Caregiver Podcast
Caregiver Podcast – We Laugh So We Don't Cry
Caring for an aging parent can be one of the hardest—and most meaningful—journeys of your life. You don't have to navigate it alone.
Hosted by Tina Rains, RN, CALA, and co-host Melinda Foster, the Caregiver Podcast – We Laugh So We Don't Cry helps adult children make confident decisions for aging parents through expert guidance, real caregiver stories, and practical advice you can use today.
Whether you're caring for a parent with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other age-related challenges, each episode helps you navigate the questions families ask every day:
• What are the early signs of dementia?
• Is it time for assisted living or memory care?
• What do I do if my parent refuses help?
• How can I reduce caregiver stress and burnout?
• How do I know if Mom or Dad is still safe living alone?
• How do I balance caregiving with work and family?
• What should I do after an Alzheimer's diagnosis?
• How do I make the best decisions without feeling guilty?
You'll hear honest conversations with caregivers, physicians, elder law attorneys, senior care experts, and industry professionals who share practical strategies, compassionate guidance, and real-life solutions.
If you're looking for trusted information about aging parents, Alzheimer's, dementia care, caregiving, memory care, senior living, home care, caregiver burnout, and family caregiving, you've found your community.
New episodes every week to help you care with greater confidence, clarity, and hope.
Free caregiver guides and resources:
masterpiececare.com/family-guides
Episodes
27 episodes
Why Mom Turns "Crazy" at 5PM — What Sundowners Really Is
"Why is mom going crazy at night?" That's the question caregivers ask Tina again and again, and it's almost always the same answer: it's not crazy, it's sundowners. Sweet and adorable at noon, angry and packing a bag to "go home" by 5PM. If tha...
What Hospice Actually Does (It's Not What You Think)
You've cooked her meals, cleaned up after her, even taken her to get her nails done, wait, wrong episode. Here's this one: You think hospice means the last few days of life. So does almost everyone. But that misconception is keeping families fr...
"Mom thinks I’m stealing from her…" — Dementia & False Accusations
You've cooked her meals, cleaned up after her, even taken her to get her nails done, and then out of nowhere, she accuses you of stealing her jewelry. If you've ever stood there thinking "what is happening right now," this episode is going to e...
The Caregiver Needs A Caregiver Too | Tina & Melinda
You take care of everyone else's appointments, meds, meals, and meltdowns, but who's checking in on you? If the answer is "no one," or "I don't have time to think about it," this episode is about to name something you've probably felt for a lon...
Caregiver Burnout Nobody Talks About (And How to Actually Fix It)
You're snapping at people you love. You're running on coffee and adrenaline. You keep telling yourself you'll rest "once things calm down", except they never do. That's not a personality flaw. That's caregiver burnout, and it's quietly re...
How Funeral Pre-Planning Can Prevent Sibling Conflict and Family Stress
What happens when siblings disagree about a parent’s final wishes, and how can families prevent those disagreements before a crisis?In this episode of The Caregiver Podcast – We Laugh So We Don’t Cry, Tina Rains, RN, CALA a...
Caregivers: Who Controls Mom’s Money, Care and Assets?
Who makes the decisions when Mom or Dad can no longer make them on their own?It’s a conversation many families put off. No one really wants to talk about money, declining health, incapacity, or what happens after a parent dies. But when ...
Caregivers:Beware...Aging Parent Says I'm Fine… But Something Isn’t Right
Caregivers, beware, aging parents say, “I’m fine.” But something in your gut is telling you otherwise.Maybe Mom or Dad is forgetting medications, missing appointments, having trouble with balance, repeating themselves more often, or sim...
Caregivers: 7 Secrets You Should Know Caring for YOUR Aging Parent
Caregivers, what do you need to know NOW, to prepare you for what it's really like to care for an aging parent?Learn 7 skills to help you deal with your aging parent. One day you're helping with little things. The next, you're making di...
Caregiver Burnout: Practical Caregiver Tips with Holli Frey
This week, Tina Rains, RN, CALA, and Melinda Lee Foster are joined by special guest Holli for an honest conversation about caregiver burnout and what happens when you wait too long to ask for help.If you've ever wondered, "Am ...
