Videos
Welcome to the Videos page. Here you’ll find videos such as the Caregiver Stress Video Series (6 episodes); several video versions of the Island Treasures podcast mini episodes and other videos created for caregivers.
Caregiver Stress Video Series (1) – Ask for and Accept Help
Caregiver Stress Video Series (2) – Do You Call Yourself “Caregiver”?
Caregiver Stress Video Series (3) – Micro Breaks for Caregivers
Caregiver Stress Video Series (4) – Safely Venting to Reduce Caregiver Stress
Caregiver Stress Video Series (5) – Caregiver Guilt
Caregiver Stress Video Series (6) – I Need Sleep!
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Geri-Gadgets
Island Treasures 2024 Podcast Title Story
Lived Experience Nets Empowering Resources for Caregivers
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Getting Curious with Teepa Snow
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Caregiving Unveiled True Purpose for an Encore Career
Island Treasures Visits a Caregiving Treasure In Ireland
It’s A Wrap! A Review of 2023 Island Treasures Podcasts
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: The Musician’s Daughter
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: New Caregiver Radio Program – Stay Tuned
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: You Just Have to Love Me: A Mother’s Caregiving Journey
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Rising to the Occasion of Caregiving
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Therapeutic Journaling Through Caregiving
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Could it be Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus?
Island Treasures Mini Podcast Video: A Flood Amidst Caregiving
Island Treasures Mini Podcast – Pharmacists: The Best Kept Secret
Island Treasures Mini Podcast – Introducing Joe & Bella
Island Treasures Mini Podcast – Voila! Caregiver
Island Treasures Mini Podcast – Stop, Pause and Reflect
Island Treasures Mini Podcast – Moving Forward After Caregiving
Island Treasures Mini Podcast for Caregivers – Building the Unbreakable Caregiver
What Exactly Does a Caregiver Consultant Do for Caregivers?
The Hardest Decision, an Island Treasures Mini Podcast for Caregivers
The Island Treasures and Self-Caregiving Strategies Podcasts
Processing Grief: Through Birdhouses, a Blanket and a Cookbook
And Then I Danced, Episode 4 of Season 2 Video
Doesn’t Know Me, Episode 3 of Season 2 Video
The Musician’s Daughter (Advance Care Planning), Episode 2 of Season 2 Video
Caregiver Stress Video Series (1) – Ask for and Accept Help
Short videos for caregivers with suggestions to help relieve caregiver stress. Caregiver stress is a reality of caregiving no matter where you are at in providing care for your loved one/care recipient. You may be entrenched in caregiving, having managed to do it by yourself without asking for help thus far or you may be new to caregiving and reluctant to call yourself a caregiver all the while trying to figure out how to best provide care for your care recipient and yourself. Finding ways to incorporate these stress busters can help prevent caregiver burnout.
Caregiver Stress Video Series (2) – Do You Call Yourself “Caregiver”?
Short videos for caregivers with suggestions to help relieve caregiver stress. Caregiver stress is a reality of caregiving no matter where you are at in providing care for your loved one/care recipient. You may be entrenched in caregiving, having managed to do it by yourself without asking for help thus far or you may be new to caregiving and reluctant to call yourself a caregiver all the while trying to figure out how to best provide care for your care recipient and yourself.
Caregiver Stress Video Series (3) – Micro Breaks for Caregivers
Short videos for caregivers with suggestions to help relieve caregiver stress. Caregiver stress is a reality of caregiving no matter where you are at in providing care for your loved one/care recipient. You may be entrenched in caregiving, having managed to do it by yourself without asking for help thus far or you may be new to caregiving and reluctant to call yourself a caregiver all the while trying to figure out how to best provide care for your care recipient and yourself. The suggestions in this video may sound simple – and they are – but the tough part is to put them into action so they will make a positive impact to caregiving and help reduce caregiver stress.
