Kitchen Chats with Aimee Kandrac Episode 23: From Group Texts To Motion Sensors -- Leveraging Technology For Better Care
Release Date: 04/06/2023
Navigating the Quiet House: Empty Nests and Solo Living
WhatFriendsDo: Kitchen Chats
This episode of Kitchen Chats features host Aimee Kandrac and her friend Shannon Cohen discussing the multifaceted experience of empty nesting and living alone. They share their personal journeys of navigating the transition as their children went off to college, highlighting the initial strangeness of a quieter house and the adjustment to new routines. The conversation touches on relatable topics such as the changed grocery shopping habits, the shift in knowing their children's whereabouts, and the challenge of moving from active parenting to a more supportive role. Aimee and Shannon also...
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Retreating after a major event
WhatFriendsDo: Kitchen Chats
Host Aimee Kandrac and Dr. Samantha Franklin about the importance of allowing oneself to retreat after major life events. Here's a breakdown of the key themes and points discussed: Key Themes: The Validity of Retreating: The episode emphasizes that it's perfectly acceptable and often necessary to withdraw from social interactions after experiencing significant life changes. Dr. Franklin, a self-proclaimed introvert, explains how retreating provides comfort, control, and a space for emotional regulation. The hosts discuss how major life events can make individuals feel as though their lives...
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The Importance of Team
WhatFriendsDo: Kitchen Chats
This conversation between Aimee and Charlie explores the importance of teamwork during major life transitions. Here's a summary of their discussion: Teamwork Beyond Sports: While the concept of a team is often associated with sports, they emphasize its relevance in navigating life's challenges. Just as a race car driver relies on a pit crew, individuals facing transitions need a support system. Defining Your Team: They discuss the different roles people play on your team, from close family and friends to professionals like doctors or therapists. The team can also include unexpected...
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The Multifaceted Nature of Grief
WhatFriendsDo: Kitchen Chats
This podcast episode of Kitchen Chats explores the multifaceted nature of grief, emphasizing that it's not solely tied to death but arises from various life transitions like divorce, empty nesting, or even positive changes. Host Aimee Kandrac and guest, Ashley Parsons, discuss how the commonly referenced "five stages of grief" are often misapplied and can make people feel like they're grieving incorrectly. They highlight that grief and joy can coexist, and asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. The conversation offers practical advice for supporting someone grieving, stressing...
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The Emotional Toll of Moving
WhatFriendsDo: Kitchen Chats
This conversation between two friends, Aimee and Kristi, delves into the emotional and practical aspects of moving. This conversation provides a comprehensive overview of the many facets of moving and offers practical advice for both those who are moving and those who want to support them. Emotional Attachment to Homes: They emphasize the strong emotional connections people have with their homes, filled with memories and personal significance. This makes moving a complex process, even when it's desired. The Difficulty of Purging: Letting go of possessions, especially when tied to loved ones...
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The complexities of divorce
WhatFriendsDo: Kitchen Chats
This is a powerful conversation about the complexities of divorce and the importance of support systems. Here are some key takeaways: The Emotional Toll: Divorce is a deeply emotional experience, often involving grief, sadness, anger, and feelings of rejection. The Impact on Social Life: Navigating social interactions after separation can be challenging. People often feel the pressure to explain their situation while simultaneously wanting to protect their privacy. The Importance of Support: Friends and family play a crucial role in providing emotional support. Checking in regularly, offering...
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The First Person I Called
WhatFriendsDo: Kitchen Chats
This is a fascinating conversation between two sisters! Here's a summary of their discussion: The Impact of Major Life Events: They delve into the emotional and practical challenges of navigating significant life transitions, such as a cancer diagnosis, divorce, and the subsequent emotional and social isolation. The Role of Support Systems: Stephanie emphasizes the importance of trusted confidantes and the delicate balance of offering support while respecting boundaries. They discuss the concept of "kitchen counter" vs. "sidewalk" relationships, highlighting the varying levels of intimacy and...
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Major Life Transitions
WhatFriendsDo: Kitchen Chats
Kitchen Chats is a podcast where friends come together to support each other through major life transitions. This season, host Aimee Kandrac shares her own experiences with personal challenges, including: Empty nesting: Dealing with the emotional impact of her youngest child leaving for college. Health concerns: Discovering a potential tumor and undergoing surgery. Divorce: Unexpectedly separating from her husband. Moving: Selling her family home after the separation. Aimee emphasizes that while these events were incredibly difficult, she ultimately found healing and happiness with the...
