After spending a decade climbing the corporate ladder—ultimately serving as VP of Global Brand and Travel Marketing at Visa—Morgan’s life started to shift dramatically when his father faced the increasing effects of Parkinson’s. It wasn't just his dad, either: His father's illness exacerbated an existing strain of depression in his mother's family that worsened as her caregiving duties increased. With both of them struggling, only child Morgan made the courageous decision to leave the corporate world behind to care for them full-time.

In our conversation, Morgan shares his journey and the powerful lessons from his book, The Only Problem: How to Care for Aging Parents as an Only Child. We discuss:

• The solo caregiving journey: Navigating the heavy emotional and physical weight of caregiving for his beloved parents without siblings to share the load.
• The professional pivot: Walking away from a high-powered corporate career to manage family health crises.
• Practical strategies: Actionable advice for solo caregivers balancing parental health, career transitions, and personal well-being.

Tune in for an honest, deeply relatable conversation about resilience, family dynamics, and finding your footing when everything changes. Purchase Morgan's book, The Only Problem: How to Care for Aging Parents as an Only Child, for a look into his journey and his advice for thriving along the way. 

Catch Morgan's weekly newsletter on Substack here.

In this episode, we spend some time with Dr. Jim Jackson, Director of Behavioral Health at Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s ICU Recovery Center and a renowned expert on Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS). Dr. Jackson puts a spotlight on the often-overlooked physical and mental trauma experienced by ICU survivors and their families.

Tune in to learn:

• What Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) is and how it impacts recovery
• The hidden psychological and physical side effects of critical care
• Practical insights and advice from Dr. Jackson’s new book, Reclaiming Your Life From Medical Trauma

Whether you're a survivor, a caregiver, or a healthcare professional, this conversation offers vital tools for healing and moving forward.

To learn more about the Vanderbilt University ICU Recovery Center, visit https://icudelirium.org.

Click here to purchase a copy of Jim Jackson's book, Reclaiming Your Life from Medical Trauma

In this episode, we sit down with the witty and candid Diane Heiler, author of A Widow's Fire: An Intimate Memoir of Heartbreak, Survival, and Moving On. Writing and speaking with a rare, refreshing honesty from her 80s, Diane opens up about the realities of long-term caregiving, the complexities of grief, and discovering unexpected joy after losing her husband of 25 years.

Join us for a fun, wide-ranging, and deeply comforting conversation that proves you are never too old to spark a new chapter—and that laughing through the dark is sometimes the best medicine.

This week on Coming Clean About Caregiving, I’m sitting down with Carlos Olivas III. You might recognize Carlos and his father, Carlos Jr., from the PBS documentary Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s.

Carlos describes his dad as "flourishing with Alzheimer’s"—a journey built on love, deep patience, and a healthy dose of humor. Through his social media page @charlierobot, Carlos shares an honest, heartwarming, and often hilarious look at their daily life together.

Tune in as we talk about:

• What it really means to help a loved one flourish after a diagnosis
• How humor can be a powerful tool for raising awareness and easing stress
• The beauty of meeting your loved ones exactly where they are

 A brand new episode drops right now! Hit the link in bio to listen and subscribe.

#ComingCleanAboutCaregiving #Alzheimers #AlzheimersAwareness #Caregiving #FamilyCaregiver #DementiaCare #CaregiverSupport #CaregivingJourney #MatterOfMind #CharlieRobot

Check out Debbie's websites here: 

The Purple Vine - Caregiver support, resources and encouragement, with a special focus on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and dementia: https://thepurplevine.com/  

The Caregiver's Advocate - Real-world guidance, compassionate support, and practical solutions from caregivers and professionals who understand the journey: https://thecaregiversadvocate.com/

Enjoy the listen, and purchase Debbie's best-selling, award-winning books here:
The Caregiver's Advocate Volume 1 - https://jpeck26--thepurplevine.thrivecart.com/the-caregivers-advocate/
The Caregiver's Advocate Volume 2 - https://jpeck26--thepurplevine.thrivecart.com/the-caregivers-advocate-2/
The Caregiver's Advocate Volume 3 https://jpeck26--thepurplevine.thrivecart.com/the-caregivers-advocate-3/

I'm your host, Julie Peck. In this episode, I’m joined by certified grief coach, curator, and speaker Charlene Lam, founder of Curating Grief (https://curatinggrief.com).

Clearing out a loved one's home after they pass is often one of the most emotionally exhausting hurdles of the entire experience. Charlene opens up about her own response to the possessions her mother left behind and shares tender, practical advice for caregivers confronting this physical and emotional weight. We also dive into a common friction point for families: navigating differing coping styles among siblings when it’s time to go through those belongings.  

