All Home Care Matters

All Home Care Matters is an informative podcast and YouTube show that helps viewers and listeners learn about resources, tips, & discussion on all things home care.

Discover CARA For Workplace 10/08/2026

Discover CARA For Workplace All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome back Mike Weinberger and Denice Kennedy, co-founders of CARA For Workplace and CaregiverCompanion.ai, for an important conversation about working family caregivers, the hidden impact of caregiving on America's workforce, and the introduction of CARA Family. Across the country, millions of employees are balancing their careers with the responsibility of caring for an aging parent, spouse, family member, or loved one. Behind the workday are medical appointments, medication schedules, difficult family conversations, unexpected emergencies, financial pressures, and decisions that often cannot wait until business hours. According to the 2025 Caregiving in the U.S. report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, approximately 63 million American adults provide ongoing care, and 70% of working-age caregivers of adults are employed. Yet many of these responsibilities remain invisible to supervisors, coworkers, and even the caregivers themselves. In this conversation, Mike and Denice join Lance to discuss how their own caregiving experiences inspired CARA, the Caregiver Advisory & Resource Assistant, and why meaningful caregiver support should be part of the workplace benefits conversation. Mike reflects on caring for his wife, Nora, who has Alzheimer's disease, and the overwhelming questions that led him to write My Wife Has Alzheimer's—Now What? Denice shares the lessons she learned caring for her father, who had dementia, and why caregivers need both compassion and practical guidance when navigating difficult decisions. Together, they explain how CARA For Workplace provides private, 24/7 caregiving support by text in more than 25 languages. CARA helps employees organize concerns, prepare questions for healthcare professionals, navigate difficult conversations, and identify practical next steps. A major focus of the episode is CARA Family, an extension of the workplace benefit that allows each employee to invite up to six family members, friends, caregivers, or other trusted supporters to access CARA's caregiving assistance at no additional cost through the benefit. Lance, Mike, and Denice discuss why caregiving rarely falls on one person, how a stronger support circle can share responsibilities, and what that means for employee well-being. The discussion also addresses caregiver burnout, workplace stress, employee retention, absenteeism, the challenges facing the sandwich generation, and why traditional employee assistance programs and flexible schedules may not fully address the everyday questions caregivers face. For employers, human resources leaders, benefits brokers, and workplace decision-makers, this episode explores how dedicated caregiver benefits can complement existing programs. At its heart, this conversation is a reminder that supporting family caregivers means recognizing the enormous responsibilities they carry, both at home and at work. About Mike Weinberger: Mike Weinberger is a co-founder of CARA For Workplace, CaregiverCompanion.ai, and Now What? Publishing LLC. His experience caring for his wife, Nora, following her Alzheimer's diagnosis inspired his book, My Wife Has Alzheimer's—Now What?, and his mission to help caregivers find compassionate guidance when they need it most. About Denice Kennedy: Denice Kennedy is a co-founder of CARA For Workplace, CaregiverCompanion.ai, and Now What? Publishing LLC. An entrepreneur, author, coach, and caregiver advocate, Denice draws on her experience caring for her father with dementia and years of leadership to help families move from overwhelm toward greater clarity and confidence. About CARA For Workplace: CARA For Workplace is an employee caregiving benefit designed to provide accessible, around-the-clock informational support for people navigating family caregiving. Through CARA, the Caregiver Advisory & Resource Assistant, employees can seek practical guidance, prepare for important conversations, and better understand their next steps. CARA is a support resource and does not replace medical, legal, financial, or emergency professionals. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/43225233

Dr. Stephen Steller, Founder of Barefoot Sandal 10/06/2026

Dr. Stephen Steller, Founder of Barefoot Sandal All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome Dr. Stephen Steller, chiropractor and creator of the BareFoot Sandal, as a guest to the show. In this conversation, Dr. Steller joins Lance to discuss the story behind BareFoot Sandal, how more than 25 years as a chiropractor influenced its development, and why rethinking traditional footwear may help people feel more stable, connected, and confident. The idea for BareFoot Sandal began with a personal problem. After years of spending long days on his feet caring for patients while staying active with his wife and four children, Dr. Steller developed persistent foot pain and plantar fasciitis. As a chiropractor, he understood the importance of support and alignment, but he also preferred the freedom of walking barefoot. When he could not find footwear that combined those experiences, he began developing his own solution. Unlike a traditional sandal, slide, or flip-flop, the patented BareFoot Sandal supports the midfoot while leaving the toes and heel in contact with the ground. Dr. Steller explains how three specialized arches beneath the midfoot are designed to provide support while allowing the toes and heel to move naturally and maintain contact with the walking surface. Lance and Dr. Steller also explore why the sandal’s heel-less design is different from conventional footwear. Because there is no traditional sole extending beyond the front of the toes, the design eliminates the projecting front edge that can catch against flooring, thresholds, rugs, or changes in surface height. The conversation also examines traction. BareFoot Sandal is made from flexible, non-toxic thermoplastic rubber designed to flex under pressure and increase contact with the surface beneath the wearer. It is intended to provide traction on both wet and dry surfaces, including bathrooms, showers, pool areas, spas, docks, gyms, smooth indoor flooring, and other everyday settings. For older adults, caregivers, and families focused on aging in place, mobility is about more than getting from one room to another. Confidence while walking, ground awareness, traction, ease of use, and natural movement can all influence how comfortable someone feels remaining active and independent. Lance and Dr. Steller discuss how BareFoot Sandal approaches support differently by concentrating it beneath the midfoot rather than placing the entire foot on a conventional sole. The goal is to support the foot while preserving a barefoot-like sense of ground awareness and natural movement. Dr. Steller also shares how users can select the appropriate size, become accustomed to the unique design, and his long-term vision for BareFoot Sandal. At its heart, the BareFoot Sandal story is about turning a personal challenge into a new approach to support, traction, movement, and everyday confidence. Step Secure. Live Endless. About Dr. Stephen Steller: Dr. Stephen Steller is a chiropractor with more than 25 years of experience working with the human body, movement, alignment, and musculoskeletal health. After years of long days caring for patients and maintaining an active lifestyle with his family, Dr. Steller began experiencing foot pain and plantar fasciitis. His search for a way to combine support with the natural feel of walking barefoot led him to develop an orthotic design featuring three specialized arches beneath the midfoot while keeping the toes and heel connected to the ground. After incorporating the design into his own routine and experiencing significant improvement in his discomfort, he continued developing the concept, eventually creating the patented BareFoot Sandal and a version designed to provide added traction for wet environments. About BareFoot Sandal: BareFoot Sandal is a patented, slip-resistant orthotic sandal designed to support the midfoot while keeping the toes and heel in contact with the ground. Its three-arch design is intended to support foot and ankle alignment while allowing natural movement and ground awareness. Its heel-less, toe-exposed design eliminates the traditional sole projecting beyond the toes, while its flexible thermoplastic rubber construction is designed to provide traction on wet and dry surfaces. BareFoot Sandal was created for people seeking a unique combination of support, natural movement, traction, ground awareness, and ease of use at home, near water, at the gym, during recovery, and in everyday life. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/43198098

