In this comforting episode, Andrew and Karin sit down with therapist, yoga instructor, and death doula Bee Carlin (Brandi Carlin) to open up conversations around end-of-life care and grief. Bee explains the role of a death doula - a non-clinical support system that guides individuals and their families through the physical, emotional, and practical aspects of dying and post-death grieving. Drawing from her background in trauma and grief therapy, Bee breaks down how end-of-life planning elevates dignity, eases the emotional decision-making burden on loved ones, and takes the fear out of a topic society so often avoids. Together, they discuss practical strategies for starting sensitive end-of-life conversations early, supporting caregivers through anticipatory grief, and navigating the peaceful, surreal transitions that often accompany cognitive decline and terminal illness. Taking us into what is becoming an invaluable support piece to face the realiteis of mortality, Bee offers a reassuring perspective on why honoring death ultimately makes life sweeter, richer, and more meaningful.

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

-Connect with Bee: Follow along on Instagram at @sacred_exhale or learn more about her practice via her Psychology Today profile.

-Pneuma Center Groups & Workshops: Explore community support through the Pneuma Center Grief Group and upcoming Death Meditation sessions.

-Recommended Reading: Discover helpful end-of-life guides and booklets at BK Books (featuring Barbara Karnes' essential hospice resources).

• (00:00:07) - Intro and show format
• (00:01:31) - How we met Bea and discovered death doulas
• (00:04:50) - Our dad's death and hospice experience
• (00:08:26) - Final moments and lessons learned
• (00:10:17) - Mom's music interlude and yoga studio chat
• (00:12:59) - Introducing Bea and what a death doula does
• (00:20:42) - Death doula vs hospice, scope of practice
• (00:23:32) - Certification and training as a death doula
• (00:27:48) - Navigating grief and emotions around the dying
• (00:31:57) - The dying process and moments of peace
• (00:35:58) - Mom's dementia and finding joy amid loss
• (00:38:25) - What sessions with a death doula look like
• (00:40:39) - Grief, isolation, and community
• (00:41:43) - Cost, capacity, and sliding scale services
• (00:47:29) - Starting conversations about end of life wishes
• (00:49:30) - The Pit TV show and family alignment
• (00:50:34) - Final advice and sci-fi immortality question
• (00:53:15) - Closing thanks and mom's song
• (00:54:58) - Takeaways and wrap up

After reviewing the funeral pre-plan that Karin led for Joanna - and finding out why Andrew sat that one out - the siblings sit down with social worker and funeral director Jodie Jacobs from The Ira Kaufman Chapel. The trio explores why end-of-life discussions don't have to be taboo or overly somber. Jodie shares how her background in hospice and grief counseling prepared her to help families navigate loss and breaks down the major benefits of pre-planning a funeral - from locking in costs to easing the emotional burden on grieving relatives. Along the way, the group discusses unique traditions, personal requests (including hits like "Happy Trails" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"), and practical advice for talking with aging parents. And somehow, seeds are planted for a community funeral pre-planning party. Stay tuned.

irakaufman.com

After sharing Joanna's declining mobility journey and the on-the-job training they went through for how to handle it, Andrew and Karin welcome an expert they wish they had back then. Physical therapist Jill Magill talks about her work at the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson's and how physical therapy serves as a lifelong commitment to movement. The conversation centers on practical strategies for supporting seniors, particularly those with cognitive decline or dementia who struggle to remember techniques or initiate exercise on their own. Jill shares hands-on advice for caregivers, covering safe techniques for assisting seniors out of chairs, evaluating falls, and avoiding common mistakes like pulling on arms to get up. She also highlights creative, stress-free ways to integrate mobility into daily routines - using music, counting, and short walks - and discusses how wearables and other monitored safety tech empower both seniors and their support networks. And before they go, Andrew shares a moment he'll never forget, thanks to Gibby.

kirkgibsoncenter.org

• (00:00:06) - Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows
• (00:00:52) - The Genetics of Language
• (00:03:26) - Agree to Disagree
• (00:05:10) - How to Care for a Declining Senior
• (00:10:00) - An Audience Meeting With Jill McGill
• (00:11:23) - Like Ms. McGill, I Love My
• (00:12:53) - Jill Gibson at the Kurt Gibson Center
• (00:15:11) - Seniors with dementia and their physical therapy
• (00:22:21) - Caregiver Tips for Seniors with dementia
• (00:29:07) - Caregiver tips for walking alone with a senior
• (00:34:22) - Seniors with Alzheimer's Should Get More Exercise
• (00:39:53) - Physical Therapy for People With Dementia
• (00:46:07) - A message about the Dementia Podcast