Caregiver Stress Video Series (4) – Safely Venting to Reduce Caregiver Stress
Short videos for caregivers in a series providing suggestions to help relieve caregiver stress. Caregiver stress is a reality of caregiving no matter where you are at in providing care for your loved one/care recipient. You may be entrenched in caregiving, and internalizing your fears, frustrations, self-judgments, or self-condemnations just to survive; or you may just be starting in your caregiving journey and feeling anxious with lots of questions. To release some of the built-up stress we need to find a way to safely release some of that stress. Venting your feelings helps – and in this video you will hear some effective and safe ways to vent to release some of the pressure you may be experiencing as a caregiver.
Caregiver Stress Video Series (5) – Caregiver Guilt
Short videos for caregivers with suggestions to help relieve caregiver stress. Caregiver stress is a reality of caregiving no matter where you are at in providing care for your loved one/care recipient. As a caregiver you may experience feelings of guilt which can intensify caregiver stress. You may find it helpful to hear that it is normal to experience guilt in caregiving even though the feelings may vary significantly among caregivers. If you are feeling guilt, identify the feeling – acknowledge it; and use some of the suggestions that are provided in this video to address caregiver guilt and help reduce caregiver stress.
Caregiver Stress Video Series (6) – I Need Sleep!
Short videos for caregivers with suggestions to help relieve caregiver stress. Caregiver stress is a reality of caregiving no matter who you are or where you are at in your caregiving journey and responsibilities. The topic for this video is sleep. We all need sleep but for caregivers finding time for sleep can be challenging. And what about those worries and concerns that keep us awake when we need to be sleeping? This video offers suggestions to help improve the care recipient’s sleep as well as the caregiver’s, which can help reduce caregiver stress, exhaustion and burnout.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Geri-Gadgets
Angela Fairhurst is an innovative entrepreneur and the CEO and founder of Geri-Gadgets®, a company dedicated to enhancing the lives of those affected by dementia. Inspired by her mother’s Lewy Body Dementia diagnosis, she leveraged her extensive background in product development and marketing to create groundbreaking, patented products for senior care.
In this video, Angela demonstrates the 3 Geri-Gadgets ® buckets that she designed and created to enhance the lives of folks living with dementia. There’s the Fidget-Gadget ® bucket, the Shapes bucket and the Flower bucket. Each bucket has its own unique contents to bring activity, joy and engagement to your loved one.
Island Treasures 2024 Podcast Title Story
This Island Treasures mini podcast episode contains a fictional short story that combines the titles from the twelve full episodes that aired throughout 2024. The story encompasses the various aspects of caregiving mentioned in each of the titles, highlighting the emotional journey, the obstacles, and the victories of caregiving along the way.
Lived Experience Nets Empowering Resources for Caregivers
Debbie Compton returns to the Island Treasures podcast in this episode. Debbie is a three-time caregiver for loved ones who were living with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and vascular dementia. She’s a Certified Caregiving Consultant, Certified Caregiver Advocate, keynote speaker, and author of several books geared toward caregivers and seniors, including her newly released book “The Caregiver’s Advocate: A Complete Guide to Support and Resources”. A book where Debbie is the lead-author with 20 other contributing authors, all caregivers themselves.