Josh Bowie Founder of Creative Reach 10/02/2026

Josh Bowie Founder of Creative Reach All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome Josh Bowie, founder of Creative Reach, as a guest to the show. In this insightful conversation, Josh joins Lance to discuss how leaders can bring clarity, structure, and measurable results to organizations when growth stalls, systems break down, teams become overwhelmed, and operational chaos begins getting in the way of the mission. With more than 20 years of experience across marketing, operations, data, product, customer experience, and commercial strategy, Josh has built a career around helping organizations identify what is not working, understand why it is not working, and create systems that can support sustainable growth. Lance and Josh discuss how these challenges can affect home care agencies, senior living organizations, healthcare companies, nonprofits, and other mission-driven organizations. They explore why maintaining consistency across teams and locations can be difficult, how leaders can identify operational breakdowns, and why having a strong idea is only the beginning if the systems needed to support it are not in place. The conversation also explores artificial intelligence and automation. Josh shares his perspective on the difference between technology that genuinely helps overwhelmed teams and technology that simply creates more noise and complexity. Josh and Lance also discuss data and measurement, why organizations can collect enormous amounts of information without understanding what it is actually telling them, and how stronger operational visibility can lead to better decision-making. Throughout his career, Josh has helped organizations address major operational and growth challenges, including unlocking $14.5 million in revenue from a broken data system, reducing operational costs by 35%, improving customer satisfaction by 65%, and building go-to-market strategy, commercial operations, measurement, product, and customer success functions for an early-stage health and genomics company. For leaders in home care, senior living, healthcare, nonprofits, health technology, and caregiving organizations, this conversation highlights the importance of simplifying complexity, building stronger systems, and creating the structure teams need to focus on the work that matters most. About Josh Bowie: Josh Bowie, MBA, is the founder of Creative Reach and a fractional marketing and commercial operations leader with more than 20 years of experience across marketing, data, operations, product, customer experience, and organizational growth. Josh has worked with organizations ranging from a 100+ location retail grocer to an early-stage health and genomics startup, helping leaders transform big ideas into structured, measurable, and sustainable operations. He founded Creative Reach around one of the defining skills of his career: stepping into complicated situations, identifying what is preventing an organization from moving forward, and turning operational chaos into systems that make sense. Josh also supports founders and nonprofit leaders doing meaningful work in health awareness and community impact and regularly participates in panels focused on helping organizations find greater clarity and sustainable growth. About Creative Reach: Creative Reach helps founders and organizational leaders turn big ideas on paper into systems that work in practice. The company works with early-stage founders, growing organizations, and established businesses facing challenges related to marketing, operations, data, measurement, customer experience, workflow automation, go-to-market strategy, and organizational growth. Creative Reach's focus is simple: replace scattered execution and operational chaos with clarity, structure, consistency, and measurable results. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/43146958

A Conversation with Crystal Gallo Founder of Innerhive 10/01/2026

A Conversation with Crystal Gallo Founder of Innerhive All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome Crystal Gallo, Founder and CEO of Innerhive, as a guest to the show. In this important conversation, Crystal joins Lance to discuss the rapidly changing landscape of family caregiving, the growing number of individuals providing care at home, and why better organization, communication, and coordination will be essential as America prepares for an unprecedented demand for care. Crystal shares how nearly two decades of building teams and growing high-impact technology companies ultimately led her to a deeper purpose through her own experience with family caregiving and inspired the creation of Innerhive. The discussion explores the dramatic growth of family caregiving in the United States and what caregiving looks like today as more care takes place inside the home. Crystal and Lance discuss the increasing responsibilities being placed on families, the realities facing the professional caregiving workforce, and why simply hiring more caregivers may not be enough to meet the country's growing care needs. With every baby boomer reaching age 65 or older by 2030, families, professional caregivers, home care organizations, healthcare providers, and communities will increasingly need to find better ways to work together and support one another. Lance and Crystal also discuss an important challenge that exists in many homes: there are often two care teams supporting the same person — the professional care team and the family care team — yet those teams may not always have access to the same information or understand the complete picture of what is happening day to day. Small observations about changes in mobility, behavior, routines, medications, nutrition, sleep, or overall wellbeing can provide important context. But when that information is scattered across conversations, text messages, notebooks, appointments, and different members of the care team, valuable details can easily be lost. The conversation explores how closing those information gaps and creating a more connected picture of care can help families and professionals identify patterns, communicate more effectively, and create a more sustainable system of support. For families navigating caregiving, the future of care will not simply be about who can provide the most services. It will increasingly be about how effectively everyone involved can organize, communicate, collaborate, and understand the complete picture of a person's care. About Crystal Gallo: Crystal Gallo is the Founder and CEO of Innerhive. After almost two decades of building teams and growing high-impact technology companies, Crystal discovered a deeper purpose through an unexpected experience with family caregiving. That experience helped shape her perspective on the challenges families face when trying to organize information, coordinate care, communicate with professionals, and make sense of the countless small moments that make up someone's caregiving journey. Crystal founded Innerhive with the vision of transforming how people care for one another and helping family caregivers and their broader support networks find greater clarity, connection, and wellness throughout the caregiving journey. About Innerhive: Innerhive is a voice-first care companion designed to turn scattered family caregiving observations and information into actionable care intelligence. Care is often made up of thousands of small moments. Innerhive allows caregivers to capture what they see and experience so information has a central place to live, helping families recognize patterns, maintain important context, and stay connected with the people involved in a loved one's care. By helping create a family record of care that can complement the information maintained by professional caregivers and healthcare providers, Innerhive is working toward a more connected and sustainable model of care in which everyone supporting an individual can better understand the whole picture. Innerhive is also inviting family caregivers and care professionals to help shape the conversation around what better care coordination should look like. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/43123448

Dr. Hussen Amen, MD Board Certified Family Medicine Physician 09/29/2026

Dr. Hussen Amen, MD Board Certified Family Medicine Physician All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome Dr. Hussen Amen, board-certified family medicine physician and founder of Amen Family Medicine, as a guest to the show. In this important conversation, Dr. Amen joins Lance to discuss the role proactive primary care can play in helping older adults maintain their health, independence, and quality of life while safely aging in place. The discussion explores the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit and why it is different from a traditional physical, as well as some of the important health concerns primary care physicians look for as patients age. Dr. Amen shares valuable insight into fall prevention, changes in mobility, memory and cognitive concerns, medication management and polypharmacy, preventive screenings, nutrition, advance care planning, and the importance of identifying subtle health changes before they develop into a medical crisis. Lance and Dr. Amen also discuss the important role family caregivers can play as part of a loved one's healthcare team and why establishing a strong relationship with a trusted primary care physician before a crisis occurs can make a meaningful difference. For older adults and their families, proactive healthcare is about more than treating illness. It is about prevention, early detection, communication, and helping individuals remain as healthy and independent as possible. About Dr. Hussen Amen: Dr. Hussen Amen is a board-certified family medicine physician and the founder of Amen Family Medicine, an independent primary care practice in Livonia, Michigan. A Metro Detroit native who grew up in Dearborn, Dr. Amen earned his bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Food Science from Wayne State University before receiving his medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine. He completed his Family Medicine residency at Trinity Health Livonia, where he continues to maintain hospital privileges. Living with Type 1 diabetes since childhood has given Dr. Amen a unique perspective on the patient experience and the importance of preventive, relationship-centered care. His clinical interests include preventive medicine, chronic disease management, sports medicine, and point-of-care ultrasound. He is passionate about helping patients stay healthy, maintain their independence, and avoid preventable hospitalizations through proactive primary care and patient education. About Amen Family Medicine: Amen Family Medicine is an independent primary care practice located in Livonia, Michigan, founded by Dr. Hussen Amen with the mission of providing personalized, relationship-centered healthcare for patients of all ages. As a privately owned practice, Amen Family Medicine focuses on building lasting relationships with patients while delivering accessible, evidence-based care tailored to each individual's needs. The practice offers comprehensive family medicine services including preventive care, annual wellness visits, chronic disease management, same-day sick visits, women's health, pediatric care, sports medicine, and minor office procedures. Amen Family Medicine also provides in-office digital X-ray, point-of-care ultrasound, laboratory services, EKGs, and ultrasound-guided procedures, allowing many conditions to be evaluated and treated conveniently under one roof. For older adults, the practice emphasizes preventive care, medication management, fall prevention, cognitive screening, and coordination with caregivers and specialists to help patients maintain their health, independence, and quality of life. At Amen Family Medicine, the philosophy is that primary care should be proactive rather than reactive. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/43075053

Marianne Sciucco & New AlzAuthors Book "Sharing Our Stories Only Makes Us Stronger" 09/28/2026

