity intact. 
I hope the stories and perspectives shared by our incredible guests make a positive difference that we know won't make the mountain any smaller, but gives you some provision, ideas, and faith to sustain you to the other side of your caregiving journey. They certainly have for me.  

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Caring for a loved one going through brain change can be overwhelming, with daily tasks often met with difficulty and frustration. In our very first “Ask Me Anything (AMA)” episode, Speech language pathologist and dementia educator, Adria Thompson, shares the importance of focusing on what brings joy and purpose to our loved ones, making daily tasks more meaningful and motivating for them. With her extensive experience, Adria has shared a number of ways to lean into their interests and passions, personalizing the approach to their unique needs.
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In last week’s episode we explored how service dogs are trained and matched to their owners’ unique needs. From chronic illness to other medical needs, service dogs possess the incredible ability to provide vital assistance and unwavering support to their human partners. Not only do they bring a sense of companionship, but can also serve as an invaluable lifeline on a person’s care team. This week, chronic illness and disability advocate Cienna Ditri sheds light on the immense impact that her service dogs, Piper and Pamina have had on her day-to-day life, independence, and medical safety. 
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This unique episode explores the companionship and care that service animals can provide for their owners. Today Dannelle speaks with Client Services Manager Aubree Wright and Client turned Instructor Assistant Makenzie McGuire from Canine Companions, a national organization that's making a huge impact in the lives of people with a variety of needs and abilities by providing highly trained service dogs at no charge to the recipient. These amazing dogs go beyond the companionship that pets provide. From opening doors and picking up dropped items, to emotional support and helping to reduce stress and anxiety, service dogs can help their owners live more independent and fulfilling lives. 
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.