Caregiver's Compass
This is Caregiver's Compass. An uplifting, inspirational podcast talking about all things caregiving. Therapist and caregiver Stephanie Muskat takes you through real-life caregiving stories from her own therapeutic experience and gives you the raw and personal on her own caregiving experiences as a young caregiver. Plus hear from tons of incredible experts and caregivers who are living through their day-to-day journeys. It's all here at Caregiver's Compass.
Episodes
123 episodes
TOP episodes of season 4!
We are back and covering the most listened-to episode of season 4! Here is a recap:5) Episode 105: What exactly is ‘Caregiver Burnout’?4) Episode 95: Yes, eating disorders can very much be related to caregiving- with Kyl...
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Season 4
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Episode 118
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6:18
Debunking the common misconceptions behind ‘palliative care’ and advocating for awareness about palliative care and MAID, with Dr. Samantha Winemaker (Episode 117)
Palliative care: a term we often hear in our communities and in the healthcare system. But do we actually know what the term palliative care means for us and the people we care for? In today’s enlightening episode, palliative care physician, Dr...
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Season 4
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Episode 117
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56:46
Dementia prevention, women’s brain health and the power to improve your health NOW and for the future, with Lynn Posluns (Episode 116)
Lynn Posluns dedicates her life to women’s brain health, education and research for prevention and improvement that you can make in your life right now. In today’s episode, Lynn provides insightful and valuable information on brain health and t...
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Season 4
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Episode 116
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44:19
Caregiving while balancing a career at the same time (Episode 115)
Are you caregiving and working at the same time? This very real and very common situation is also very hidden and not talked about enough… But when you take the stress of home and everything you have to balance with the person you care for ON T...
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Season 4
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Episode 115
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10:09
Let’s talk about the nursing home transition… (Episode 114)
The nursing home transition can be very very hard, not only for the person who is moving to the residence, but for the caregiver too (in a big way). In today’s episode, Stephanie talks about this transition, the emotions behind nursing home tra...
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Season 4
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Episode 114
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12:13
Who is the CEO behind the Ontario Caregiver Organization and how is the OCO working with caregivers to provide the diverse support they need when they need it? With Amy Coupal (Episode 113)
There are over 4 million caregivers in Ontario, yet the Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO), a government funded organization aimed to support this wide variety of caregivers, is still relatively new. In today’s episode, OCO CEO, Amy Coupal jo...
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Season 4
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Episode 113
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39:05
Caregiving and navigating the healthcare system with both a neurotypical child and a child with autism and a rare genetic disease AND recognizing the true need for self-care along the way after extreme burnout, with Nicole Dauz (Episode 112)
Nicole Dauz imagined an idyllic future for her family of 4 after giving birth to her baby daughter. She soon realized that her vision of what would be looked very different in reality. In today’s episode, Nicole takes us through her journey car...
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Season 4
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Episode 112
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43:36
Holidays and events are so hard since the loss of/ changes have transpired in my loved one (Episode 111)
The first, second, third…. times we experience a holiday or an event since changes or the loss of someone we love can be so hard. These moments and the anticipation of them can be so full of loss and grief and memories of what once was.
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Season 4
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Episode 111
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10:00
I really wish I had a sibling to help me in my caregiving (Episode 110)
As an only child, for many years Stephanie thought that having a sibling by her side would really help in the caregiving process. But after working with caregivers for many years, she soon realized that this is not always the case. In today’s e...
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Season 4
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Episode 110
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8:08
Pushing forward, breaking boundaries and achieving an outstanding career in modeling while caring for her mother with early onset FTD, with Nicole Petrie (Episode 109)
Nicole Petrie is not a person who is easily describable with words. Using her passion for FTD advocacy and surpassing numerous obstacles and limits in her way, she achieved an outstanding career in modeling, featured in some of the largest publ...
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Season 4
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Episode 109
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46:02
Moving countries and caregiving for her grandmother with cancer and her mom with dementia as an only child, and the lessons learned along the way, with Katrina Prescott (Episode 108)
When Katrina Prescott left her commercial production role in New York City and returned to British Columbia as she was faced with the realities of her aging grandmother. Little did she know, almost immediately following her grandmother’s passin...
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Season 4
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Episode 108
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40:57
Becoming more aware of our thoughts as caregivers, with Jessica Smith (Episode 107)
As people, we have thousands and thousands of thoughts each and every day. But do you truly recognize your thoughts and are you aware of the thoughts you are having? How are your thoughts impacting you and your daily life as a caregiver?...
