Time to Talk Podcast

In this episode, Michelle Jobin is joined by Amy Coupal, the CEO of The Ontario Caregiver Organization, and Erica Ehm to discuss The Undercover Kindness Project, an awareness campaign for caregivers to receive some much needed support. The goal of this project is for people to think about a family caregiver in their life and advocate as to why they deserve an undercover act of kindness. They discuss the stigma of asking for help and how the project overcomes these challenges. The two speak on why they got involved and how passionate they are about solving these caregiving issues that are not widely discussed. They touch upon resources and what is needed to start an initiative such as the Undercover Kindness Project for listeners who may want to start something similar within their own mental health communities.

To learn more about the project, visit https://ontariocaregiver.ca/about-oco/the-undercover-kindness-project/. For further information about the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides, visit ontariocaregiver.ca.

In this episode, Michelle Jobin is joined by Tanya Hansler and Michael Jones. Michael and Tanya’s caregiving journey began when their daughter was born with down syndrome. Their story changes as Michael himself gets sick, and we dive into how that has affected their family unit. The two discuss the topic of dynamic changes within the family and the exploration into how this can impact finances, mental health, and overall wellbeing. Michael speaks upon the stigma of men not asking for help and how that becomes a barrier in the family. We see that through discussion, there are many challenges families can face and successfully overcome when caregiving for our family.

For more information about the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides, visit ontariocaregiver.ca.

In this episode, Michelle Jobin is joined by Rani Sinanan. Rani started her caregiving journey in 2016 when her mother was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer. Three months later, her father got sick, and she ended up having to care for both of them. Rani speaks about her experience caring for both her parents and what this looked like for her. The two touches upon what had to shift in her life, the challenges she went through, and the techniques she used to care for two people at once. Rani provides us with caregiving guidance and emotional support for those listening and who may be in the same situation.

For more information about the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides, visit ontariocaregiver.ca.

In this episode, host Michelle Jobin is joined by Dr. Patrick McGrath, a Clinical Psychologist and an Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University. Dr. McGrath has extensive experience with all forms of Anxiety, Depression, OCD and PTSD. The two discuss PTSD and how prevalent it is in caregivers and how it affects them. Dr. McGrath educates us on medical and psychological treatments for PTSD, and resources caregivers can access to help with this. He also touches upon the stigma of caregivers speaking about their mental health and how to navigate this.

For more information about The Ontario Caregiver Organization and their services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca.

In this episode, host Michelle Jobin is joined by Chris Rosati to touch upon his journey caring for his beloved wife of 37 years after she got diagnosed with cancer and only having 6 months to live. He discusses his experience as suddenly becoming a caregiver for his wife and paints the story of their lasting moments together. He speaks on being a caregiver and making a conscious choice to take this circumstance and make it a profound, precious moment in his life. The two discuss how he navigated this time in his life, the support he received, and the transition he had to make in his life into becoming a full-time caregiver. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides.

For more information about The Ontario Caregiver Organization, visit ontariocaregiver.ca.

In this episode, host Michelle Jobin is joined by Brenda Davie and Suzanne McKenna to discuss The Ontario Caregiver Organization Coaching Program. Brenda is a certified caregiver with over 30 years’ experience and Suzanne is a system navigator and caregiver – both individuals are coaches and mentors. The Program aims to reduce caregiver burnout by identifying and prioritizing needs when the caregiver is too overwhelmed or unsure of where to start. They discuss the timelines of caregivers and when they can expect burnout or points of stress and how to tackle these issues. The exploration of caregivers' obstacles, barriers and their successes are highlighted as well.

For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca.

In this episode, host Michelle Jobin is joined by Bhavini Patel exploring her journey on becoming a full-time caregiver for her father within the home as opposed to a full-time care facility. She touches upon the challenges and barriers that came with the experience and how that impacted her life. Bhavini gives advice to listeners and what this could look like for a family member considering this decision. The two speak on the emotional lens that forms when caring for a family member , and cultural obstacles she had to face whilst caring for her father. We hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides.

For more information about The Ontario Caregiver Organization, visit ontariocaregiver.ca.

Dans cet épisode, rencontrez Danielle Lauzon, artiste et vice-présidente du conseil

d’administration du Centre franco-ontarien de folklore. Saviez-vous que les contes et les

chansons folkloriques peuvent éveiller les souvenirs des personnes atteintes de troubles

neurocognitifs? Explorez comment les personnes aidantes naturelles peuvent approfondir la

relation avec leur proche grâce aux traditions orales, tout en créant une atmosphère qui n'est

pas fixée sur la prestation de soins.

Dans cet épisode, rencontrez Ed Sexton, aidant naturel et mentor avec le Programme de

soutien par les pairs de l’OSANO. Ed partage l'expérience de son rétablissement d'un AVC,

comment il est devenu aidant naturel et pourquoi il a décidé de devenir mentor avec l'OSANO.

Découvrez comment le tai chi est un outil central dans sa vie, tant dans sa relation d'aide que

pour son propre bien-être.

