When should a loved one move into memory care — and when should you start that conversation? Many families wait until there's a hospitalization, wandering, or caregiver burnout, and by then it's often too late. In this episode, we sit down with Risa Jester, Executive Director at Revere La Jolla, to talk about early intervention, the signs of dementia to watch for, how to navigate the financial and emotional side of the decision, and what to look for when choosing a memory care community.

Whether you're just starting to notice changes in a parent or already in the thick of decision-making, this conversation will help you understand your options before you're in an emergency.

Connect With Aging Parent Network Not sure who you need to call or where to begin? Aging Parent Network can help connect you with the right professional for your family's circumstances.

📞 858-727-9333

📧 info@agingparentnetwork.com

If you have aging parents or are a caregiver, this episode gives you the tools to have an important conversation before a scam happens — not after. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on navigating aging, caregiving, and family decisions.

What do you do when your dad wants to move to senior living but your mom isn't ready — and every conversation turns into a battle?

In this episode, Jay D'Alessandro shares how he and his sister navigated the hardest conversation families face: talking to aging parents about leaving their home. Jay's dad had been pushing to move for three years. His mom kept saying no. The breakthrough didn't come from a PowerPoint or a financial argument — it came from a simple mindset shift: stop convincing, start asking.

Jay explains how casual visits to senior communities over lunch (with no agenda) changed his mom's entire perspective, how thinking about "days instead of years" brought his family closer together, and why the planning process itself became one of the most meaningful chapters of his relationship with his parents.

If you're worried about a parent's safety, their home maintenance, memory loss, or just don't know how to start the conversation — this episode will give you a gentler, more effective path forward.

In this episode:

• Why pushing your parent to move backfires — and what works instead
• How to normalize senior living visits without pressure
• A simple mindset shift: think in days, not years
• What it costs to wait too long (CCRCs, timing, and care costs)
• Healthcare directives, power of attorney, and getting finances on the table
• Preparing the family home for a future sale
• The VA Aid & Attendance benefit — could your parent qualify?
• Why the journey itself can bring your family closer together

Connect With Aging Parent Network

Not sure who you need to call or where to begin? Aging Parent Network can help connect you with the right professional for your family's circumstances.

📞 858-727-9333

📧 info@agingparentnetwork.com

If you have aging parents or are a caregiver, this episode gives you the tools to have an important conversation before a scam happens — not after.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on navigating aging, caregiving, and family decisions.

How do you talk to your parents about getting older — without making it weird? In Episode 20, we sit down with 30-year-old stand-up comedian Danny Dunn to explore the funny, awkward, and deeply real moments of watching your parents age. Danny's parents are only 68, but the signs are already showing — from a dad who refuses to get glasses and carries a magnifying glass instead, to a mom who still whispers the word "lesbian." Behind the jokes, though, lies a genuine question we all face: are they going to be okay, and am I? We cover why humor is the ultimate "Trojan horse" for difficult conversations, how Danny turned childhood bullying and ADHD into a survival tool through comedy, and what happens when the perfectionism your parents instilled in you starts cracking as they show their own humanity. We also dive deep into the host's personal story of losing both parents — one to cancer, one to dementia — and the urgent case for recording conversations with your parents while you still can. If you've been putting off the hard talks about wills, trusts, healthcare directives, or even just "what do you want your life to look like as you get older," this episode is your permission slip to start. Because it's not about the end — it's about everything in between, and making sure your parents live their fullest, most dignified life while they can. In this episode: Why humor breaks the ice on topics nobody wants to touch Growing up thinking your parents know everything (and the slow realization they don't) The perfectionism trap: resenting your parents in your 20s, appreciating them by your 30s Recording conversations with your parents — and why the "annoying" ones are the ones you'll miss most "I wouldn't let you die alone": a father's love on a cruise ship at midnight How to approach resistant parents about end-of-life planning (without getting shut down) The magnifying glass, re-election for parents, and other stand-up bits born from real life Why processing grief before it happens doesn't work the way you think About our guest: Danny Dunn is a stand-up comedian performing across the country. He headlines Zanies in Chicago on November 1st and opens for comedian Rory Scovel (whose Netflix special Show Must Go On covers similar themes). Follow him on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube @dannydunnismyboyfriend. Connect With Aging Parent Network Not sure who you need to call or where to begin? Aging Parent Network can help connect you with the right professional for your family's circumstances. 📞 858-727-9333 📧 info@agingparentnetwork.com If you have aging parents or are a caregiver, this episode gives you the tools to have an important conversation before a scam happens — not after. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on navigating aging, caregiving, and family decisions.