In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, meet family caregiver Heather Zoccali. Heather is a three-time caregiver. First, for her dad, who had a stroke, multiple sclerosis, and mental illness. Then, for her son, Connor, who was injured in a vehicle-pedestrian accident while walking to school, resulting in a catastrophic spinal cord injury. Most recently, Heather cares for her mom, who has Alzheimer’s disease, while also advocating for other caregivers through the No Barriers Caregivers program. Listen to the show to find out how Heather’s tragic optimism, unique date nights, planned getaways, and boundaries help her show up for herself and others. You’ll also want to find out how you can apply or nominate a family caregiver for an amazing No Barriers Caregiver retreat.
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Listen to the show: Heather Zoccali- Caregiver Spotlight
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Words of Encouragement
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Links & Resources Mentioned
- Heather’s father had a stroke when she was young and was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. His mental health suffered, and sadly, as a result (and not uncommon with someone with MS), her dad died by suicide.
- Heather’s oldest son, Connor, was paralyzed in a hit-and-run accident on his way to school. He received treatment, and the family gained resources from Craig Hospital in Englewood, CO.
- Autonomic dysreflexia was one of the scary things Heather and her family were told to watch out for with Connor.
- Heather currently helps care for her mother, who has Alzheimer’s Disease.
- Heather was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which affects her connective tissues.
- Here’s a photo from the No Barriers Caregivers Retreat in Moab, UT
- No Barriers launched the #53for53 campaign throughout March to recognize all the great work family caregivers do and kick off their retreat application window for 2021. They challenged people to do 53 of something for the 53 million family caregivers. Here’s Elizabeth’s 53-second plank: #53for53 Instagram post.
- Heather and her son got matching semi-colon tattoos for mental health awareness.
- All of the prompts from the show’s lightning round segment are borrowed from Elizabeth’s book Just For You: a Daily Self-Care Journal.
- Heather enjoys a vacation at a hot spring such as Saratoga, Mt. Princeton, or Buena Vista.
- Connect with Heather at Brutally Beautiful or through Heather’s LinkedIn page.
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Favorite moments & quotes from the episode
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