Debbie has been a Community Educator for the Alzheimer’s Association since 2017 and is the founder of The Purple Vine, an organization created to spread awareness about all forms of dementia. Her mission is to empower caregivers with the tools needed to reduce stress, find more joy, and live their best life. Debbie was a guest on the Island Treasures podcast in 2022 in the highly popular episode “Voila! Caregiver”. An episode filled with creative solutions to situations and challenges she experienced during her caregiving experiences. In this episode, Debbie offers a free give-away to the viewers.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: A Caregiver's Vision
Island Treasures podcast for caregivers Season 5, Episode 14 features Victoria Essner. Victoria is all about breaking down barriers and turning challenges into opportunities. When a childhood accident left her legally blind, she didn’t stop forging ahead and embracing what life had in store, including caregiving for her husband. She shares her caregiving story with such gratitude and grace, having adopted the “can do” philosophy; and self-described as a pampered princess. Vickie sees her blindness as a blessing, and despite her vision impairment she remains driven and adventurous, finding joy in her journey, sharing the message that life is precious. In order to provide around-the-clock care for her husband, she received national certification through the Veteran’s Association. While she does all this she finds time to learn, mentor, support and empower others. Vickie is a true inspiration and great resource for both caregivers and those with vision impairments, as she overcomes challenges by example and is an assistive technologist.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Getting Curious with Teepa Snow
Following the full Island Treasures podcast episode featuring Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, this mini episode captures the content of the GEMS® model. Teepa created the GEMS® model to describe the stages of brain change for folks living with dementia. Each stage is represented by a gem to help us better understand the progression of dementia and how these stages impact the changes in our loved one’s abilities. All we need to do is to provide the setting so that our loved one can shine! For more information and resources, be sure to check out Teepa’s website – teepasnow.com.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Caregiving Unveiled True Purpose for an Encore Career
This mini Island Treasures podcast episode contains a few excerpts from the full episode entitled “Caregiving Unveiled True Purpose for an Encore Career” featuring Bill Cohen of Cohen Caregiving Support Consultants LLC. Throughout caregiving for his mother who had Alzheimer’s disease, Bill found many helpful resources through the Alzheimer’s Association. This included a support group which he attended. His mother has now passed, and Bill facilitates that support group and others, as well as hosts Memory Cafes. He shares about reminiscing activities such as ‘Memory Joggers’ and ‘Have You Ever….?’, plus ‘Creative Engagement’ a resource by Rachel Wonderlin. Bill talks about how valuable it is to be part of a support group and the virtual support group he provides which is available for caregivers – anywhere!
Island Treasures Visits a Caregiving Treasure In Ireland
In this episode you will hear how all about Breeda Miller’s play, “Mrs. Kelly’s Journey Home” and how Breeda was able to take the play to Ireland.
Breeda had been a guest on the Island Treasures podcast in Season 3, on Episode 20; where she talked about her play and the tour that was planned for the Fall of 2023 in Ireland. This episode talks about the fruition of the tour and what it was like to perform the play in Ireland!
This episode consists of two parts, just like Breeda’s play. The first ‘act’ was recorded in Ireland shortly after the Irish debut of her play. The second ‘act’ was recorded back home in North America.
You’ll hear about how Breeda’s play is sweeping the nation as well as the tour; and if you’d like to join Breeda on her next tour of Ireland – she shares when she hopes that will be.
If you’d like to learn more about the resources Breeda has developed for caregivers, or about her play, or engage her as a keynote speaker – you can do so through her website Breedamiller.com
It’s A Wrap! A Review of 2023 Island Treasures Podcasts
2023 was a great year for the Island Treasures podcast and this episode summarizes the content provided by the amazing guests from Season 4 who shared their wisdom on each episode to help other caregivers. A huge thank you to you all.
We progress through the year chronologically – starting with:
- “Pharmacists: The Best Kept Secret” – Delon Canterbury.
- “A Flood Amidst Caregiving” – Roxane Anderson
- “Could It Be Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus?” – Tracy Crump
- “Therapeutic Journaling Through Caregiving” – Lori Lemasters
- “Rising to the Occasion of Caregiving” – Toni Gitles
- “A Caregiver, A Life Coach and a ‘Mompreneur'” – Natalie Hankins
- “Equipping Family Caregivers With Strategies, Tools & Insights” – Denise Brown
- “A Caregiver’s Journey Into Brain Inflammation: A Wake-up Call for us All” – Sandra Strauss
- “You Just Have to Love Me: A Mother’s Caregiving Journey” – Heidi Rome
- “A Caregiver’s Transferrable Skills” – Katrina Prescott
- “How Boundaries Provided Freedom in Caregiving” – Valerie Wiens
- “A Hymn For Her: A Caregiving Story” – Kathy Neuhauser
- “The Musician’s Daughter” – Betsy Haddad
- “Why I Started Podcasting” – a bonus episode to coincide with the relaunch of the Whole Care Network.
