The Multigenerational Challenge of Family Caregiving

Episode description: 

November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to honor caregivers across the country, raise awareness about caregiving issues and increase support for the roughly 53 million family caregivers across America. There’s so much for caregivers to manage: concerns like legal and financial planning, coordination of health care needs, lots of household tasks—not to mention the emotional concerns of parents and their adult children dealing with the reversal of their traditional roles. That’s why many experts say that caring for an older loved one is one of the most generous gifts we can give—and perhaps one of the most challenging jobs we’ll ever undertake. In today’s episode, we talk with Iris Waichler, the award-winning author of “How to Care of Yourself and Your Aging Parents,” about her personal and professional journey as a long-time patient advocate and counselor to individuals and families. Iris will explain how she facilitates family conversations to plan appropriate care plans; how she helps family members through emotional struggles with anxiety, isolation and depression; and how she confronts issues of ageism and “youngism”—misperceptions on the part of both younger and older generations. And she’ll talk about difficult transitions toward the end of life: dealing with change loss, and grief; and helping people create “ethical wills,” finding avenues to leave behind an emotional legacy, not just physical assets, to family and friends.

Guest description:

Iris Waichler has been a widely recognized patient advocate and licensed clinical social worker,  for more than 40 years. Her latest book, “How to Care of Yourself and Your Aging Parents,” which won eight major awards, was inspired by the experience of taking care of her own father until he died at age 97. Based in Chicago, her long-term hospital work gave her insights into how overwhelming it was for patients and families who suddenly found in a hospital feeling helpless and alone—and prompted her to write her first book, Patient Power: How to Have a Say in Your Hospital Stay. She has conducted many workshops, individual and group counseling sessions with people experiencing catastrophic illnesses. Iris also has been a freelance writer for two decades, producing hundreds of articles on health-related topics in publications such as Redbook, Parade and Next Avenue Magazines.

Contact:     Iwaichler@sbcglobal.net  

                  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoleReversal1/

                  Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iwaichler/

                  Twitter: @iriswaichler