keepingitrealcaregiving's podcast: Recent Episodes
Julia Yarbough
Keeping it REAL Caregiving is for those who are tasked with caring for a senior loved one. The road can be rewarding, but make no mistake; it is equally challenging, exhausting and sometimes emotionally draining. The goal of Keeping it REAL Caregiving is to help you understand and navigate the health care world you are entering including how to move through Medicare and other insurance options, altering a home to provide safe living spaces, proper food preparation for senior nutrition, keeping your loved one physically and mentally safe, understanding the do’s and don’ts for hospital visits and having a clear understanding of the questions you MUST ask of medical and senior-care professionals who will become part of your care team. We’ll also offer product ideas and suggestions which have helped us in our family caregiving journey; what has worked and what has not. Keeping it REAL Caregiving will give you the tools you need to transition into the world of family caregiving and not only survive, but also move through it with your sanity and sense of humor intact.
In this Keeping it REAL Caregiving Podcast episode, we chat with a family caregiver about the importance of being an advocate if your loved one is admitted to the hospital. In this case, her mother's health condition declined substantially after a medical procedure. But because of this daughter's determination and persistence that something was seriously wrong with her mother, the medical team took action. In this episode, hear the full story of what happened to this family and some practical steps all of us should consider when and if our loved ones are admitted to the hospital. Paying close attention, asking questions, demanding answers and being in place as an advocate, might (in some cases) be the only thing standing between your loved one and a deadly situation. To listen to more , be sure to visit our website. And, to the bi-weekly newsletter, home at Meta Bulletin.
Spousal Caregiving is the topic of this Keeping it REAL Caregiving podcast episode. Some of the challenges of caring for a spouse may be similar to those of us caring for an elder, but the situation is worlds apart, because your person is not a parent or other relative… it is your wife or husband; your life partner and best friend. The woman you will meet in this is a wife, a mother of two children, and now also a widow. She shares her personal experience and offers some guidance for those living a similar situation as well as advice for how to help support someone facing this type of grief. To listen to additional Keeping it REAL Caregiving podcast episodes and watch videos.
In this "mini-edition" of the Keeping it REAL Caregiving Podcast, we chat with Cindy Fink, Director of the Meals on Wheels, Rowan program in North Carolina. As our nation and lawmakers continue tograpple over how best to meet the needs of our aging population (and those caring for them) there are signs of growing awareness among individuals, organizations and companies... that we MUST do better at caring for our elders. “There is slightly more awareness, but we are in the infancy stages of what we need to do for our seniors.” So says Cindy Fink, the Executive Director of
welcomes Financial Literacy Expert Vickie Frazier-Williams to the program to talk about L.T.C. No, not T.L.C. - tender loving care, but the OTHER combination of the same three letters, which for all practical purposes do the same thing. We're talking about long term care insurance coverage and why you need to begin to educate yourselves about what this coverage is and how it works. Your KIRC host, Julia Yarbough and guest, Frazier-Williams are both former broadcast news journalists. We know the power of going after topics by asking the who, what, where, when, how and why questions. It is no different with long term care. Join us as we review some of the tough questions you MUST ask and why it is never to early to begin thinking about your
Congratulations! If you are a family caregiver you may also be a family historian and sometimes, an archeologist. In this episode of the Keeping it REAL Caregiving podcast, we explore the idea of how and why we - as a society - choose to chase and document history. And when I say history, I mean everyday stories. OUR STORIES. I’ve always considered our lives to be grand stories with each chapter overflowing with locations, scenes, characters, plot twists and turns and hopefully, only minor drama and with plenty of romantic comedy. But how do we make sure to capture those stories to be shared and enjoyed by others? Your host, Julia Yarbough talks with a fellow storyteller, Nancy Leve about her approach to documenting life stories. Learn about her online business which provides a way for anyone to capture their family history, to then be shared with generations to come!
In this episode of Keeping it REAL Caregiving On-Air, we learn more about the extensive reach of some of the different people who serve as family caregivers in the United States. Keeping it REAL Caregiving host Julia Yarbough introduces us to family caregiver Dwane T. Hodges. He is the face and experience of a growing number of family caregivers - MEN - who are tasked with caring for loved ones. In a 2020 report, AARP recorded 39% of the more than 43-million family caregivers in the United States are men. Mr. Hodges shares with viewers his personal story, some of the challenges and hurdles he faced and overcame, as well as practical tools which helped him survive emotionally after more than a decade of serving as a family caregiver. Be sure to visit to watch more video stories, listen to podcast episodes and stay up to date on latest news and information within the family caregiving space. For more information and to learn how KIRC can help you CAPTURE and SHARE your story: info@juliayarboughmediagroup.com
What is Palliative care and how and when should you consider this option? In Season One; Episode 5 of the Podcast we chat with a registered nurse who is also a Palliative care specialist. Learn more about this specialized field of medical care, what patients and their families need to know before being admitted to a hospital and what steps to take NOW to PLAN & PREPARE before a crisis situation. Join KIRC host Julia Yarbough and guest, Registered Nurse Lisa as the two discuss what you need to know to effectively navigate this care option for your loved one and your family.
In this episode of On-Air, meet family caregiver Rowena, who is tasked with providing care for her elderly father. The challenge ahead involves finding a safe living facility AND moving him across the country despite already being elderly, frail and ill. Keeping it REAL Caregiving is the brainchild of Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist Julia Yarbough, to assist those embarking on the journey of family caregiving by offering REAL and practical tools to survive. Keeping it REAL Caregiving, offers the opportunity to join a unique group of individuals committed to improving family caregiving through a variety of video presentations, webinars, podcasts and supportive events. For more information visit www.keepingitrealcaregiving.com
In Episode3 of the Keeping it REAL Caregiving podcast, family caregiver Bonita Green shares her personal experiences and insight after caring for her elderly mother, Miss Hattie, for more than ten years. She shares her top five 'suggestions' for other caregivers on how to navigate the experience and how to care for oneself 'after' your loved one passes. Visit for more information, videos and podcasts.
In episode two of the Keeping it REAL Caregiving Podcast, host Julia Yarbough is joined by family caregiver and registered nurse Debra Craton to discuss the realities of senior caregiving during the age of the Coronavirus. Topics include current news reports, staffing challenges for living facilities, nurse burnout and the need for family members to remain engaged and involved. Coming soon: WWW.KEEPINGITREALCAREGIVING.COM
In this debut episode of the Keeping it REAL Caregiving podcast, host Julia Yarbough speaks with family caregiver Debra Craton about the loss of her elderly mother and the challenges she faced caring for a senior for more than 12 years. Discussion includes insight on navigating health and daily needs and how the current system often neglects the needs or support services for family caregivers.