Episode 40: Flipping the Script on Caregiving
“You want your parents to live for a really long time, so we can all be around and be together. But then caregiving happens. And then now you have to deal with [the reality of]: ‘Whoa, wait, I thought my parents are gonna live forever?’ But No, they're not. It's not something to deal with later. It's something to deal with now.”
Caregiving is a rite of passage. How might we find joy in it? In this episode, Sarah talks with Jenn Chan, about her caregiving journey, support groups, and how her current work revolves around caregiver joy. Jenn Chan, CSA®, CCC™, is the Founder of Senior Shower® Project, a startup with a mission to celebrate family caregivers of older adults with a party. She creates caregiver appreciation cards, curates caregiver gift boxes, and designs caregiver party kits. While Jenn provided care for her grandma, she developed a passion for caregiving and dedicated her career to elevate the caregiver role with fun, love, and positivity. Jenn also facilitates support groups for LGBTQ seniors, dementia caregivers, and young caregivers.
This episode is part of a Breathing Wind miniseries titled Caregiving Journey, hosted by Breathing Wind founder and host, Sarah Davis. The Caregiving Journey miniseries explores:
How stories of other caregivers can help us feel less alone
Ambiguous grief and caregiving at end of life
The shifting roles of the caregiver
How and why to seek self-care
Joy in the caregiving journey
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In this 40-minute episode, Jenn and Sarah talk about:
1:45: Background of the Family Caregiver Alliance Young Caregivers Support Group
4:26: Common themes that come up with young caregivers: balancing career and caregiving responsibilities, how to start your own family life while caregiving, and anticipatory grief
8:57: Jenn’s background and experience as her grandma’s caregiver
10:00: Jenn and her brother’s pact to take care of their grandma
12:47: Jenn’s choice to quit her job to help her grandma and how her grandma responded
15:15: How Jenn was able to flip the script while looking for work that prioritized her values
18:04: The task orientation of caregiving
19:48: Emphasis on joy while caregiving
20:53: Jenn’s inspiration and motivation behind Senior Shower Project
29:49: How the senior shower can provide a space for educating on grief and caregiving in different generations
32:56: Policy for parents and discussion around policy to accommodate caregivers
33:47: Power of support groups
Additional Resources:
Jenn Chan’s website (Senior Shower Project)
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