Marianne Sciucco & New AlzAuthors Book "Sharing Our Stories Only Makes Us Stronger" All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome Marianne Sciucco, author, retired registered nurse, and co-founder of AlzAuthors, as a guest to the show. About Marianne Sciucco: A lifelong lover of words and books, Marianne Sciucco writes heartwarming novels, short stories, and essays that explore the human experiences surrounding caregiving, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, family, and connection. A retired registered nurse, Marianne brings both professional healthcare experience and a deep understanding of the emotional realities families face when navigating dementia and caregiving. Marianne is also a founder of AlzAuthors, the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Through AlzAuthors, she has helped amplify the voices of authors, caregivers, professionals, and individuals whose stories provide education, understanding, hope, and support to families around the world. In this conversation, Lance and Marianne discuss her newest book and the inspiration behind its creation, including the powerful individual stories and six-word memoirs that capture moments of love, loss, resilience, caregiving, and the realities of living alongside Alzheimer’s and dementia. They explore how the memoirs were gathered, the meaning behind the book’s artwork and design, and why even a few carefully chosen words can communicate experiences that are often difficult to describe. Marianne also shares several of the six-word memoirs featured in the book and discusses why creating opportunities for caregivers to tell their stories matters. These personal experiences can help caregivers feel seen, preserve meaningful memories, create connection, and remind others traveling similar journeys that they are part of a much larger community. The conversation also highlights the importance of storytelling in dementia care and caregiving—not only as a way to document difficult experiences, but as a way to recognize the love, humanity, humor, strength, and unforgettable moments that remain throughout the caregiving journey. FREE BOOK: /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/43057813

Lori La Bey "How to Better Support Loved Ones with Dementia" 09/24/2026

Lori La Bey "How to Better Support Loved Ones with Dementia" All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome Lori La Bey, Founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks and internationally recognized dementia advocate, as a guest to the show. About Lori La Bey: Lori La Bey is an award-winning dementia advocate, speaker, author, media host, and founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks. Her work was inspired by her mother’s 30-year journey with dementia and has focused on changing how society understands, discusses, and responds to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Through Alzheimer’s Speaks, Lori has created and supported educational programs, advocacy initiatives, interviews, resources, and conversations that bring together people living with dementia, family caregivers, professionals, innovators, and organizations. Lori is also the co-founder of Dementia Map and serves on the Board of AlzAuthors, where she continues helping families connect with trusted dementia and caregiving resources. In this conversation, Lance and Lori discuss the realities of dementia and caregiving, the importance of listening to people living with dementia, the lessons family caregivers often learn through experience, and why compassion, dignity, connection, and person-centered care must remain at the heart of the caregiving journey. They also explore the need for stronger caregiver resources, better dementia education, greater collaboration across the care community, and a shift away from fear-based perceptions of dementia. About Alzheimer’s Speaks: Alzheimer’s Speaks is a dementia advocacy, education, and media platform founded by Lori La Bey. Its mission is to help shift dementia care from crisis to comfort by providing education, resources, conversations, and support for families, caregivers, professionals, and people living with dementia. Through Alzheimer’s Speaks Radio, Dementia Chats™, Dementia Quick Tips™, educational initiatives, and global collaborations, Alzheimer’s Speaks works to elevate the voices and lived experiences of those impacted by dementia. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/43022698

Anoushka Fernandes Creator of "TheSoggySandwich.ca" 09/22/2026

Anoushka Fernandes Creator of "TheSoggySandwich.ca" All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome dementia awareness advocate Anoushka Fernandes as a guest to the show. About Anoushka Fernandes: Anoushka Fernandes (Ah-NOSH-ka) is a passionate dementia awareness advocate from Edmonton, Canada, whose personal caregiving journey inspired her to help other families navigating dementia, caregiving, and loss. In 2023, Anoushka made the decision to leave the full-time corporate workforce and start her own business, allowing her more time to support her father as he cared for her mother, Allison. For the final three years of her life, Allison lived with cognitive decline and major neurocognitive disorder, a type of dementia. Anoushka experienced firsthand the changes, uncertainty, and challenges that can affect not only the person living with dementia, but the entire family surrounding them. Following Allison’s death, Anoushka transformed her family’s experience into a mission to support others. In October 2025, she launched TheSoggySandwich.ca, a website and blog created for dementia caregivers and those who have experienced dementia-related loss. Through her advocacy, community outreach, writing, and public speaking, Anoushka is especially passionate about helping break down the stigma surrounding dementia, including within racialized communities. She encourages families who notice changes in memory, behavior, or cognition to seek formal medical evaluation rather than allowing fear or stigma to delay conversations about dementia. Her advocacy also emphasizes the importance of accessing available treatments, interventions, education, and support as early as possible to help improve quality of life for individuals living with dementia and those who care for them. About The Soggy Sandwich: The Soggy Sandwich is a deeply personal dementia caregiving and grief resource created by Anoushka Fernandes following her family's caregiving journey and the death of her mother, Allison. Through weekly writing, Anoushka follows two interconnected storylines. The first reflects on her family's caregiving journey, beginning with the earliest memory and behavioral changes they noticed in Allison and continuing through the realities of caring for someone living with dementia. The second chronicles Anoushka's own experience navigating grief following her mother's sudden and unexpected death. By sharing these experiences openly, Anoushka hopes to provide caregivers and grieving families with something that can sometimes be difficult to find during these journeys: the knowledge that someone else understands. The Soggy Sandwich also serves as a platform for dementia awareness, caregiver education, community outreach, and conversations aimed at reducing stigma and encouraging families to seek information, support, and medical guidance earlier in the dementia journey. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42992703

Suzy McNamara Author of "The Silkworm, the Magician, and the Sister Tree" 09/21/2026

Suzy McNamara Author of "The Silkworm, the Magician, and the Sister Tree" All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome author Suzy McNamara as a guest to the show. About Suzy McNamara: Suzy McNamara is the author of The Silkworm, the Magician, and the Sister Tree, a deeply human exploration of caregiving, grief, faith, loss, and enduring love. A poet, mother of four, fundraiser, lawyer, Secular Carmelite, and widow, Suzy writes for those navigating loss and the often-invisible weight of caring for someone they love. In 2024, Suzy lost her husband of 37 years, Bob McNamara, to Posterior Cortical Atrophy, an aggressive form of early-onset Alzheimer’s, after caring for him at home for five years. Just months earlier, her sister and lifelong best friend, Elizabeth Muslin, died from Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. These overlapping losses profoundly shaped Suzy’s perspective and inform her writing today. Her work offers particular insight into the realities of early-onset Alzheimer’s, when illness can begin dismantling identity during years when marriages, careers, friendships, and family life are often at their most active. Suzy writes honestly about the daily realities of caregiving — the isolation, exhaustion, anticipatory grief, and the quiet work of preserving dignity, countering shame, and holding onto meaning amid uncertainty. She believes grief can be a lonely sport and that survival often depends on community, shared language, faith, and the courage to name what is too often left unsaid. Through her writing, Suzy seeks to walk alongside caregivers and those grieving profound loss, reminding them they do not have to carry everything alone. About The Silkworm, the Magician, and the Sister Tree: The Silkworm, the Magician, and the Sister Tree is a deeply personal memoir about love, caregiving, grief, faith, and what remains after unimaginable loss. Within a single year, Suzy lost both her husband of 37 years to early-onset Alzheimer’s and her sister — her lifelong best friend and emotional support system — to lung disease. With raw honesty and vulnerability, Suzy chronicles the daily realities of caregiving, the isolation and anticipatory grief, and the exhaustion of watching someone you love gradually disappear while they are still physically present. She also explores the particular ache of losing a sister and refuses to rush either loss toward easy answers, resolution, or meaning. Instead, the book gives voice to the weight carried by caregivers and the layered grief that can follow while offering something equally important: companionship. Through love, community, and faith, Suzy offers hope that joy and peace can eventually exist alongside grief. The Silkworm, the Magician, and the Sister Tree is for anyone who has cared for someone they love, grieved someone they could not save, or simply needed to know they are not alone in what they are carrying. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42978563