Whether you are dreading this phase, currently buried in boxes, or trying to help your family find common ground, Charlene offers a refreshing, creative lens to help you honor your loved one while protecting your own peace.

Connect with Charlene Lam:

 Website: Curating Grief  

Check out Charlene's book: Curating Grief: A Creative Guide to Choosing What to Keep After a Loved One Dies

This week, we are joined by Omni Kitts Ferrara, the Director of Education for INELDA (International End-of-Life Doula Association). Omni breaks down the vital role end-of-life doulas play in supporting both dying individuals and their caregivers.

In this episode, we cover:

• Custom Care vs. Standard Care: Why hospice is like IKEA, but end-of-life doulas are like custom cabinetry.
• Flipping the Script: Clearing up the misconception that death work is a downer—and why it’s actually deeply celebratory.
• The Growing Movement: Why holistic end-of-life care is gaining national attention.

It’s an uplifting, eye-opening conversation about honoring life until the very end. Grab a cup of coffee and press play!

In this episode of Coming Clean About Caregiving, we’re ditching the toxic positivity and getting down to the tactical nitty-gritty of caregiver survival. Joining us is Dr. Katherine Schafer—a clinical psychologist, assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, and possessor of an impressive alphabet soup of letters after her name.

Katherine tackles our audience’s most desperate "help me" questions and walks us through DBT’s famous "DEAR MAN" method. It sounds like a secret agent protocol, but it’s actually a step-by-step framework for asking for the help you need, and setting boundaries with those folks who act like you’re an endless supply of free labor. 

What we're diving into:

 Beyond the Bubble Bath: Why generic self-care tips are a scam when you're genuinely overwhelmed.

 The DEAR MAN Script: How to ask for help, set boundaries, and actually get results without the guilt.

 Viewer Q&A: Dr. Schafer tackles real, messy, "did this actually just happen?" caregiving scenarios from our viewers.

In this episode of Coming Clean About Caregiving, I sit down with palliative care physician and medical educator Dr. Lindsey Ulin to separate fact from fiction about one of the most misunderstood specialties in medicine. We explore what palliative care really is, when patients should ask for it, and how a palliative care team supports not only people living with serious illness, but also the family caregivers who walk beside them.

Dr. Ulin also shares the deeply personal story of caring for her father during the final six months of his life as he battled multiple sclerosis—a journey that continues to shape the way she practices medicine and teaches the next generation of physicians.

Together, we discuss why caregivers so often feel invisible in the healthcare system, what it means to truly feel seen, and how healthcare professionals can better support the people providing care every day at home and in the hospital.

Whether you're caring for a loved one now or simply want to be prepared for the future, this episode offers practical, compassionate advice for navigating serious illness and advocating with confidence.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• What palliative care is—and what it isn't.
• When to ask for a palliative care consultation.
• How palliative care teams support patients and family caregivers.
• Why caregivers often feel overlooked and how clinicians can change that.
• Practical ways to advocate for a hospitalized loved one, including requesting a family meeting, working with a hospital patient advocate or ombudsman, and keeping organized notes about your loved one's care.
• How Dr. Ulin's own caregiving experience transformed her approach to medicine.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed, unheard, or unsure of what questions to ask while caring for someone you love, this conversation will leave you feeling more informed, empowered, and, most importantly, less alone.

Dr. Boateng-Evans shares her practical approach to empathetic medical communication and offers valuable insights on how family members and caregivers can become empowered, effective partners with hospital teams during a critical care stay.

In this episode, we cover:

• Translating the Jargon: Why medical communication often feels cold or complex, and how doctors are working to bring human language back into care.
• The Caregiver as a Partner: Practical ways caregivers can advocate for their loved ones without feeling overwhelmed or sidelined.
• Effective Communication in the ICU/Hospital: Tips for asking the right questions during rounds and building trust with nurses and physicians.
• Bridging the Gap: How clinicians and families can align on goals of care for better patient outcomes, even when a patient is in their last days. 

I'm your host, Julie Peck. In this episode, I’m joined by certified grief coach, curator, and speaker Charlene Lam, founder of Curating Grief (https://curatinggrief.com).

Clearing out a loved one's home after they pass is often one of the most emotionally exhausting hurdles of the entire experience. Charlene opens up about her own response to the possessions her mother left behind and shares tender, practical advice for caregivers confronting this physical and emotional weight. We also dive into a common friction point for families: navigating differing coping styles among siblings when it’s time to go through those belongings.  

Whether you are dreading this phase, currently buried in boxes, or trying to help your family find common ground, Charlene offers a refreshing, creative lens to help you honor your loved one while protecting your own peace.

Connect with Charlene Lam:

 Website: Curating Grief  

Check out Charlene's book: Curating Grief: A Creative Guide to Choosing What to Keep After a Loved One Dies