In this special COVID-19 themed caregiver spotlight episode, meet family caregiver Debra Hallisey. After her dad passed in 2015, Deb became the primary caregiver for her mom who is diabetic, legally blind, and has mobility issues. In this show we discuss how her brother is able to help her from 12 hours away, how she is able to stay informed about the pandemic without getting derailed, her creativity to secure the necessary supplies that are in high demand, and how she manages and sets expectations with her mom and her mom’s professional caregivers during these uncertain times.
Listen to the show: Caregiver Spotlight – Debra Hallisey
Words of Encouragement
Each episode starts off with a few words of inspiration or motivation that is pulled from the Happy Healthy Caregiver Jar.
Links & Resources Mentioned
- Deb and Elizabeth talk about creative Covid-19 masks.
- Dr. Jeffrey VanWingen’ s instructional video on how to safely bring groceries in and out of our homes:
- Video on proper hand washing (no sound needed)
- Deb was able to get creative and find gloves at beauty supply stores, paper products at office supply stores, and cleaning supplies at online janitorial supply stores.
- Elizabeth was able to get paper products from Vitacost.com.
- Deb and Elizabeth are both Certified Caregiving Consultants.
- All of the prompts from the lightning round segment of the show are borrowed from Elizabeth’s book Just For You: a Daily Self-Care Journal.
- Deb limits her news to those from trusted sources only. For her, this includes New Jersey Governor Murphy and Dr. Fauci.
- Elizabeth played games with her family over Zoom with Jackpot.tv
- Deb’s blog post “Social Distance Doesn’t Have to Mean Social Isolation for Your Elder”
- The Marco Polo free app is helping Elizabeth connect with her sisters and her book club
- Deb’s book is about better managing a caregiving or any relationship. The book is called Your Caregiver Relationship Contract: How to Navigate the Minefield of New Roles and Expectations. At the end of every chapter are worksheets you can use in your own caregiving life. Deb’s book is also available in Spanish.
- M.L. Buchman is a romance writer that Deb is currently enjoying. Elizabeth recommends a memoir she just finished call Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me by Adrienne Brodeur.
- Find out more about Deb’s resources and services on her website Advocate For Mom and Dad, one of the top 50 caregiving blogs. She is currently helping clients create a COVID-19 care plan and you can schedule your initial complimentary session.
Favorite moments & quotes from the episode
Stay in touch
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- Email Elizabeth with questions or comments about the show or to request information about sponsoring the show.