John Regan Founder of Tugboat Caregiving 09/17/2026

John Regan Founder of Tugboat Caregiving All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome John Regan, Founder of Tugboat Caregiving, as a guest to the show. About John Regan, Founder of Tugboat Caregiving: John Regan is the founder of Tugboat Caregiving and a family caregiver whose work is rooted directly in lived experience. For more than eight years, John has been a family caregiver for three people he loves — beginning with his mother in 2018, followed by his aunts, one of whom is living with dementia, and his father — all while working full-time as a technologist with more than 30 years of experience. Through those experiences, John came to understand just how quickly family caregivers can find themselves becoming case managers, advocates, researchers, insurance navigators, technology support, and decision-makers — often without training, preparation, or a roadmap. He created Tugboat Caregiving to become the navigator he wishes he had during his own caregiving journey: an AI-powered “crew” designed to help family caregivers better understand what may be coming next, determine what needs attention first, and reduce the burden of trying to keep every detail inside their heads. John is also an outspoken realist about caregiving technology and artificial intelligence. He believes the technology families need most is not always the flashiest or most expensive. His approach emphasizes practical solutions, affordability, transparency, and being honest about where AI can genuinely support caregivers — and where technology and marketing may be getting ahead of reality. Tugboat Caregiving was built entirely from his lived experience as a family caregiver. About Tugboat Caregiving: Tugboat Caregiving is an AI-powered caregiving navigator created to help families caring for aging or ailing loved ones understand what to do now, what may be coming next, and how to prepare for it. With an estimated 59 million Americans providing care for someone they love — and the global population age 60 and older projected to reach 2.1 billion by 2050 — families are increasingly being asked to navigate complicated caregiving responsibilities with little training and no clear roadmap. Tugboat Caregiving was created to help provide that map. At the center of the platform is a private “Care Graph,” a simple, living picture of a loved one’s situation that AI can use to help anticipate potential needs over the next 90 days. Tugboat also offers a growing collection of free and membership-based caregiving tools, including: • A Caregiver Navigator designed to turn an overwhelming situation into three prioritized next steps. • A Caregiver Check-In focused on the health and well-being of the caregiver. • A budget-aware Tech Plan that helps families identify technology that may actually be useful — as well as technology they may not need. • An Appeal Drafter that helps create a ready-to-sign Medicare appeal letter. • Stage-by-stage caregiving guides. • A global caregiving atlas. • Sourced caregiving cost and statistics resources. What sets Tugboat apart is its philosophy toward technology. Rather than promoting technology simply because it is new, Tugboat focuses on practical, affordable solutions that can make a meaningful difference in everyday caregiving. The platform is candid about where artificial intelligence can provide real value for caregivers today and where expectations surrounding technology may exceed what it can realistically deliver. Tugboat Caregiving was founded by John Regan and built from his own eight-plus years as a family caregiver. The company is live, bootstrapped, and AI-native — run by one caregiver working alongside a crew of AI agents and shaped by lived caregiving experience. Its guiding idea is simple: “You’re the captain. We’re the tugboat.” Connect with Tugboat Caregiving: Website: X: @Tugboatcare LinkedIn: Tugboat Caregiving YouTube: @TugboatCaregiving /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42943888

R.O.A.R. National Long-Term Care Reform Day with Susie Singer Carter & Don Priess 09/15/2026

R.O.A.R. National Long-Term Care Reform Day with Susie Singer Carter & Don Priess All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome Susie Singer Carter and Don Priess for an important conversation about ROAR 4 LTC, the first-ever National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform, and the inaugural National Long-Term Care Reform Day taking place Sunday, September 27, 2026. This powerful discussion examines why long-term care affects every family, why the crisis facing nursing homes and long-term care can no longer remain hidden, and how families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, advocates, and communities across the country are coming together to demand meaningful change. ABOUT ROAR 4 LTC: ROAR stands for Respect. Oversight. Advocacy. Reform. ROAR 4 LTC is a national nonprofit movement dedicated to transforming long-term care through storytelling, education, advocacy, and public action. Born from the impact of the documentary No Country for Old People, ROAR seeks to make visible what too often remains hidden — nursing home neglect, abuse, chronic understaffing, inadequate oversight, and the devastating consequences these systemic failures can have on residents and their families. The movement is bringing together families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, advocates, students, organizations, and communities to call for greater dignity, accountability, transparency, and meaningful reform throughout long-term care. THE NATIONAL WALK FOR LONG-TERM CARE REFORM: On Sunday, September 27, 2026, communities across the United States will come together for the historic first-ever National Walk for Long-Term Care Reform and the inaugural National Long-Term Care Reform Day. The message is simple but powerful: “The power of the people is greater than the people in power.” The National Walk is designed to bring the long-term care crisis into the public eye and give families, caregivers, residents, professionals, and advocates a collective voice. Participants are encouraged to walk, volunteer, organize, advocate, share their stories, and help ensure that the people living in long-term care are never treated as invisible. As ROAR says: Be a ROARior for our most vulnerable. Learn more, join the movement, and find a local walk: www.roar4ltc.org ABOUT SUSIE SINGER CARTER: Susie Singer Carter is a multi-award-winning, Oscar-qualified filmmaker, writer, director, producer, actor, podcast producer, host, and caregiver advocate. She is best known for writing, directing, and producing the Oscar-qualified short film My Mom and The Girl, starring Valerie Harper in her final performance; writing and producing Bratz: The Movie for Lionsgate; and co-producing Soul Surfer for Sony. Susie also produces and hosts the podcast Love Conquers Alz, which was awarded Best Podcast in 2020 by the New Media Film Festival. Her personal journey as a caregiver began during her mother's 16-year journey with Alzheimer's disease and ultimately became the driving force behind much of her advocacy and filmmaking. Susie is also the filmmaker behind No Country for Old People, a documentary project examining nursing home neglect and the systemic long-term care crisis in America. Through ROAR, she is helping transform deeply personal stories of families and caregivers into a national movement for awareness, accountability, and reform. ABOUT DON PRIESS: For more than two decades, Don Priess has worked as an award-winning writer, producer, director, and editor. He co-founded Modern Media and has worked on projects for CBS/DIC Entertainment, Nickelodeon, Buena Vista, American Movie Classics, Lifetime, Hanna-Barbera, Playboy Entertainment, and others. Don later teamed with Susie Singer Carter as part of Go Girl Media. Together, they served as writers and Co-Executive Producers of the CBS series CAKE and DANCE REVOLUTION, as well as SURVIVING HAWKING and SILVER LININGS for Fox Television Studios. In this conversation with Lance A. Slatton, Susie and Don discuss the stories and experiences that helped inspire their long-term care advocacy, why storytelling can be such a powerful catalyst for social change, and why September 27 represents an opportunity for Americans to stand together for the dignity and protection of our most vulnerable citizens. Long-term care is not someone else's issue. It is a family issue. It is a caregiver issue. It is a healthcare issue. And eventually, it can touch every one of us. Join the movement on September 27, 2026. Learn more: /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42912342