And with that… it’s a wrap of the 2023 Island Treasures podcasts!
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: The Musician’s Daughter
In the full Island Treasures podcast episode featuring Betsy Haddad, from Season 2, Betsy shared her caregiving story – and stressed the importance of advance care planning. The original podcast aired February 1, 2021; and is available on the Whole Care Network – and your favorite podcast platform. Betsy’s insights led her to get her own plans started and encouraged the listeners to start their advance care plans as well. This video highlights some of the preliminary considerations when making advance care plans.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: New Caregiver Radio Program – Stay Tuned
In the full Island Treasures podcast episode featuring Katrina Prescott, Katrina spoke about the many projects she has been involved with and this mini episode introduces one more project planned to enhance the experience for caregivers. It is the introduction of a radio program designed to provide caregiving tips, information, support, and to offer a forum for caregivers’ questions. In her own caregiving experience Katrina was desperate for respite and now has a passion to help others advocate to obtain meaningful breaks within caregiving, true respite. As the radio program becomes a reality, you’ll want to check out Katrina’s website to access the URLs for the program which she also plans to flip into a podcast.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: You Just Have to Love Me: A Mother’s Caregiving Journey
This mini Island Treasures for Caregivers podcast episode contains excerpts from the full episode and addresses what happens when friends and family drop away and the social invitations to caregivers cease. The episode’s guest, Heidi Rome, helps us approach this situation and reminds us that there are folks who are open to learning how to support the caregiver and are willing to show up; and are making choices such as to love instead of fear. These folks ask Heidi’s two helpful questions: “How Can I Be of Service?” and “What is Needed?” Heidi uses a famous optical illusion to illustrate how what we focus on can impact our quality of life. To listen to the full podcast episode, you can find the Island Treasures Podcast for Caregivers on your favorite podcast platform. Thank you to Heidi Rome for sharing her caregiving story.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Rising to the Occasion of Caregiving
In this mini episode there are a few excerpts from the full episode entitled Rising to the Occasion of Caregiving. Toni Gitles shares about her book ’21 Mistakes Caregivers Make and How to Avoid Them: Solutions and Strategies to Reduce Stress and Increase Happiness’ (available September 2023) and the importance of building a good relationship with your loved one, developing good communication skills, happiness, and love to enhance your care giving experience. You can learn more about Toni and her resources on her website www.mycaregiverconsultant.com
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Therapeutic Journaling Through Caregiving
This video version of the Island Treasures Mini Podcast for caregivers contains clips from the full-episode featuring Lori Lemasters, author of “You’re A Caregiver, Not a Saint: Yeah, Write!” and founder of Care Partners Resource and Consulting and a certified Journal to the Self ® Therapeutic Writing Instructor. We also talk about her Carethartic Conversations! Lori knows about caregiving firsthand having cared for her parents the last eight years of their lives. She uses her caregiving experience to teach caregivers the benefits of using therapeutic journal writing to manage the challenges of caring for a loved one. As a writer, Lori has publications under the last names of Le-masters and Cavallo. She has partnered with many local and national organizations to teach therapeutic journaling to caregivers. She created Caregivers Tuesday Talks Outside the Box and in conjunction with AARP Care-FULL Conversations both are available on Care Partners Resource YouTube Channel. Lori’s book that we speak about in this video is available on Amazon or her website CarePartnersResource.com
Island Treasures Mini Podcast: Could it be Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus?
