Heart of the Home Series

Traci West and her husband gave up life on the road as full-time RVers when her mother, Marcia, was diagnosed with mixed dementia. In this Heart of the Home interview, Traci talks about grieving the mom she knew while caring for the mom in front of her, the home safety changes that keep Marcia secure, and why she believes that showing up is the love.

I was scrolling through TikTok when a video stopped me in my tracks — a family gathered around their grandmother, paint on her arms, and one by one, every hug she gave left its mark on their shirts. A memory they'll keep forever. That family is rich in love, and I had to know their story. This is Dr. Ivy Johnson, known online as Dr. Ivy Cares — a daughter turned caregiver, part of the sandwich generation, who now helps other overwhelmed women feel less alone.

Sarah Harris is a nurse, mom of three, and family caregiver who spent nearly four years caring for her husband's grandmother, Baba, through dementia — all while raising a newborn with complex medical needs. In this month's Heart of the Home Series interview, she opens up about burnout, boundaries, connection, and finding joy in the small moments.

Alma Valencia shares 11 years of family caregiving, her mother’s FTD journey, and why art, food, music, and community matter.

Dr. Karolynn Echols is an Associate Professor and Section Chief of Urogynecology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital — and her mother's caregiver. As a "double-duty caregiver," she navigates the emotional and clinical realities of vascular dementia while holding down one of medicine's most demanding careers. This is her story.

Kait and Tamrin Giordano are raising a toddler while caring for both of Kait's parents, who are living with dementia — all under one roof in Georgia. In this Heart of the Home Series interview, they share how they chose to build the family they wanted, how radical acceptance keeps them present, and what they hope their son carries forward from a life where first words and forgotten words collide.

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.