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Allegra Pearce, a young caregiver. Pearce dives deep into her experience caring for her mother who was diagnosed with dementia when she was 22, how she had to step in to help manage the household finances and how the dynamics of their mother, daughter relationship shifted. The two also discuss the mental health impacts on young caregivers. Throughout the episode we hear about some of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Nicole Waldron, a mental fitness coach and a caregiver for her son. She is an advocate for caregivers within the BIPOC community and is the host of the podcast Victory Speaks – a podcast about mental fitness. Nicole discusses her caregiving experience, the cultural differences for caregivers within marginalized communities, and finding support as a caregiver. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Nicole Renaud, a Regional Parent Liaison at Adopt4Life and a mother to five children through birth and adoption. The two discuss caring for children with complex needs, Renaud’s experience in public adoption, Adopt4Life and resources for caregivers. Renaud also discusses the importance of recognizing developmental trauma. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca. For more information on Adopt4Life, visit adopt4life.com. 

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Trish Barbato, the president and CEO of The Arthritis Society: the largest charitable funder of arthritis research in Canada. The two discuss the work that The Arthritis Society does, resources that are available for caregivers and tips for those caring for someone with a chronic condition/pain management issue. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca. For more information on The Arthritis Society, visit www.arthritis.ca/

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Susan Kendal, the founder of Evolve Beyond Grief, where Kendal blogs and starts dialogue normalizing conversations around death and grief. She brings her own experiences with caregiving, grief, and death to the table after losing her father, brother, and husband within five years. The two deep dive into a conversation about Kendal’s caregiving experience, grief, and her advice for caregivers moving through grief. We also hear about the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Louise White, who is the co-founder of Families for Addiction Recovery (FAR Canada) and Kate who has lived experience caring for her daughter. The two discuss FAR Canada’s goals, objectives, supports and the free services available to all Canadians. White also discusses the advice she’d give to caregivers who are caring for someone with addiction. We delve into Kate’s personal experience caring for her daughter who is affected by addiction. The trio discuss the stigma of addiction and how that affects caregivers. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca. For more information on FAR Canada, visit www.farcanada.org. 

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Heather Lannon, the Care and Transitions Facilitator for the Aortic Program, Cardiovascular Surgery at St. Michael’s Hospital. She brings her own experience caring for her husband Jamie while he waited for a heart transplant traveling all the way from St. John’s, NL to receive care. The two discuss her experience as a caregiver, her PhD research on the connection between home and the heart transplant journey for Canadians and her advice for others going through the same experiences that she has been through. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Wendy Preskow, the founder of the National Initiative for Eating Disorders (NIED) and a member of the OCO’s Mental Health Working Group. Since the start of the pandemic, eating disorders have spiked among 15-19 years old. Preskow talks about her experience caring for her daughter who suffered from an eating disorder and how she’s using that experience to help others. The two discuss NIED, the need for education on eating disorders for young individuals and advice for families and caregivers who have a loved one with an eating disorder. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca. For more information about NIED and their services, visit NIED.ca. 

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Suzanne McKenna, a System Navigator for Acquired Brain Injury, and a long-term caregiver for her son. McKenna dives into her experience as a System Navigator and the need for education and awareness around brain injuries. She also has lived experience as a caregiver for her son and shares her advice for other caregivers. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca  

On our final episode of Season 1, host Michelle Jobin is joined by author, fellow podcast host and lead sleep expert at Good Night Sleep, Alanna McGinn. The two take an extensive look into McGinn’s work including the #BringBackBedTime initiative, her studies on how a healthy lifestyle can affect sleep, and how important sleep can be for a caregiver. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Kyle Byron, a nutrition coach and fitness pro who’s extremely passionate about helping people achieve their lifestyle and fitness goals. Byron dives deep into his work with nutrition and its importance to caregivers, how important meal prepping can be for one’s health and how a clean diet can impact us emotionally and mentally. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Shannon Lee Simmons, a certified financial planner, chartered investment manager, and founder of the award-winning New School of Finance. The two dive deep into the importance of financial literacy, taking control of one’s finances, and tips for caregivers to save money. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Organizing Expert, Clare Kumar to discuss how an organized schedule, home and life can decrease stress. The two discuss Kumar’s coveted Four-Step P.L.A.N., a technique that breaks down organizing into four simple tasks with the hope of relieving stress. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Ann Douglas, a bestselling parenting author and regular parenting commentator for CBC Radio. The two discuss how to prepare a child for a parent becoming a caregiver, maintaining a watchful eye on children's mental health, and how to balance parenting and being a caregiver, especially in the world of Covid-19. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Social Worker Michal Goldstein, a counsellor dedicated to bringing evidence-based practice to the forefront of the clinical social work field. Goldstein has over a decade of experience in the field, creating numerous workshops and support groups for those dealing with physical health, mental health and parenting challenges, as well as working in Creative Connections where she meets with families and individuals for counselling. The two discuss how Covid-19 has affected many people’s mental health, the importance of a balanced schedule and the benefits of staying mindful. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this episode, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Dr. Natasha Sharma, an internationally recognized relationship expert. Dr. Sharma dives deep into her work, covering topics such as emotional fitness, maintaining a strong foundation with a partner, and how to avoid feeling overwhelmed while caregiving. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca

In this inaugural episode of The Caregiver’s Podcast, our host Michelle Jobin is joined by Mieko Ise, a front-line service provider and Program Advisor for The Ontario Caregiver Organization. Over the course of the episode, the two discuss Ise’s introduction to caregiving, her balance between different caregiving needs, and the most fulfilling parts of her job. We also hear about a few of the free support services that The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides. For more information about the organization and these services, visit ontariocaregiver.ca