This video provides a commentary and clips from the podcast interview with Tracy Crump, an author, former caregiver and ICU nurse as she shares how she persevered and was a strong advocate for her mom when things just didn’t seem to fit with being told her mom had dementia. When she recalled a friend’s dad’s diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), Tracy compared the symptoms he had with what her mom was experiencing and then she armed herself with reliable information to take to the medical professionals and eventually, through testing, her mom was diagnosed with NPH. Within days her symptoms had significantly reduced with the treatment she received for NPH. Tracy does not wish to give any one false hope, but advocates for thorough medical testing especially when things just don’t seem to add up for your loved one’s condition, as there are conditions that cause dementia-like symptoms that aren’t dementia. For more information on the medical conditions that mimic dementia-like symptoms here’s the link to the article referenced in the episode entitled “7 Treatable Diseases That Mimic Alzheimer’s” from the caregiving website resource Daily Caring.com
The Island Treasures and Self-Caregiving Strategies Podcasts
A little background on why I, as a retired social worker and caregiver consultant, started podcasting, first with the Island Treasures podcast for caregivers and then as a co-host with Theresa Wilbanks on the Self-Caregiving Strategies Podcast.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast Video: A Flood Amidst Caregiving
This mini episode revisits some of the points that Roxane Anderson made in the full episode from lessons she learned through her caregiving experience – caring for her husband and then experiencing a flood. The flood was a disaster but hidden within the disaster was an opportunity for her husband to get involved in flood advocacy – providing him with a purpose again. The couple became fierce advocates in addressing the flood situation effecting them and others in their geographical area, all amidst caregiving. Roxane’s insights include valuable suggestions for all caregivers including the need for self-care and her suggestion that it may be helpful for caregivers to consider themselves as first responders. We also talk about grief…
Island Treasures Mini Podcast – Pharmacists: The Best Kept Secret
When your loved one, with mild dementia, experiences a rapid worsening of her symptoms that affect her behaviour, what could be the cause? In this mini episode you will hear Dr. DeLon Canterbury share how a pharmacist identified the root cause for the changes and that when the medication was stopped through proper tapering off, his grandmother’s symptoms returned to how they were before receiving a medication that was not recommended by the FDA for folks with dementia. For more information on the background story you’ll want to tune into the full-podcast episode called “Pharmacists: The Best Kept Secret”; but in this short video you will hear the benefit of including a pharmacist in your caregiving support system – to help you navigate your caregiving journey. For more about DeLon Canterbury, his story and his services of deprescribing medications be sure to check out his website, Geriatrx.org
Island Treasures Mini Podcast – Introducing Joe & Bella
This video version of the Island Treasures mini podcast for caregivers episode features pictures of the award-winning clothing my guest, Ben Graham, discusses. We hear about the folks behind the name of the clothing brand, “Joe & Bella” and for more details on their story there’s the full episode available on your favorite podcast platform or on www.JoeandBella.com.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast – Voila! Caregiver
Following the full-length Island Treasures episode called “Voila! Caregiver”, this video version includes a couple of excerpts highlighting Debbie Compton’s insights on talking with a consultant and taking her mom and her mother-in-law together to an appointment – and how challenging it was to get them ready; but she did and on time! However, there was a funny ending and from this Debbie encourages caregivers to laugh. Debbie invites caregivers to join her for a free consulting session as she is a certified caregiving consultant and certified caregiver advocate. You can find out more about Debbie, her books, services and inventions on www.thepurplevine.com
Island Treasures Mini Podcast – Stop, Pause and Reflect
From the audio version of the Island Treasures podcast for Caregivers, this mini episode addresses what Jodi Kay Benusa (Independent Geriatric Consultant and Licensed Social Worker) shared about being a compassionate scientist and how we can all adopt this approach to be inquisitive and find out what’s behind our actions; by taking a pause we can uncover the reason so we can make changes with the goal of improving the outcome. It’s not just me talking about the episode, but this video contains Jodi speaking about the pact she made with herself to prevent burnout as well as the compassionate scientist concept.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast – Moving Forward After Caregiving
My guest, Licia Thompson (www.liciathompson.com) is a Reinvention Strategist and in this episode she shares her number one tip for caregivers. Licia is the founder of Licia Thompson Coaching & Consulting LLC and she combines her life skills from her caregiving experiences for both her parents with her professional skills in leadership roles to help folks move forward after caregiving, or other life transitions. Licia learned many lessons – some the hard way. You’ll find the full episode on Island Treasures Season 3, Episode 16.