In this feel-good episode, the siblings sit down with Craig Bowerson - a chef at a senior home, and his wife Jessica - a senior home director. Their story went viral after they transformed a senior dining experience by bringing personal recipes and deep nostalgia into the kitchen. Craig details how he began gathering residents' treasured family recipes to make institutional dining feel like home, including recreating an entire restaurant experience complete with a live jazz band for a resident living with dementia. The couple opens up about their unexpected interest from Hollywood after a producer reached out about turning their story into a movie, as well as Craig's upcoming cookbook and non-profit initiative aimed at elevating food standards across nursing homes nationwide. Along the way, they share hilarious and touching moments—from Sunday fried chicken revolts and senior pie crust preferences, to navigating communication barriers with care—offering a deeply personal look at how food, compassion, and dignity can transform senior care.

Watch Craig's original viral moment on Instagram

Read Craig's feature on the TODAY Show

• (00:00:16) - Craig Bowerson
• (00:01:00) - The Odyssey (2017)
• (00:04:33) - The Reach Outs From Our Huntington Woods Crew
• (00:05:48) - Chef Craig Ferguson on Senior Living
• (00:07:14) - Craig Ferguson on His Interview With Oprah
• (00:09:18) - Craig and Jessica Bowerson on How They Changed the Menu at a
• (00:12:37) - A Senior Home Cooks Home-Made Recipes
• (00:18:20) - The Jazz Band Recreating Senior Living Food
• (00:21:14) - How to Prepare food with dysphagia patients
• (00:23:44) - Seniors' Poop
• (00:26:09) - A Nursing Home Resident's Complaint About Her Food
• (00:30:24) - No soup at breakfast for seniors in America
• (00:32:36) - Craig and Jessica: The Unsung Heroes of Senior Care
• (00:35:21) - My 90-Year-Old Mother's Vegetarian Diet
• (00:42:07) - Thank You for Your Feedback On The Podcast
• (00:43:55) - Happy Birthday, Mom!

Saddle up folks. This one's heavy but so inspiring. Continuing our deep dive into long-term care insurance, we sit down with attorney, advocate, and Syracuse University consultant Danny Heumann, who opens up about his unexpected journey following a catastrophic car accident in 1985 that left him paralyzed at age 18. Driven by his experience over a 40-year journey, Danny shares how strategic self-advocacy and relentless persistence helped him navigate complex medical insurance systems to get to a "yes" when met with roadblocks. He details the vital importance of long-term care planning, highlighting how a comprehensive policy covered 80% of his mother's 24-hour in-home care late in life, and why he proactively secured long-term care coverage for his wife. Ultimately, Danny offers powerful advice for families facing sudden disability or aging, emphasizing the need for early planning, community support, and treating insurance advocacy as a necessary tool to protect one's dignity and future.

• (00:00:00) - I stayed at my mom's house in heat wave with no power
• (00:04:11) - One More Thing From The Dishwasher
• (00:07:02) - Vacation in Southern California
• (00:08:21) - If Something Catalyzes Your Long Term Care Insurance
• (00:13:37) - Meet the Long Term Care Insurance
• (00:15:03) - Seniors on Insurance
• (00:18:15) - Paralyzed Paralyzed After Car Crash
• (00:24:35) - Disabled Syracuse student's story
• (00:28:47) - Disabled People on Their Insurance Plans
• (00:33:20) - Ray on Long Term Care Insurance
• (00:35:49) - Spinal Injuries and Medical Costs
• (00:39:45) - Discussing Long Term Care Insurance
• (00:45:24) - Danny Glover on Long Term Care Insurance
• (00:46:29) - How to Deal with Medical Bills in the Future
• (00:52:24) - Danny's Story of His Long Term Care Insurance Battle
• (00:58:17) - Wonders of the World

Our beloved caregiver, Latrice, is facing a huge financial challenge since her old car is beyond repair, and a new (used) one is beyond her reach. This is a situation that so many people, who are living paycheck to paycheck, face. And it begs the question: How do we take care of those who care for our loved ones? In this episode, we discuss this issue as it relates to Latrice and the larger scope of so many who are in similar positions.