Special Grandparents Day with Tyler Zanini of Memoryboard 09/13/2026

Special Grandparents Day with Tyler Zanini of Memoryboard In this special Grandparents Day episode, All Home Care Matters and host Lance A. Slatton welcome back Tyler Zanini, CEO & Co-Founder of Memoryboard, for a deeply personal conversation about family, memory, caregiving, and the grandmother whose experience with vascular dementia helped inspire the creation of Memoryboard. Grandparents can leave an impact that reaches far beyond their own lifetime. For Tyler, his grandmother’s journey with vascular dementia became an important part of the story that would ultimately lead to the creation of a technology now helping families navigate many of the same challenges his own family once faced. During this special conversation, Tyler shares the origins of Memoryboard, the experiences his family encountered as his grandmother lived with vascular dementia, and how those experiences revealed the need for a simpler way for families to communicate, provide reassurance, and remain connected with loved ones experiencing memory loss. Lance and Tyler also discuss what it means to create technology that supports—not replaces—the human relationships at the heart of caregiving, and why preserving connection, dignity, independence, and a sense of familiarity can be so meaningful for individuals living with dementia and other cognitive changes. The episode also celebrates an extraordinary milestone for Memoryboard: being selected as a USA TODAY Editor’s Pick in USA TODAY’s “The Best Tech Products of 2026,” where Memoryboard was recognized in the Aging in Place category. This Grandparents Day, the conversation serves as both a tribute to Tyler’s grandmother and a reminder of the lasting influence grandparents can have on our lives—and how one family’s caregiving experience can ultimately inspire something that goes on to help thousands of other families. About Memoryboard: Memoryboard is a digital display and mobile app designed to help families stay connected with loved ones experiencing memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other cognitive changes. Family members and caregivers use the Memoryboard app to remotely send reminders, messages, photos, daily updates, appointments, and words of encouragement directly to a dedicated screen in their loved one’s home. The person receiving the messages does not need to download an app, remember a password, navigate menus, or learn new technology. Messages simply appear on the screen in clear, easy-to-read text. Memoryboard was created after its founders experienced the challenges of memory loss within their own family. They wanted to create something that could help families provide structure and reassurance without making technology another source of confusion. Today, Memoryboard supports more than 20,000 families. Families use it to help loved ones stay oriented throughout the day, remember appointments and routines, maintain independence, and feel connected to family members who may live nearby or hundreds of miles away. Memoryboard is designed to support the human side of caregiving rather than replace it. The goal is to give caregivers a simple way to communicate, provide reassurance, and stay involved while giving their loved ones greater confidence and independence in their daily routines. About Tyler Zanini, CEO & Co-Founder of Memoryboard: Tyler Zanini is the co-founder of Memoryboard, a caregiving technology company focused on helping families support loved ones experiencing memory loss, dementia, and other age-related cognitive changes. With a background in healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship, Tyler created Memoryboard alongside his father-in-law, David, after their own family experienced the challenges of caring for loved ones with memory loss. Seeing how difficult it could be to stay connected, communicate changing plans, and provide reassurance from a distance inspired them to build a simpler solution for families and caregivers. Learn More About Memoryboard: Official Website: USA TODAY — The Best Tech Products of 2026: LinkedIn: Instagram: @memoryboardapp Memoryboard App: Search “The Memoryboard” in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Connect with Tyler Zanini: LinkedIn: /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42889175

Care Intelligence with Dr. Vicki Wright-Hamilton Founder of Peacefulcare.ai 09/10/2026

Care Intelligence with Dr. Vicki Wright-Hamilton Founder of Peacefulcare.ai All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton, were honored to welcome Dr. Vicki Wright-Hamilton, Founder of PeacefulCare.ai, back to the show for an important conversation about why families need more than group texts, notebooks, memory, and scattered updates to manage increasingly complex caregiving responsibilities. In this conversation, Dr. Wright-Hamilton introduces the concept of “care intelligence” and explains why caregiving today requires more than simply managing tasks. Families are coordinating medications, appointments, sleep changes, mood, appetite, routines, provider notes, schedules, and family communication—often while one overwhelmed person quietly carries the responsibility of holding everything together. The reality is that group texts are not a care system. For millions of families, especially those in the sandwich generation, caregiving is happening alongside raising children, managing careers, running households, maintaining relationships, and handling the emotional pressure that comes with caring for someone they love. Dr. Wright-Hamilton and Lance discuss the invisible load carried by the “responsible one” in the family and why caregivers themselves must become a central part of the care plan. They also explore why caregiving is no longer only a family issue. It is increasingly a workplace and leadership issue. Working caregivers are balancing professional responsibilities with medical appointments, emergencies, care coordination, family communication, and the emotional demands of caregiving—often without their employers ever realizing the full extent of what they are carrying. About Dr. Vicki Wright-Hamilton: Dr. Vicki Wright-Hamilton is the founder of VWH Technology, LLC and the creator of PeacefulCare.ai, an AI-powered caregiver intelligence platform designed to help families move from scattered information to shared understanding. She has spent more than four decades in executive leadership, including serving as a Chief Operating Officer, Interim CIO, transformation strategist, consultant, speaker, and advisor helping senior leaders navigate some of the most disruptive technology shifts of their careers. Through VWH Consulting, Dr. Wright-Hamilton works with executives navigating disruptive technology and artificial intelligence while maintaining a people-first focus on change management, adoption, and leadership. Her work with PeacefulCare.ai grew from both her professional experience and a lifetime of caregiving. As a child, she helped her mother care for her grandmother and great aunt. Her great aunt ultimately passed away holding her hand. As an adult, Vicki and her husband cared for his brother for 26 years, and during a seven-year period she became the simultaneous primary caregiver for four additional loved ones while raising her family and continuing her career. Those experiences gave her an intimate understanding of what happens when one person becomes the center of an entire family care system. About PeacefulCare.ai: PeacefulCare.ai is an AI-powered caregiver intelligence platform built to help families coordinate care, understand patterns, support caregiver wellness, and stay connected. Most caregiving apps help families manage care. PeacefulCare.ai helps families understand care. The platform helps families bring together important information across medications, appointments, mood, sleep, appetite, routines, care notes, tasks, family updates, and caregiver wellness so that patterns that might otherwise be overlooked can become easier to recognize. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42860815

Discover Optilume BPH with Dr Panuganti 09/08/2026

Discover Optilume BPH with Dr Panuganti All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Dr. Panuganti from Optilume BPH as guest to the show. About Dr. Panuganti, Urologist and Optliume BPH Consultant: Dr. Sravan Panuganti is a urologist with Carolina Urology Partners and an assistant professor in urology at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg, S.C. Dr. Panuganti completed his college education at the University of Pittsburgh. He then went on to medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency in urological surgery at Jefferson New Jersey Hospitals in Southern New Jersey, followed by a fellowship in men’s sexual medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center and University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas. He is also a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons. His specialty interests in urology include benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and erectile dysfunction (ED). He believes in early intervention for BPH and is trained in a variety of treatment options. He lives in Charlotte with his wife, two kids, and dog. About Optilume BPH: The Optilume BPH Catheter System is a minimally invasive surgical therapy (MIST) to treat symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Not only is the Optilume BPH procedure safe, effective and easy, it’s also a quick outpatient procedure that provides immediate relief without heating, cutting, lasering, steaming or implantation. It’s FDA-approved with proven clinical safety and efficacy results, and my patients have seen strong results – immediate and significant functional improvements. Optilume BPH combines mechanical dilation using a proprietary double-lobe balloon with concurrent localized delivery of paclitaxel to treat lower urinary tract and BPH symptoms. It is owned by global medical technology company Laborie /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42826945

Discover Care Mojo 09/04/2026

Discover Care Mojo All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Tian Lan & Peijun Liu the Co-Founders of Care Mojo as guests to the show. About Tian Lan, Founder & CEO of Care Mojo: Tian Lan is the Founder and CEO of Care Mojo. Before launching Care Mojo, she worked as an engineer at Uber and later became a venture investor. Tian was raised by her grandfather, and watching dementia change the man who had been her hero left a lasting mark on her. She went on to own senior home care businesses, where she explored how technology could be applied to build solutions that make home care safer and more affordable, and that keep families more connected to the loved ones in their care. About Peijun Liu, Co-Founder of Care Mojo: Peijun Liu is the Co-Founder of Care Mojo and a researcher at UCSF. A graduate of UCSF, she has researched the use of language models for early cognitive decline detection in partnership with the Mayo Clinic. Having served as a family caregiver for her grandmother and worked in hospice care, Peijun brings both personal and clinical experience to her work bringing greater dignity and visibility to dementia care through Care Mojo. About Care Mojo: Care Mojo is an AI-powered aging-in-place safety platform designed to help older adults remain safer and more independent at home while giving families and care professionals greater visibility and peace of mind. Its always-on system combines wearable technology, in-home sensing, location awareness, and proactive voice check-ins to recognize changes in daily routines, activity, safety, and wellbeing. Care Mojo can identify more than 500 daily events and patterns, including potential falls, wandering, changes in bathroom habits, sleep disruption, low movement, missed meals, and other changes that may warrant attention. When the system detects a potential concern, Care Mojo’s AI Speaker Hub can first check in with the individual by voice and then alert family members, caregivers, care staff, or emergency services when appropriate. Its location technology provides room-level awareness inside the home without relying on cameras and can transition to GPS when someone leaves the home, helping families stay informed while supporting an older adult’s privacy and independence. Designed for both families and professional home care providers, Care Mojo provides real-time insights that can help caregivers better understand how a loved one is doing between visits and recognize meaningful changes earlier. With privacy controls, HIPAA-compliant safeguards, and integration capabilities for care organizations, Care Mojo is working to bring together artificial intelligence, wearable technology, and proactive care to help redefine what safer aging and dementia care at home can look like. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42785720