Island Treasures Mini Podcast for Caregivers – Building the Unbreakable Caregiver
Using the methodology of LEGO Serious Play, Loretta Veney facilitates sessions for various audience. In this excerpt from the Island Treasures podcast for Caregivers full episode (Episode 9, Season 3) Loretta shares her creativity and how caregivers in her sessions designed for caregivers learn from the exercise and the revelations that become clear to them. This excerpt focuses on the Unbreakable Caregiver concept.
What Exactly Does a Caregiver Consultant Do for Caregivers?
Are you a caregiver? Do you sometimes feel isolated and alone, weighed down with questions and concerns as you try to navigate this unchartered journey of caregiving? Have you heard about caregiver consultants who can help you while you are caregiving? If so, you may be interested in hearing what Alison has to say about an experience she had early on in her business. Her friends and family suggested she could possibly benefit from some professional support – and even though she was reluctant to listen to them she did some research and connected with a business strategist and signed up for a free consultation. After her consultation session she felt empowered with a clearer idea of where she needed to go with her business. She draws analogies with how she felt as she stepped out of her comfort zone to accept practical and professional support with how caregivers may be feeling as they accept outside supports. Are you ready to attend a free consultation to hear what a caregiver consultant can provide to enhance your caregiving situation?
The Hardest Decision, an Island Treasures Mini Podcast for Caregivers
This Island Treasures podcast in video format addresses a topic that is brought up frequently by caregivers who are facing what they describe as the hardest decision they’ve ever had to make and that is the decision of placing their loved one into care. They ask how do I know when it is the right time?
Exactly, how do they make this “hardest decision”?
Contained within are some nuggets to consider when facing this decision – from the book ‘Nursing Homes and Assisted Living: The Family’s Guide to Making Decisions and Getting Good Care, Second Edition’, by Peter S. Silin (2009); as well as an excerpt from Season 1 podcast “Life Does Not End with a Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s” featuring Dennis Dulniak.
If you are a caregiver presently facing this decision, there’s a helpful exercise contained in the video to help rank experiences to define what your tipping point is.
Processing Grief: Through Birdhouses, a Blanket and a Cookbook
Inspired by “the Birdhouse Project” undertaken to design and build birdhouses as mini reproductions of the family home following the loss of my father-in-law as a means of honouring his memory and sharing a meaningful gift with the rest of the family – I contemplated how I too had used a project to process my grief after losing my mother; and how having a project to focus on during grief can help us cross the bridge from loss to life-after-loss. I also revisit a few videos highlighting caregiver stories where they too found meaningful ways to honour their loved one while processing their grief. Thank you to Pexels stock contributors: Samphan Korwong, Ana Benet, Ekatarina Bolovtsova, Karolina Graboswka and Michelle Reeves
And Then I Danced, Episode 4 of Season 2 of Island Treasures Podcast video commentary including several clips from the podcast interview with Toni Gitles. Toni shared valuable information from her caregiving journey and now through her services as a caregiving consultant, educator and facilitator. This information aims to be an encouragement to caregivers and those who may become caregivers in the future.
Doesn’t Know Me, Episode 3 of Season 2 of Island Treasures Podcast – In searching for a jingle for the Island Treasures Podcast for caregivers I reached out to a good friend and although I didn’t get a jingle I found out there was a caregiving story to be shared along with this amazing song entitled “Doesn’t Know Me” by Pat Thibodeau.
The Musician’s Daughter, Episode 2 of Season 2 of Island Treasures Podcast highlighting caregiver stories, had many take-aways that are recapped in this presentation. Betsy Haddad was the podcast’s guest and she imparted advice as an adult-child caregiver, including the benefit of Advance Care Planning. Steps to start your own process of care planning in the event your future health condition requires supports are outlined here.