The Uncensored Caregiver Podcast

Are you wondering if you can survive taking care of your aging parents with dementia? Everywhere you look there are explanations about what happens in the mind of a person with different forms of dementia (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Lewy Body, vascular, and many others) and how to meet their needs in this season of their lives. Master Coach Iryna Ishchenko talks openly, honestly, and occasionally provocatively about you, the caregiver, whose needs are not met because you give all of yourself to meet the needs of others, and what happens in your mind. This podcast is about you and what it takes to take care of yourself to be able to take care of your family members with dementia and how to thrive in your caregiving journey, even if you think you can’t survive it.

#40: How I processed my shame

In this episode, I walk you through my processing of shame in a recent situation in my life. If you have ever been confused about processing emotions you hear about all the time, this episode is for you! If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a daily reminder. If you like what you are hearing on this podcast and you are interested in learning more...

01-26
12:01

#39: How to plan your next year when you can't plan anything

You can plan your life even if every day of it is unpredictable, at least at this season of it. In this episode, I will guide you through my planning process to set the intention for what this new year is going to be and how to use this intention as a guide in your decision making. I also share my word for the year 2024. If you missed the previous episode, you can find it here. Use this link to schedule a free consultation call to see what we can create in your life in 2024. If you feel ...

01-05
13:55

#38: Farewell to 2023

Before setting your New Year resolutions, plans, and goals I invite you to close the year we are leaving behind. In this episode, I share my process of closing the year and the questions I ask myself to review it. I also share my answers to some of those questions so you'll see my life behind this podcast. The Boys in the Boat movie trailer.Fragments of Time by Daft Punk (from Random Access Memories album)If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregive...

12-30
16:25

#37: How to calm down when you are stressed.

In this episode, I share five of my favorite easy tools to calm down when stressed and overwhelmed. You can do them all or choose one at a time to try. And send me a message telling what works best for you! If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a daily reminder. If you like what you are hearing on this podcast and you are interested in learn...

12-22
09:51

#36: What if you don't want to bring your parents with dementia over for the holidays?

No matter how much we love our parents or other elderly family members with dementia sometimes we don't want to bring them over for the holiday celebrations. In this episode, we'll discuss why it's a challenging decision, how to approach this decision, and how to tell your family member with dementia about it. If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you a...

12-20
09:04

#35: To bring or not to bring?

To bring or not to bring family members with dementia to a holiday event is a tough decision. Whether this family member doesn't live in the same household with you and you want to bring them in , or they live with you and you want to bring them to the family event hosted somewhere else - there are some questions to be answered to decide what would be best for our elder family member with dementia. If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for careg...

12-08
10:35

#34: How to survive the holidays when you are taking care of someone with dementia

Holidays get harder when you are a caregiver because they are not the same way they used to be, but it doesn't mean you should not celebrate. Here are my 5 tips to survive the holidays while you are taking care of someone with dementia.If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a daily reminder. If you like what you are hearing on this podcast and you are ...

12-01
11:10

#33: How to take care of yourself during the holiday season

Holidays can be hard for caregivers because nothing is the same and there seems to be no joy available. In this episode, I talk about the challenges the caregivers face during the holiday season and how to overcome them. The episode about why feeling bad is a good that I mentioned can be found here.If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a daily reminder. If...

11-25
10:03

#32: Radical forgiveness

You cannot feel better if you don't forgive yourself for your mistakes, no matter how hard it is to forgive. In this episode, we are talking about how to forgive yourself. If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a daily reminder. If you like what you are hearing on this podcast and you are interested in learning more about thriving as a caregiver I...

11-13
08:56

#31: How to grieve

If the five stages of grief don't make much sense in your particular situation, this episode is for you because I am offering you an alternative way of thinking about grieving and processing grief. The resources I mentioned in this episode:On Death and Dying: What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy and Their Own Families by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.The dual process model of coping with bereavement: rationale and description by M Stroebe and H Schut | National Library of Medicine stu...

11-05
13:16

#30: What to do when you can't do it anymore

We all hear we need to be emotionally resilient and learn how to manage stress to prevent burnout and caregiver fatigue. But nobody tells us how. In this episode, I explain a very simple process to regulate your nervous system. It's ridiculously easy and at the same time makes a huge impact on our physical, mental, and emotional health. If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and prin...

10-15
11:57

#29: I am not your therapist!

In this episode I give you a very brief overview of the difference between therapy and coaching and show you how the coaching can help caregivers using my own story. Go to www.theuncensoredcaregiver.com to get in touch with me and schedule your free consultation to see how I can help you in your unique situation.If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a...

09-16
11:43

#28: What to expect in a free consultation call with a coach

You have probably heard many times my invitation to get in touch with me and to schedule a free consultation call with me.And you might not do it because you don't know what to expect or because you don't want to have a high-pressure call to sign up for my services. I am not doing those yucky sales pitches because I don't like them myself. In this episode I will tell you what actually happens during free consultation calls with me and why it's ok to say no to me. When you are ready to see wha...

09-10
12:11

#27: Why we are responsible for our own happiness.

In this episode, we talk about what makes people happy and how that happiness is created in our minds. It also explains why we can't make our parents happy no matter how hard we try. If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a daily reminder. If you like what you are hearing on this podcast and you are interested in learning more about thriving as a careg...

09-01
13:15

#26: Detox your gratitude

In this episode, we explore the ways how and why we express gratitude, when it helps, and what to change to make this practice helpful. Other episodes mentioned:#11: Why positive thinking doesn't work. #25: Why life is always 50/50If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a daily reminder. If you like what you are hearing on this podcast and you are interested...

08-27
11:53

#25: Why life is always 50/50

Let me prove my case that life is 50/50 and show you how the 50/50 principle can be a helpful tool in challenging times in life. If you want to receive an email from me every Sunday with thoughts, updates and inspirations I don't share anywhere else, let me know here. If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a daily reminder. If you like what you are hea...

08-18
08:49

#24: The reason you stay up until 2 a.m.

I've done it many times and I know you might be doing too.It's not about proper bedtime routines and chronotypes. It's about us taking revenge on ourselves for things we can't control If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a daily reminder. If you like what you are hearing on this podcast and you are interested in learning more about thriving as a care...

08-11
08:57

#23: How to create your own plan to thrive?

In this episode, we are diving into creating your own plan that helps you make decisions easier because you will have a set of parameters as guidance. If you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember to get your life back. Download and print them to keep in front of you as a daily reminder. If you like what you are hearing on this podcast and you are interested in learning more about thriving as a caregiver I would love to talk to you...

08-05
15:40

#22: What do you say "no" to?

In this episode, we dive deep into the struggles of saying no and explore the importance of setting boundaries as caregivers. How do we prioritize tasks, set boundaries, and say no? Let's create our own "say no" list and share it with all caregivers who face the same challenges.If you already have your "say no" list and are willing to share it, email it to me at iryna@irynaishchenko.comIf you feel your life got put on hold, I have a list of 10 essential things for caregivers to remember ...

07-28
10:18

#21: Where to find the time to sleep?

In this episode, we dive into the importance of prioritizing sleep and setting boundaries to ensure caregivers can take care of themselves. From treating sleep as a non-negotiable appointment to managing time effectively with calendars and planners, we explore practical strategies for rest and well-being. Do you want more detailed training on managing your time as a caregiver? Sign up for the waitlist to be notified first when the masterclass is offered. If you feel your life got put on ...

07-21
14:45

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