Mark Wilson, Author of Breakthrough Alzheimer's Care 09/02/2026

Mark Wilson, Author of Breakthrough Alzheimer's Care All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Mark Wilson, Author of Breakthrough Alzheimer's Care as guest to the show. About Mark Wilson: After Mark's Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s he left his 22+ career as a Leadership & Human Resources Executive for Taco Bell to take care of his Mom full time at home. Mark discovered that his love and passion for his mom, his passion to learn, and his executive career leading leadership development, Talent and training (including training on Breakthrough Thinking), helped him lead care to achieving breakthrough results for his mom where she lived 3 times longer and happier than anyone expected. In addition to writing a combo memoir & how to playbook on his journey with his mom, Mark is a passionate advocate for the disease, leading Alzheimer's support groups, advocating in DC and Sacramento, and leads various fundraising, and patients rights activities. About Breakthrough Alzheimer's Care: Breakthrough Alzheimer’s Care by Mark Wilson is a deeply personal and practical guide for families navigating Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Drawing from his own experience leaving a successful corporate leadership career to care for his mother after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Wilson shares how he applied the principles of leadership, problem-solving, and continuous learning to create a more intentional and compassionate approach to caregiving. Blending memoir with actionable guidance, the book introduces Wilson’s Bold Care Leadership approach and explores strategies for building an effective care team, creating supportive daily routines, improving safety and quality of life, strengthening communication with healthcare professionals, supporting nutrition and cognitive engagement, and helping family caregivers protect their own well-being. Rather than viewing caregiving simply as something to endure, Wilson encourages families to become confident advocates and active leaders in the care of the people they love. At its heart, Breakthrough Alzheimer’s Care is a story of love, advocacy, resilience, and possibility. Through the lessons Wilson learned while caring for his mother, the book offers families practical tools and a hopeful perspective on how thoughtful, coordinated, person-centered care can help create greater connection, dignity, purpose, and meaningful moments throughout the Alzheimer’s and dementia journey. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42717735

Diana Matasci Director of Marketing for Crayon Cards 09/01/2026

Diana Matasci Director of Marketing for Crayon Cards All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Diana Matasci the Director of Marketing for Crayon Cards. About Diana Matasci, Director of Marketing for Crayon Cards: Diana Matasci is a technology and marketing professional with a career spanning software engineering, systems administration, and creative brand development. She began her career as a software engineer with Lockheed Martin, where she worked as part of a team developing software for a graphic simulation system. Her early experience in technology gave her a strong foundation in problem-solving, systems thinking, and translating complex ideas into practical solutions. After stepping away from her career to raise her family, Diana returned to the professional world at Santa Clara University as a Systems Administrator, where she managed software applications supporting a wide range of university operations, including point-of-sale systems, access control, student housing, and resident life. Today, she brings together her technical background, systems expertise, and passion for storytelling as Director of Marketing for Crayon Cards, where she is helping shape the brand and its vision of creating meaningful opportunities for people and families to revisit the moments that matter most. About Crayon Cards: Crayon Cards is a personalized coloring book store that turns your own photos into custom coloring books. Here's how it works: you upload your favorite photos, our system converts them into line-art illustrations, and a printed book is shipped to your door. A Photo Coloring Book becomes a Reminiscence of the past with the fun of coloring. The product is for seniors, particularly as a memory and cognitive engagement tool in remembrance of their life's accomplishments or a Family album. And for children, as a creative, screen-free activity using their own family photos, birthdays or vacations. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42649150

Michelle Cera, PhD Investigative Reporter Hunterbrook Media 08/27/2026

"Things Not to Say to a Caregiver" Season 2 with Katrina Love Prescott 08/25/2026

"Things Not to Say to a Caregiver" Season 2 with Katrina Love Prescott All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Katrina Love Prescott back to the show as our guest. About Katrina Love Prescott, Writer/Director/Producer: Katrina Love Prescott is a caregiver advocate, coach, and media producer based in Vancouver. She spent a decade in commercial TV production in New York before returning to Vancouver, where caregiving for her mother pulled her into a new line of work. She co-founded Care Nation Society, a nonprofit supporting caregivers, and Sunny Love Productions, and created Things Not to Say to a Caregiver and Therapeutic Fibbing to give caregivers real tools instead of platitudes. She advises organizations such as UBC, Vancouver Coastal Health, Providence Health Care, York University, and the BC Office of the Seniors Advocate. In 2023 she won the Caregiver Advocacy Award from the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence. Through Care Nation, she's building healthcare systems and community that actually work for people with chronic illness and the caregivers holding it together. About Sunny Love Productions: Change the Story. Change the World. Jess and Katrina bring decades of experience in scripted, unscripted, and commercial production. We're impact creators — our expertise is listening to people, understanding complex issues, and turning them into stories that resonate and move people to act. Every frame, every word is built to make the invisible visible — because the truth, told well, is more powerful than any campaign. About "Things Not to Say to a Caregiver": When someone says the wrong thing to a caregiver, a no-nonsense Care-y Godmother freezes the scene, educates the unintentional offender, and rewrites the moment — one caregiving crisis at a time. Things Not to Say to a Caregiver is a comedic web series that tackles the awkward, misguided things people say to caregivers — and how we can do better. Each episode, a no-nonsense Care-y Godmother freezes the offender mid-fumble, delivers the reality check they didn't know they needed, and rewrites the moment into something actually helpful. Blending sketch comedy with real caregiving insight, TNTS turns cringeworthy into teachable moments — and reminds us that the right words can change everything /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42549970

Explore the Mackenzie Meet Alzheimer's Community 08/19/2026

Explore the Mackenzie Meet Alzheimer's Community All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Alder Allensworth as guest to the show to share the Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer's Community. About Alder Allensworth, Co-Founder of Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer's: Alder Allensworth, MM, RN, is a registered nurse and retired hospice counselor who supported families caring for loved ones with dementia at the end of life. Her professional background spans working with both children and older adults, including those living with Alzheimer’s disease. The inspiration for this project grew from Alder’s personal experience witnessing her mother, who had Alzheimer’s, connect meaningfully with her grandchildren—Alder’s nieces and nephews. This powerful family experience, combined with her clinical work, deepened her commitment to helping families navigate dementia with compassion, creativity, and connection. Alder is also an accomplished writer, having published several articles in professional journals and books. As a speaker and presenter in the field of disabilities, she has shared her insights on local, national, and international stages. Her advocacy and dedication to promoting quality of life for people with disabilities have been featured on CNN, as well as in international media and local news outlets. About Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer's: The Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer’s Program (MMAP) is a family-centered multimedia educational program created to help children, parents, caregivers, educators, and healthcare professionals better understand and navigate Alzheimer’s disease together. Designed especially for families in the “sandwich generation,” MMAP provides practical guidance, age-appropriate education, and meaningful activities that help children stay connected with a loved one living with Alzheimer’s—from diagnosis through the severe stage of the disease. At the heart of MMAP is the Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer’s Awareness Program (MMAAP), a 5-video educational series that explains the different stages of Alzheimer’s while also providing guidance for adults who are simultaneously raising children and caring for an aging loved one. The program includes: • A 5-video educational series covering the stages of Alzheimer’s • Guidance for parents and caregivers helping children understand the disease • Simple, meaningful activities children can do with their loved one • A quick-reference guide and video transcripts • Accessible audio and visual resources for different learning needs • An online community component offering additional connection and support One of the most important goals of MMAAP is helping children understand Alzheimer’s in ways that are appropriate for their age—while showing them that even as the disease progresses, there are still opportunities to connect, interact, and create meaningful moments with the person they love. The program is complemented by the Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer’s Disease Picture Book, a gentle, child-friendly introduction to Alzheimer’s that follows a young girl as she learns to understand and remain connected with her grandmother throughout the progression of the disease. The book also includes a QR code providing access to a free Story Song download. The lyrics of the song are the text of the book, creating an engaging and memorable learning experience for young children, early readers, and families. MMAP can also serve as a valuable educational resource for Adult Day Centers and Memory Care Communities. The ready-to-use program gives organizations a structured way to educate and support families, proactively answer common questions, and provide families with resources they can return to throughout their caregiving journey—allowing staff to devote more time to care, engagement, and meaningful connection. Ultimately, the Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer’s Program goes beyond explaining the disease. It helps families understand what is happening, gives children a meaningful role in the caregiving journey, and provides families with tools to preserve relationships, create positive memories, and remain connected throughout Alzheimer’s and other dementias. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42489545

