We’re back and ready to dive into the community complaint department! In this episode, we catch you up on our six-month hiatus (spoiler: it’s been a mix of zero-fun medical stuff and a few bright moments). Erica’s disappointed with Alyssa’s coffee fail, but we’re making up for it with real talk about the challenges caregivers face, from feeling unprepared when heading home to navigating medical machines and interventions. Plus, we’re sharing an exciting research opportunity for caregivers who want to make an impact. Tune in for relatable rants, practical tips, and a call to action for caregivers to support each other and help close the gaps!

In this episode:

[00:00:00] Intro
[00:00:45] Erica expresses her disappointment with Alyssa (she didn't bring coffee)
[00:02:30] Alyssa and Erica address the elephant in the room: where we've been for the last six months
[00:09:45] How Alyssa found out that there's a complex care team available at her daughter's hospital
[00:15:42] An exciting research opportunity for caregivers who have the bandwidth to share their experience
[00:19:53] How shockingly unprepared most caregivers feel when going home for the first time and why we aren't given information we often need
[00:27:57] When it's too much information and when it might not be enough
[00:34:27] Why we need beeter conversations on medical machines and interventions before going home
[00:40:58] Why you NEED to do that sleep study inpatient
[00:47:45] How caregivers could support each other in these situations
[00:51:00] What you can do to address some of these gaps!

Apply for the SafeCare@Home4Kids research study: https://bit.ly/SafeCareStudy

For the transcript, our blog, links, and more, visit our website: https://www.caffeinatedcaregivers.com/podcast/
Follow us on Instagram for research, validation, and a lot of memes @caffeinated_caregivers.
Subscribe to our show in your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a single episode!
Thanks friends! Talk soon!

It's the last day of Disability Pride Month, which is appropriate considering that we at Caffeinated Caregivers have been avoiding talking about this topic all month. To be honest, Disability Pride has got us up in our feels a little bit, because as disabled adults who are also caregivers to disabled kids, it brings up a lot of conflicting and confusing emotions as we try to figure out our place in all this.

And as far as we can tell, we're not alone in feeling a little confused about how we're supposed to engage with Disability Pride. So today, we're digging into some history behind Disability Pride, what we're actually celebrating during Disability Pride (spoiler: it's not actually the pain or suffering that we or our kids endure), why it's valuable and important to celebrate (but why it's not more important than protecting your own energy), AND how caregivers fit into all of this.

If you've been confused about what Disability Pride means for caregivers, this episode is for you. Let's get into it.

In this episode:

[00:00:00] Intro
[00:00:35] Erica and Alyssa discuss the merits present (or not) in grapefruit
[00:04:16] Why Erica and Alyssa have been avoiding this conversation topic
[00:10:57]Alyssa's big and complicated feelings around Disability Pride (and why being a caregiver has changed how she would otherwise interact with Disability Pride)
[00:16:19] A quick history of Disability Pride Month
[00:22:53] What allyship looks like and how caregivers fit into Disability Pride
[00:30:10] Why some caregivers don't feel like they relate to Disability Pride
[00:30:38] The life and death ramifications of untreated mental health struggles (and it's not just about ideation around unaliving yourself)
[00:35:37] Ways that caregivers can join in the celebration and why they can let go of guilt if they don't
[00:41:18] What we're actually celebrating (and what we aren't) during Disability Pride

For the transcript, our blog, links, and more, visit our website: https://www.caffeinatedcaregivers.com/podcast/ep11
Follow us on Instagram for research, validation, and a lot of memes @caffeinated_caregivers.
Subscribe to our show in your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a single episode!
Thanks friends! Talk soon!

This week, we're not bringing you stats or data or research... we're just bringing ourselves and our friend Karley. Because the truth is, data can only tell you so much, but for the three of us, some of the most impactful information we've ever received about navigating this caregiving life is through other's individual experiences.
So today, we're getting a little vulnerable in sharing the moments that convinced each of us that we needed mental health support, the fear and shame that kept us from accessing support earlier, and why we ALL deserve mental health support at any point on this journey, not just when we can't function anymore.
Let's get into it.

In this episode:
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:00:35] Erica, Alyssa, and Karley discuss what's fueling them, both existentially and caffeinated
[00:06:54] Why caregiver mental health affects entire communities and why caregivers often put off addressing their mental health for so long
[00:13:35] Our current mental health state, as of the time of this recording
[00:20:32] The physical symptoms that spurred Karley into getting support for her mental health
[00:21:55] Erica's mental health turning point
[00:26:03] The dark side of dissociating and delayed processing that exacerbated Alyssa's mental health symptoms
[00:30:38] The life and death ramifications of untreated mental health struggles (and it's not just about ideation around unaliving yourself)
[00:33:06] How to overcome the fear many caregivers have around getting mental health support
[00:41:18] Why you don't have to be completely "nonfunctional" before getting mental health support (don't let it get that bad, friends!!)
[00:45:03] The type of therapy that helped Karley (it's not EMDR) and other solutions that Erica and Alyssa have found to be helpful
[00:56:20] Why asking for mental health support is a sign of strength, not weakness

For the transcript, our blog, links, and more, visit our website: https://www.caffeinatedcaregivers.com/podcast/ep10
Follow us on Instagram for research, validation, and a lot of memes @caffeinated_caregivers.

Subscribe to our show in your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a single episode!

Thanks friends! Talk soon!