We have started a Gofundme to help Latrice get a car. Please donate using the attached link: https://gofund.me/e8ed30092

You can also listen to our previous episode, where we featured Latrice giving her perspective on what to look for in a reliable, warm-hearted caregiver: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6WsPGI6nv82Zdye10K6kJh?si=GNFbG-VFRbOGT2A0r-CeiQ

• (00:00:00) - Appropriations for Sound Effects
• (00:00:48) - Caregiver Struggles
• (00:08:51) - The GoFundMe for Latrice
• (00:09:38) - Latrice's story of caregiving

In this episode, we kick off a brand-new series focused on navigating the complex world of long-term care insurance (LTC). Financial services veteran Raymond Lavine breaks down why the industry has historically gotten a "bad rap" and why so many people skip out on purchasing these specialized plans. Far from just an "old geezer" issue, Raymond highlights how unexpected illnesses, accidents, and early-stage cognitive shifts can happen at any stage of life—and how standard health insurance leaves a massive gap after 90 days. Sharing stories from his own serious health events to Raymond's own mother—who utilized her policy 18 years until she was 103!—this episode dives deep into the financial truth of senior care. Although many feel LTC is a wealthy family's solution, Raymond walks us through practical entry points for the wider public, including innovative new products and robust short-term care alternatives - aiming to deliver what we all want at our most vulnerable: attention, visibility, and choices.

Listener Call-Out: Have you navigated long-term care insurance for your own loved ones? Did it save your financial life, or did you hit unexpected roadblocks? Reach out to us for a chance to come on the show at ifitsnotone@gmail.com, or connect on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn at If It's Not One Thing, It's Joanna.

• (00:00:01) - How to Record an Infant's Poops
• (00:01:37) - Joanna on Pooping
• (00:01:58) - The Challenges of Senior Care
• (00:05:02) - The Uninvited Guest on Our Podcast
• (00:05:54) - Long Term Care Insurance
• (00:09:02) - Raymond Levine in the Elevator
• (00:10:07) - Raymond Ferguson on Long Term Care Benefits
• (00:12:58) - Is Long Term Care Insurance Worth It?
• (00:18:27) - Should You Get Long Term Care Insurance?
• (00:26:43) - Long Term Care Insurance, Should You Buy It?
• (00:31:12) - Long term care insurance: Should you buy it?
• (00:37:08) - Short term Care Insurance for 60+
• (00:44:28) - Raymond on Living On The Street
• (00:45:26) - Term Care Insurance
• (00:50:09) - Want to Talk Long Term Care Insurance?
• (00:53:32) - Always To Be, Drop On Roses

In this moving episode, we sit down with environmental scientist turned dementia care advocate Jim Mangi, who opens up about his unexpected journey caring for his wife, Kathleen, following her early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Driven by his experience over their 17-year journey, Jim founded Dementia Friendly Services, a grassroots, independent, nonprofit aimed at helping individuals with dementia live in their communities with less difficulty and more dignity. Jim shares the profound impact of his "Memory Cafes"- vibrant, judgment-free social events featuring live music, drum circles, and interactive games. He also details his successful efforts certifying Saline and other Michigan municipalities as "Dementia-Friendly Communities" through education and first-responder training. Ultimately, Jim offers powerful advice for families navigating memory loss, reminding listeners that dementia is a disease of broken equipment, not a disgrace.

https://www.dementiafriendlyservices.org/

• (00:00:03) - I Bought a Power Washer for My Birthday
• (00:05:07) - Jim in the Dog Park
• (00:05:35) - The Alzheimer's Connection
• (00:06:51) - Jim Mangee on the Alzheimer's Care
• (00:09:00) - Dementia Friendly Services
• (00:13:34) - Celine and the Ann Arbor Connection
• (00:14:40) - A Little About Kathleen Before Her Disease
• (00:18:49) - Kathleen's Dementia Survivor Swim
• (00:20:09) - Kathleen's photography and tennis
• (00:22:22) - Kathleen Kicked Me Out of the Home
• (00:28:18) - Jim Banji Makes Me Cry
• (00:28:39) - Saline City Gets Dementia City Designation
• (00:36:46) - Memory Cafes for People Living with dementia
• (00:42:03) - Memory Cafe for People With Dementia
• (00:45:53) - Dementia Caregiver
• (00:49:18) - Jim's Journey Through Alzheimer's
• (00:50:56) - Rachel McAdams's New Movie
• (00:52:19) - Jim Manji on His Alzheimer's Treatment