Caregiver Burnout is Real: Simple tools to reduce stress before it takes over
Are you burned out and exhausted from caregiving? Caregiving can start to wear on you, especially when you’re carrying stress, guilt, constant responsibility, and the pressure to keep going. In this episode of the Caregiver Podcast:...
Can Alzheimer’s REALLY be reversed? Hope, prevention, and root causes | Part 2
Caregivers and family members...Are you afraid of Alzheimer’s? Fear of Alzheimers is natural, especially when a family member is suffering from this or another dementia related disease. Luckily, in this part of our conversation with...
Can Alzheimer’s Be Reversed? Part 1
Does Alzheimer’s scare you? Even a little?You start noticing small things in yourself or someone you love, and it’s hard not to wonder, “Is this the beginning?”That’s where this conversation with Dr. Joshua Helman started. W...
Caregiving Drains Your Energy-Stress-Less-Secrets
Caregiving stress can feel like someone plugged into you and started zapping your energy.In this episode, Tina and Melinda talk about what happens when caregiving slowly drains you. The stress, the guilt, the over-scheduling, the pressur...
Caregiver Vacation? I Finally Took a Break
Melinda was in Paris, sick, trying to enjoy a break, when she found out her mom’s caregiver had quit.And immediately, that familiar caregiver guilt showed up.What am I supposed to do from here?Am I allowed to be happy right no...
Caregiver Stress: What To Do Before You Burn Out | Simple Tools to Lighten the Load
Caregiving can feel heavy, especially when you are carrying stress, guilt, constant responsibility, and the pressure to keep going.In this special workshop episode of We Laugh So We Don’t Cry, Tina Rains, RN, and Melinda Lee Foster walk ...
Caregivers MUST Know These 7 Warning Signs
Sometimes the signs are there before a crisis. Families just are not always sure what they mean.In this episode, we walk through 7 warning signs your parent may need more help and talk about what to watch for before things get worse. We ...
Caregiving Without Losing Yourself
Caregiving can leave you feeling overwhelmed, guilty, and like you are not doing enough, even when you are trying your best.In this episode, Tina and Melinda talk honestly about what it feels like when caregiving starts to wear you down....
Caregivers-Missing the Signs For Help?
If you’re caring for an aging parent, it can be hard to tell when small changes are becoming bigger signs.In this episode, Tina and Melinda talk honestly about what it feels like to realize your parent may need more help than you wanted ...
Caregiver burnout and family conflict with Pamela Wilson, Caregiving Expert
If you’re caring for an aging parent and feel like your family is already in crisis, you’re not alone.In this episode, Tina and Melinda are joined by Pamela Wilson, national caregiving expert, consultant, speaker, and host of T...
Caregiving: Staying Sane-How to Hold Your Thoughts Captive
Caregiving can feel overwhelming, especially when frustration, anxiety, and exhaustion start to build.In this episode, Tina and Melinda talk honestly about those hard caregiving moments — the moments when you feel yourself getting short,...
Caregivers Protect Yourself Legally | Elder law 101
If you're caring for aging parents and feeling overwhelmed by finances, planning, or long-term care decisions, this episode is for you.In this conversation, we sit down with elder law attorney Heidi Friedman to talk through what caregiv...
Caregiving Children-Is it time to move mom to an Assisted Living Facility?
How do you know when it’s time?This is one of the hardest decisions caregivers face—moving a parent into assisted living. In this episode, we talk through the real signs, emotional challenges, and practical steps to help you make...
Caregivers-How Caregiving Stress Affects Your Brain
How Stress Affects Your Brain Feeling overwhelmed, reactive, or like stress is changing the way you think and respond?Stress does not just affect your emotions. It affects your brain, nervous system, patience, and ability to stay calm in ha...
Caregiver Burnout Is Real: Simple Ways to Reduce Stress with Dr. Julia Guerrini
Feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or like you’re constantly running on empty?Caregiver burnout is real, and it can affect your body, mind, and emotional well-being in ways you may not even realize.In this episode, we sit down with ...