Discover MemoryBoard with CEO & Co-Founder Tyler Zanini 08/18/2026

Discover MemoryBoard with CEO & Co-Founder Tyler Zanini All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome the CEO & Co-Founder of Memoryboard Tyler Zanini as guest to the show. About Memoryboard: Memoryboard is a digital display and mobile app designed to help families stay connected with loved ones experiencing memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other cognitive changes. Family members and caregivers use the Memoryboard app to remotely send reminders, messages, photos, daily updates, appointments, and words of encouragement directly to a dedicated screen in their loved one’s home. The person receiving the messages does not need to download an app, remember a password, navigate menus, or learn new technology. Messages simply appear on the screen in clear, easy-to-read text. Memoryboard was created after its founders experienced the challenges of memory loss within their own family. They wanted to create something that could help families provide structure and reassurance without making technology another source of confusion. Today, Memoryboard supports more than 20,000 families. Families use it to help loved ones stay oriented throughout the day, remember appointments and routines, maintain independence, and feel connected to family members who may live nearby or hundreds of miles away. Memoryboard is designed to support the human side of caregiving rather than replace it. The goal is to give caregivers a simple way to communicate, provide reassurance, and stay involved while giving their loved ones greater confidence and independence in their daily routines. About Tyler Zanini, CEO & Co-Founder of Memoryboard: Tyler Zanini is the co-founder of Memoryboard, a caregiving technology company focused on helping families support loved ones experiencing memory loss, dementia, and other age-related cognitive changes. With a background in healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship, Tyler created Memoryboard alongside his father-in-law, David, after their own family experienced the challenges of caring for loved ones with memory loss. Seeing how difficult it could be to stay connected, communicate changing plans, and provide reassurance from a distance inspired them to build a simpler solution for families and caregivers /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42478175

Discover Nana's Books Foundation 08/13/2026

Discover Nana's Books Foundation All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Dr. Dennis Dulniak, Mark Dulniak, and Craig Dulniak of Nana’s Books Foundation for a meaningful conversation about Alzheimer’s disease, family caregiving, children’s literacy, empathy, and the lasting legacy of Nancy Dulniak. About Nana’s Books Foundation: Nana’s Books Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting literacy, empathy, and awareness through the power of books. The Foundation was created in honor of Nancy Dulniak, a lifelong librarian who passed away from Early-Onset Alzheimer’s disease at age 69. Nancy believed books could open minds, inspire compassion, and help children better understand the world around them. Founded in 2020, Nana’s Books Foundation provides age- and grade-appropriate books and educational resources focused on Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, disabilities, caregiving, empathy, resilience, and acceptance. Through partnerships with schools, public libraries, and community organizations, the Foundation helps families begin important conversations that can otherwise be difficult to navigate. Special emphasis is placed on supporting Title I schools and underserved communities. Since its founding, Nana’s Books Foundation has expanded across 16 states and the District of Columbia, distributing more than 26,000 books to nearly 12,000 students and classrooms, as well as 29 school libraries and 20 public libraries. At its heart, the Foundation carries forward Nancy’s lifelong commitment to children, education, libraries, and compassion. About Dr. Dennis Dulniak: Dr. Dennis Dulniak is Founder and President of Nana’s Books Foundation. After a 40-year career in higher education, including serving as University Registrar at the University of Central Florida and as a Vice President at Parchment, Dennis became a caregiver when Nancy was diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2014. For more than seven years, Dennis served as Nancy’s care partner, gaining firsthand insight into dementia caregiving, changing relationships, communication, and advocacy. Following Nancy’s passing, he dedicated his retirement to honoring her through Nana’s Books Foundation. Dennis is also a Co-Founder of Central Florida Dementia-Friendly Dining, a facilitator and resource for a large men’s caregiver support group, and a member of the Central Florida Dementia Care and Cure Initiative. Today, he shares his family’s journey to help caregivers, children, and communities better understand dementia. About Mark Dulniak: Mark Dulniak, the eldest son of Nancy and Dennis Dulniak, is Co-Founder and Treasurer of Nana’s Books Foundation. The Foundation’s roots began in 2018 when Mark started donating books to Knoxville-area classrooms in honor of his mother. Students wrote thank-you notes to Nancy, bringing her tremendous joy during her journey with Early-Onset Alzheimer’s disease. That tradition eventually grew into Nana’s Books Foundation, ensuring Nancy’s lifelong love of books and learning would continue to impact future generations. Mark now helps expand the organization’s reach to Title I schools, school libraries, public libraries, students, and families. He also advocates for families to begin age-appropriate conversations with children about dementia, using books as a compassionate way to help them understand what is happening to someone they love. About Craig Dulniak: Craig Dulniak, the youngest son of Nancy and Dennis Dulniak, serves as Secretary Emeritus of Nana’s Books Foundation and lives with his wife and son in Philadelphia. During one of Nancy’s final visits to Philadelphia, Craig took her to his local public library to sign her grandson up for his first library card at just one year old—a fitting reflection of Nancy’s lifelong connection to books and libraries. Craig hopes Nana’s Books Foundation will help children better understand dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, disabilities, and caregiving by increasing access to books addressing topics often underrepresented in children’s literature. Through the Foundation, the Dulniak family continues Nancy’s legacy through every book shared and every conversation inspired about kindness, empathy, understanding, and inclusion. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42420510

Jacqueline Larsen 2025 Dole Caregiver Fellow North Carolina 08/11/2026

Jacqueline Larsen 2025 Dole Caregiver Fellow North Carolina All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Jacqueline Larsen as guest to the show. About Jacqueline Larsen, 2025 Dole Caregiver Fellow, North Carolina: Jacqueline Larsen cares for her husband, Jeffery (Jeff) Larsen, a retired Air Force pararescueman (PJ) who served for 18 years and deployed 20 times. From a young age, Jeff knew he wanted to become a PJ and serve his country. After graduating high school in 2010, he enlisted in the Air Force, completed the rigorous training, and earned his place in the elite unit. Over the years, he sustained multiple injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), carpal tunnel in both hands, shoulder pain, and herniated discs, which ultimately led to his medical retirement. Jacqueline met Jeff in early 2020 through a dating app—just as she was about to give up on dating to focus on fixing up her newly purchased farm. Jeff had only recently joined the app as a New Year’s resolution, and the two instantly connected. Their relationship quickly deepened, and by July 2020, they had eloped, with plans to celebrate with friends and family later that summer. However, on the eve of their planned celebration, tragedy struck when he fell when trying to move bales of hay on his own, leaving him quadriplegic. At the time, Jacqueline was eight weeks pregnant with their second child and navigating the overwhelming reality of Jeff’s hospitalization during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeff spent months in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, including the Shepherd Center in Atlanta and the VA in Augusta, before finally returning home just before Christmas. Since then, Jacqueline has dedicated herself to his care, balancing physical and occupational therapy sessions, pain management treatments, and adaptive rehabilitation activities that help Jeff regain independence. He is working toward riding a hand bike, using adaptive equipment for long-range shooting, and assisting with farm chores from his wheelchair. Their family, which includes their two sons, 11-year-old Lucas and 4-year-old Jackson, have adapted to a new normal—one filled with resilience, adjustments, and an emphasis on kindness and understanding. They have learned that while their family is not able to do all the things other families can do, they now create quality time where they can celebrate with new traditions. The boys have learned to be kind, courteous, and helpful to all people. Living in rural North Carolina, just outside Fort Bragg, Jacqueline faced challenges securing reliable respite care due to the limitations of the VA Caregiver Support Program and Tricare's lack of in-network providers in their county. Her experience has fueled her advocacy for systemic change to better support veteran caregivers, particularly those who have had to leave successful careers due to their caregiving responsibilities. She is passionate about raising awareness of the financial strain that unpaid caregiving places on families, including the burden of student loans for caregivers who can no longer pursue their careers. Currently, Jacqueline is working to turn their hobby farm into a sustainable business that will provide employment opportunities for both her and Jeff. About the Dole Caregiver Fellowship: The Elizabeth Dole Foundation Dole Caregiver Fellows Program is a selective leadership and advocacy fellowship for individuals who provide care and support to wounded, ill, or injured service members and veterans of all generations. Participants—spouses, parents, adult children, friends, or other loved ones—are chosen from across the United States to represent caregivers across their communities and nationally. During a two-year term, Fellows receive training, build networks, and work with policymakers, organizations, and the public to raise awareness of the value of caregivers and the challenges they face. They advocate for improved support and resources and advise the Foundation on programs and policy priorities affecting military and veteran families. In addition, by sharing their stories and experiences, they help other caregivers recognize themselves as caregivers, connect to resources, and feel welcomed in a community where every caregiving journey is valued. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42393910