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Season 4
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Episode 107
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37:33
Let’s talk about the driver’s license (Episode 106)
The driver’s license and cognitive or physical impairment. Something that, unless you’ve experienced it, you can never fully understand. The battle and the ethics and the nuances to exploring safety vs. autonomy and taking the path of least res...
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Season 4
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Episode 106
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15:38
What exactly is Caregiver Burnout? (Episode 105)
We hear about this term, caregiver burnout, so often. But what exactly is ‘burnout’ and how do we get there? What can we do to try and prevent or mitigate burnout? In today’s episode, Stephanie takes it back to basics to talk about this commonl...
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Season 4
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Episode 105
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11:22
Parenting after the devastating loss of an infant- continuing to care while growing a successful business and determining her own needs in processing substantial grief- with Caitlin Melvin (Episode 104)
Caitlin Melvin’s life changed forever in 2021 when her 3 week old baby Scottie passed away. Having to continue caring for her young son in the face of grief, Caitlin learned how to navigate a situation she never thought she would face. I...
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Season 4
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38:16
Finding herself again after substantial loss: continuing on and locating meaning after a long chapter as a care partner to both parents- with Patti LaFleur (Episode 103)
Patti LaFleur (known as misspatticake on social media) has become a well-known figure in the caregiving space. After leaving her teaching job of many years, she dedicated her life to caring for her father and her mother Linda, diagnosed with...
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Season 4
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53:27
Using music and art as a method of coping and growth while caregiving for her spouse with Lewy body dementia - with Mary Lou Falcone (Episode 102)
Mary Lou Falcone lived a life of sophistication and excitement as a prominent figure in the classical music space, her husband a well-known artist. Using music throughout her life helped as a means of expressing herself and proved to be para...
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Season 4
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50:52
I no longer want to engage in sex or intimacy with my partner who I care for (Episode 101)
Do you ever feel completely removed, turned off or differently in general about your partner who you care for? Do you notice that you no longer want to engage in intimacy with your partner because of the changes in your relationship and the ...
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Season 4
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13:01
An informative look at our ‘crumbling’ healthcare system, its shortcomings , achievements and what we need to focus on shifting to benefit the future of our caregivers and those they care for- with André Picard (Episode 100)
For 43 years André Picard has been at the forefront of health journalism and health reporting for The Globe and Mail. In today’s episode, André takes a deep dive into the reality of our healthcare system and its impact on caregivers and the ...
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Season 4
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Episode 100
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46:21
How caregiving for 3 family members concurrently drove her to create innovative tools for other caregivers, with Debbie Compton (Episode 99)
Debbie Compton and her husband cared for 3 family members at the same time. It was during this balance that she recognized exceptionally innovative ways to navigate presenting difficulties and stressors. She has since adapted these innovatio...
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Season 4
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Episode 99
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36:04
Exploring potentially unknown networks of support and community, mitigating feelings of isolation and loneliness and fostering connection by using the Atlas CareMap- with Rajiv Mehta (Episode 98)
In today’s episode, Rajiv Mehta talks about his non profit organization, Atlas of Caregiving, and his revolutionary mapping tool the Atlas CareMap which has been taught to and used by groups around the world. Rajiv explores how the Atlas Car...
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40:47
Examining our expectations of respite care: setting ourselves up for success when it comes to maximizing our respite experiences and outcomes (Episode 97)
You work so hard to organize and plan respite care so that you can get that long awaited and very needed break, but your expectations and hopes fall short of what you were hoping for, and suddenly you find yourself frustrated, angry and even...
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Season 4
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Episode 97
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8:20
Learning from significant burnout- how incorporating care for self (even in the smallest ways) is a necessity when it comes to caregiving and grief, with Nikki Nurse (Episode 96)
Nikki Nurse learned what burnout in caregiving can look like when she broke 2 of her limbs while caring for her mother. It was at that time that she realized the true importance of incorporating self-care and working to minimize and prevent ...
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Season 4
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Episode 96
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43:34
Yes, eating disorders can very much be related to caregiving- with Kyla Fox (Episode 95)
Did you know that eating disorders, at their core, have very little to do with how you look? In this insightful episode, social worker and therapist, Kyla Fox , identifies what an eating disorder is, how it can present in one’s life and how ...
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Season 4
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Episode 96
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43:48
Supporting Family Caregivers in Healthcare Through Research, Education and in Practice with Dr. Jasneet Parmar (Episode 94)
Caregivers are aware there are significant gaps in our healthcare system, yet some of the answers to these gaps are found in supporting and providing education to the healthcare workers on the front lines. It was not until recently that Dr. ...
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Season 4
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Episode 95
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40:42