I am a Spousal or Partner Caregiver
Of the 53 million family caregivers in the US, almost six million are caring for a spouse or partner*. Reports indicate that spousal caregiving tends to be higher intensity than other types of caregiving due to increase in health related tasks and financial loss. Also, most caregivers of spouses or partners tend to be described as solo caregivers.
Podcast Episodes featuring a Spouse Caregiver
Speak Your Truth
Allison Breininger has an MA in Education and spent twenty years in the realm of education. At 31, she became a caregiver for her husband, Sean, when he was diagnosed with the rare genetic disease Fanconi Anemia. She has been by his side through countless treatments and experienced firsthand that caregivers are in what she calls ‘the negative space’: vital yet overlooked and unsupported. In this episode, Allison shares why caregivers are part of the story and need to be recognized, why the oxygen mask analogy falls short, what tried and true tools help her in her caregiving life, and why ‘brightsiding’ is detrimental for care advocacy and caregiver wellness.
Hope for Caregivers
Meet Peter Rosenberger, who has been a family caregiver for over 38 years for a spouse with severe disabilities. Peter is fluent in the language of caregiver and has navigated a medical nightmare that has mushroomed to 85+ major operations—including the amputation of both of his wife Gracie’s legs below the knee. In this episode, Peter recounts his experience attempting to admit himself to a mental hospital, discusses why caregiving shouldn’t hinder us from embracing life, shares his strategies for finding moments of stillness and pursuing energizing hobbies, and outlines how he spreads hope among caregivers.
Massive Acceptance & Radical Presence
Sue Ryan has been in roles of family caregiving for more than 40 years. Her mission is to empower individuals to maximize and accept the potential opportunities that change will bring. Sue moved from feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and yes – sometimes frightened – to confident, balanced, and supported, navigating the transitions in her life, her care receivers, and those who support them on their journey. She shares what she has learned through her speaking, coaching, and writing. In this episode, we talk about creating a caregiving friendly work environment, preparing for a natural disaster, strategies for guilt-free decision making, and other valuable resources to help you navigate the caregiving journey.
- A Nomad Caregiving Life – Anthony Copeland-Parker
- Overcoming Limiting Beliefs – Debbie Weiss
- Living Bold While Caregiving – Belva Denmark Tibbs
- Caregiving Support from TikTok – Joe Vazquez
- Loving Your Caregiving Life – Charlotte Bayala
- Staying Afloat While Caregiving – Matthew Cauli
- Loving Through Dementia – Sheila Welch
- Cocktails & Caregivers – Amanda Clark
- Navigating Military Family Caregiving – Caira Benson
- Advocacy During a Pandemic – Mary Daniel
- Caregiver Burnout – Kate Washington
- Coping with a Life-Changing Caregiving Situation – Rachel Davis
- Reclaiming Your Identity – Ashley Jackson
- Intentional Self-Care – Geoff Grant
- Poetry & Embodiment – Alyssa Kuzins
- Early Onset Alzheimer’s – Pat Moffett
- Find Your People, Ditch the Guilt – Cynthia Lim
- Shared Death Experience – Sharon Prentice
- Staying Present – Beth Scibienski
- Moving Cross Country – Donna O’Donnell Figurski
- The Power of Resiliency – Bruce McIntyre
- Relationships & Love Languages
- Surviving the Double Decker Sandwich Generation – Jason Miller
Articles
From Our Gift Shop
Books
For Date Night or Extra Help
- The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
- Thrive Anyway by Bruce McIntyre
- The Sudden Caregiver: A Roadmap for Resilient Caregiving by Karen Warner Schueler
- Crated with Love Monthly Date Night Games
Other Spouse Caregiver & Self-Care Resources
- Wellspouse.org – A non-profit which advocates and addresses the needs of the “well” spouses – the individuals caring for a chronically ill and/or disabled spouse or partner.
- WAGS of SCI – Wives and Girlfriends of spinal cord injury
- CaringBridge – Create a free website to easily share updates with friends and family
*Source: AARP and The National Alliance for Caregiving report: Caregiving in the US 2020