Heart of the Home Series

Wendy Gail cared for a parent with dementia while navigating a painful family history rooted in narcissistic trauma. In this Heart of the Home Series conversation, she shares the unfiltered truth about caregiver guilt, breaking points, family abandonment, and what it really takes to survive — and keep showing up.

Fifty-three million Americans provide unpaid family care while spending nearly a quarter of their income on caregiving costs. This guide covers every financial pathway available in 2026 — Medicaid self-directed care, VA Aid & Attendance, PCAFC stipends, respite care, and tax deductions most caregivers never claim.

Michael Conigliaro never planned to become a caregiver. Now he's caring for his 92-year-old mom — and sharing the raw, honest truth about what it really takes.

Caring for someone with Alzheimer's is equal parts heartbreak and joy. Kris shares what she's learned loving her grandmother Mary — and how laughter became their greatest tool.

A practical guide for sandwich generation caregivers — adults raising children while caring for aging parents. Covers statistics, emotional and financial impact, coping strategies, and home safety tools.

Joanna is a mother, educator, and full-time caregiver navigating Alzheimer's with dark humor, radical honesty, and a community of thousands. In this Heart of the Home interview, she opens up about the long goodbye, the sandwich generation struggle, and why caregivers deserve the truth — not a softened version of it.

After 18 years in hospice care, DJ Castilleja knows what separates a peaceful end-of-life experience from a chaotic one — and it starts long before the final days. In this Heart of the Home interview, the founder of Eliminating Caregiver Chaos shares how family caregivers can lighten their emotional load, plan ahead, and find calm in one of life's most demanding roles.

After 20+ years in hospice and palliative care, nurse Abigail D'Agostino wrote the book every caregiver deserves before they need it. We sat down with her to talk about dying better, healing without curing, and what she wants every family caregiver to hear right now.

Caregiving is rewarding but demanding work. Learn to recognize the five key signs of caregiver burnout—from chronic exhaustion to emotional withdrawal—and discover simple, practical ways to recharge and maintain your well-being while caring for others.