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Kitchen Chats with Aimee Kandrac Episode 25: Live from the Maven Space with Rachel Macy Stafford
WhatFriendsDo: Kitchen Chats
Live from the Maven Space in downtown Indianapolis, Aimee Kandrac reunites with Rachel Macy Stafford, best-selling author of Hands Free Mama, Only Love Today, Soul Shift, and more. Aimee and Rachel discuss the challenge of letting go of routine, especially during times of crisis. They also share touching words of encouragement from friends and neighbors, emphasize the importance of looking after yourself, and destigmatize asking for help. Episode Abridged Transcript Aimee: Welcome to Kitchen Chats. Today we are coming to you live from Maven Space in downtown Indianapolis. I am so honored to...
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Kitchen Chats with Aimee Kandrac Episode 24: Navigating Grief with Hope and Purpose
WhatFriendsDo: Kitchen Chats
In this poignant and heartfelt podcast episode, Aimee chats with Colin Campbell, author of Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope and Purpose. Colin, who experienced the tragic death of his two children, shares his personal journey. He also offers profound insights on navigating grief after profound loss and finding solace in community and traditions. Episode Highlights Share a heartfelt message. After the tragic death of his two children, Colin had many messages pouring into his inbox. One of the most memorable and heartwarming came from his son’s friend, who wrote how...
info_outlineTechnology has become an essential part of our lives, so it’s no surprise that it can be incredibly helpful during major life events. In this episode, Aimee sits down with Candice Smith, founder and CEO of Caregiven, to discuss practical ways to use technology during a life-changing event. They also chat about technology’s limits and when a new app or tool may not be the right answer.
Episode Highlights
Set up a group text.
One easy way to incorporate technology during a major event is to create a group text thread to keep multiple people informed of updates at once. When creating the group, ask the people on the thread to introduce themselves, so everyone can see who they are and not just a string of numbers.
“I hate being on text threads, and there’s just a phone number,” Candice said.
Create an online calendar.
After creating a group text, you will likely start to get an idea of how people might want to help and when they’re free. However, this information can quickly get overwhelming with your other day-to-day responsibilities.
Consider setting up a separate online calendar to organize appointments and information related to the major life event. By creating a distinct calendar that integrates with your personal and work calendars, you can easily access important information but still temporarily hide information that can be emotionally draining when you don’t need it.
“Sometimes these events are draining emotionally and you don’t want to be reminded while you’re at work,” Candice said. “Let’s say that today is the day that hospice is coming in. I don’t necessarily want to see that during the day.”
Turn on alarms and reminders.
When Candice’s Dad was dying from cancer, she turned on audible alarms on his iPad to remind him to drink water. Her Dad would get so annoyed with the noise that he got up to turn off the alarm, but because he was already up, he ended up drinking the water he needed.
“Reminders are a great thing to physically stop somebody from their day-to-day, even if it’s just to turn it off,” Candice said.
There’s an app for that.
Whether you’re going through a pregnancy, breakup, or life-threatening illness, there’s likely an app or technology that can help you navigate that life experience. Types of technologies that might help include:
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Baby monitors to hear noise in another room (even if you don’t have an infant)
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Light fixtures for non-intrusive motion sensing
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Apple Watch or alert button to detect falls
Keep in mind that when it comes to apps and technology, one size doesn’t fit all and what works for you might not work for others. Also, you don’t have to stick with the first app or service you try.
“Nobody’s out there Googling caregiving apps or mental health apps unless there’s a reason -- and it’s usually a dramatic or traumatic reason,” Candice said. “Figure out what you like and what you don’t like. If it continues to work, that’s great, but you don’t have to stick with it and you don’t have to feel guilty breaking up with the tech either.”
Technology is not always the answer.
Technology can be a great tool when it works -- but a nightmare when it doesn’t. Further, new technologies often come with a learning curve, and the peak of a life-changing crisis may not be the best time to experiment with new tools or apps.
If you’re in the middle of a crisis, consider waiting to try new technology until you’ve had some time to settle and identify problems that technology may be able to simplify or solve. Also, Candice reminded listeners that technology doesn’t replace the need for actually caring.
“These instances are often the worst experience to date that somebody’s lived through,” Candice said. “No matter how much easier we make it by using technology … it doesn't take away the fact it’s still the worst experience they’ve gone through to date.”
Resources + Links
About Aimee and WhatFriendsDo
Aimee Kandrac is a speaker, consultant, and the co-founder and CEO of WhatFriendsDo. Her work is instrumental for organizing support during life-changing events, and she speaks to organizations about creative ways to help friends and family during times of crisis. Aimee has been recognized as a Top 50 Mompreneur by Babble.com and is the first female CEO in the state of Indiana to close a $500,000 funding round. She has been featured in Forbes, Time, the LA Times, Oprah.com, the Indianapolis Star, and more.
WhatFriendsDo is a simpler way to create organized and actionable support during a time of crisis. The free, online platform empowers healthcare facilities, HR departments, families, and friends to easily coordinate meals, errands, transportation, childcare, communication, and more for those in the midst of a life-changing event. The women-founded and women-led company started as a solution for a friend with terminal cancer. WhatFriendsDo is based out of Indianapolis.