We’re back. And we took our time.After a long pause and a lot of life, this new episode of This Caregiver Life is about what it really feels like to live with pressure as a caregiver and why we’re officially over big New Year’s resolutions.We discuss the changing seasons of caregiving, the weight that accumulates over time, and why “I’m okay” can be a complete and honest sentence. This episode is about experience and making room for joy without adding more to this caregiver life.Have a topic or comment you'd like to share? Email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Jenn and Mar dive into the realities of the “Flex Life,” exploring the constant need to adjust and adapt to the demands of caregiving, often at a moment's notice. They discuss how these quick pivots impact their day-to-day lives, emotions, and personal goals. Join us as we unpack the unique resilience required in a caregiver’s journey.

In this episode, we are sharing all the feels about #thiscaregiverlife. From gladiolas, to grace, and even guilt, Mar and Jenn share the ups and downs of caregiving. Key takeaways: plan your rest time, allow yourself to be flexible (it’s okay, really), and use your back burner when plans need to change. Read Anne Lemott’s “Bird by Bird”: https://amzn.to/4cangDX. Try the Ozlo Sleep Buds: https://amzn.to/3VcBHk6. Let’s be friends on the FINCH self-care app: https://app.befinch.com/invite/Yns6. (Invite code F1XZ6E6VMM). SHOP MarHaven originals on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CottageAtMarehaven. ….until next time!

Hello! We had hoped to drop a podcast every month this year. We started strong until we hit February. Sound familiar caregivers? We did record this one, technically, in February. It's taken a few days to get back to writing show notes and publishing. In this podcast we focus on eating well. It's an overall way of caring for ourselves every day. Eating nutritious meals and snacks has a way of helping us feel better even under stress. It doesn't take our stress away but can often help us manage it better. Neither of us is a dietician or nutritionist. We do, however, have to eat. We have a collective experience of over a hundred years of eating. Often during those years, we have cared for others who need guidance and assistance with eating, which includes food choices. We hope you will learn a thing or two from us. More than anything, we hope we have encouraged you to take care of YOU through good eating because you matter. Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a good place to begin! Feel free to drop us a note at either or both of our emails. [email protected] [email protected]

Jenn and Mar welcome in 2024 with a new podcast episode! In "Give Your Mind a Rest" they chat about the usefulness of developing a meditation mindfulness practice. Food meditation is one of their favorites because, you know, why not. Food is a source of joy at times, so why not incorporate it into your daily practice? There are a variety of meditation practices to employ. It is our hope you will find one that works for you and it becomes one of your many supportive tools in your caregiver toolbox. See below for links to meditation mindfulness resources. Reclaim Yourself The Power of Meditation Tara Brach - Guided Meditations Calm App Koru Mindfulness We would love to hear from you if you enjoy other mindfulness meditation resources and would like to share them. Mary's email: [email protected] Jenn's email: [email protected] This Caregiver Life Facebook page

Mar & Jenn are excited to reconnect with you. We have all new episodes coming for 2024, but of course our episodes are always evergreen. We look forward to hearing from you on our social media pages on Facebook and LinkedIn. Please let us know what’s important to you as you live This Caregiver Life.

As we near the end of 2023 Mar gives a quick update and a look ahead to 2024. We look forward to posting more episodes in 2024. As always we hope to hear from our listeners on ideas for future content, questions they may have, and thoughts they'd like to share. Our Facebook page can be found here: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/thiscaregiverlife⁠ Mary's email: [email protected] Jenn’s email: [email protected]

In this episode, we chat about good sleep, good maintenance tips for caregiving, and ways we have learned to cope with all things caregiving. Interested in a Meditation Mouse? Find one for yourself here: https://amzn.to/3J19dVl https://amzn.to/3J19dVl Coming soon: Navigating the NICU Jenn explores tiny miracles of life inside the hospital's most precious, and sometimes scariest, ward: the NICU.

Are you a caregiver looking for meaningful employment? Is your company making room at the table for caregivers? In this episode, we discuss the challenges caregivers face in the workplace, how employers can support caregiving employees, and the many assets caregivers have that can add to, not take away from, a company’s culture and productivity. Our guest is Sharon Grassi, a caregiver who has experienced workplace roadblocks. Whether you’re a caregiver or an employer, you won’t want to miss this episode! If you’re an HR professional or work in the C-suite and want to share your company’s wins for caregivers, send us an email: [email protected] We’d love to have you on the show. And if you’d like a guest speaker for your organization, Jennifer is available. Email for details: [email protected].

Jenn and Mar take a deep dive into caregiver burnout and distrust. Between them, they have 50 years of caregiving. Over the years they have had their emotional, and physical, ups and downs as caregivers. They have had, and still have, periods of burnout. Burnouts are more quickly resolved now than in years past. They talk about essential coping strategies that have shortened burnout periods and have developed, and encourage others, to use their list as it is or as a starting point for developing one of their own:  Use a "Feelings Wheel" to help identify what you are experiencing.  Allow yourself to share your vulnerabilities with someone with whom you are comfortable.  Identify your caregiver tribe who will understand you without judgment.  Identify your support system - family, friends, community organizations.  Develop a care plan for yourself: Care Plan for the Caregiver. The Care Plan is specifically for the caregiver to remain as healthy as is possible on all levels: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They both believe wholeheartedly that their Care Plan helps them in the short term, on a daily basis, and the long term, over their lifetime.  YOU are every bit as important as the person you care for.   Comments or suggestions for This Caregiver Life? Please email us at [email protected]