Conscious Caregiving with L & L "Covering Care Costs" 08/10/2026

Chris Milone Chief Marketing Officer at A Place for Mom 08/06/2026

CARA for Work Place from CaregiverCompanion.ai 08/04/2026

CARA for Work Place from CaregiverCompanion.ai All Home Care Matters and host Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome back Denice Kennedy and Mike Weinberger, co-founders of CaregiverCompanion.AI, for an important conversation about the continued growth of CARA and the launch of CARA for the Workplace. Building on the support CARA already provides to family caregivers, Denice and Mike discuss how CARA for the Workplace can help employers better support employees who are balancing their careers with the responsibilities of caring for an aging parent, spouse, family member, or loved one. Millions of employees are also family caregivers, often managing appointments, medications, care decisions, emergencies, and emotional stress while trying to remain productive at work. In this episode, Denice and Mike explain how CARA for the Workplace gives employers an innovative way to recognize these challenges and provide meaningful, accessible support. The conversation highlights the many potential benefits of CARA for the Workplace, including helping employees quickly access trusted caregiving information, practical guidance, and personalized resources. By supporting working caregivers, organizations may also strengthen employee well-being, reduce stress, improve productivity, increase retention, and build a more compassionate workplace culture. Denice and Mike also share updates on CARA and discuss how the platform continues to make caregiving information and support easier to navigate. Their work demonstrates how thoughtfully developed technology can help caregivers feel more informed, confident, and less alone throughout their journey. Mike also reflects on the personal caregiving experiences that inspired his book, “My Wife Has Alzheimer’s, Now What?” and the mission behind CaregiverCompanion.AI. 💡 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: ⚫️ How CARA continues to support family caregivers with trusted information and practical resources ⚫️ What CARA for the Workplace offers employers and their employees ⚫️ How caregiving responsibilities can affect employee stress, productivity, attendance, and well-being ⚫️ Why supporting working caregivers can strengthen employee engagement and retention ⚫️ How employers can create a more understanding and caregiver-friendly workplace culture ⚫️ How CARA can help employees find caregiving guidance and resources when they need them most ⚫️ Why caregiver support is becoming an increasingly important workplace benefit /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42318255

Discover Poppins Payroll with CEO Nafeesa Remtilla 07/30/2026

Discover Poppins Payroll with CEO Nafeesa Remtilla All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Nafeesa Remtilla the CEO of Poppins Payroll as guest to the show. About Nafeesa Remtilla, CEO of Poppins Payroll: Nafeesa Remtilla is CEO of Poppins Payroll, which helps families across the country pay caregivers — including private caregivers for aging parents — legally and simply. As a working mother who has relied on caregivers herself, she has a personal understanding of what it means to trust someone else with the people you love, and why that person deserves to be paid fairly and properly for it. That same belief shapes how she leads: a deep commitment to understanding what families and caregivers actually need, not just what a payroll product should look like on paper. About Poppins Payroll: Poppins Payroll takes the guesswork out of household payroll, making it simple and easy to pay the people who care for your loved ones. Founded in 2016 in Boulder Colorado, Poppins was built after its founders faced the same confusing, paperwork-heavy process so many families run into: trying to figure out how to pay a household caregiver legally, without being a payroll expert. Today, Poppins supports more than 65,000 families across all 50 states — including a growing number of adult children managing payroll for a parent's private caregiver. For these families, Poppins handles the parts that feel overwhelming: calculating pay, withholding and filing taxes, staying current on state-specific rules, and preparing year-end paperwork. The goal is simple — take one more thing off the plate of someone who is often already juggling medical appointments, legal decisions, family logistics, and everything else that comes with caring for your loved one. With a dedicated support team that picks up calls in under 10 seconds, Poppins is here to make sure that you are supported in every step of your caregiving journey. Connect with Poppins Payroll: Official Website: /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42268825

Congressman Joe Morelle Discusses Family Caregiving, Aging & Healthcare 07/29/2026

The Caregiving Support Network Ministry 07/23/2026

Discover the Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer's Community Platform 07/21/2026

Discover the Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer's Community Platform All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Alder Allensworth as guest to the show. About Alder Allensworth, MM, RN: Alder Allensworth, MM, RN, is a registered nurse and retired hospice counselor who supported families caring for loved ones with dementia at the end of life. Her professional background spans working with both children and older adults, including those living with Alzheimer’s disease. The inspiration for this project grew from Alder’s personal experience witnessing her mother, who had Alzheimer’s, connect meaningfully with her grandchildren—Alder’s nieces and nephews. This powerful family experience, combined with her clinical work, deepened her commitment to helping families navigate dementia with compassion, creativity, and connection. Alder is also an accomplished writer, having published several articles in professional journals and books. As a speaker and presenter in the field of disabilities, she has shared her insights on local, national, and international stages. Her advocacy and dedication to promoting quality of life for people with disabilities have been featured on CNN, as well as in international media and local news outlets. About Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer’s Program (MMAP): The Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer’s Program (MMAP) is a family-centered, multimedia educational program with an online community component designed to help parents, children, educators, and healthcare professionals navigate the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. Created especially for families in the “sandwich generation,” it provides practical tools, guidance, and meaningful activities that support positive interactions between children and loved ones living with Alzheimer’s from diagnosis through the severe stage. The program helps children and their families stay meaningfully connected throughout the journey. At the heart of the program is the Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer’s Awareness Program (MMAAP), a 5-video educational series covering each stage of the disease, along with guidance for adults raising children while caregiving. The program also includes a quick reference guide, transcripts, and accessible audio and visual resources to support a wide range of learning needs. Importantly, the MMAAP helps children understand Alzheimer’s in age-appropriate ways and gives them simple, meaningful activities they can do with their loved one to maintain connection and nurture the relationship. Complementing the video series is the Mackenzie Meets Alzheimer’s Disease Picture Book, a gentle, child-friendly introduction to Alzheimer’s. The book follows a young girl learning how to understand and connect with her grandmother as the disease progresses. It includes a QR code for a free Story Song download whose lyrics are the text for the book—making the learning experience engaging, memorable, and accessible for young children and early readers. The complete MMAP is also a valuable resource for Adult Day Centers and Memory Care Communities, offering a ready-to-run educational program for families. It helps answer common questions proactively, reducing the need for staff to repeatedly provide the same explanations. This allows them to focus more on care and connection. Together, the program and book go beyond education—they empower families to create meaningful moments, maintain connection, and build positive memories throughout the course of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. /episode/index/show/homecarematters/id/42172030

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