Episode 91

91 || Miniseries: What kind of support (time, touch, treasure)?

Published on: 16th July, 2025

Welcome!

Part 2 of our miniseries where I dive into the 'What' aspect of supporting aging parents. This is the second part of a six-part series exploring different facets of caregiving.

**Time:**

- Description: Time as a crucial resource in caregiving

- Examples of time-consuming tasks: transportation, case management, paperwork, and indirect care

- Stress factors: limited time availability, especially for mid-career caregivers with other responsibilities

- Flexible caregivers: retired individuals or those with more available time

- Importance of supporting those who provide indirect care

**Touch:**

- Description: Direct caregiving tasks and their high demand on time and emotional resources

- Personal hygiene: challenges and cultural sensitivities

- Different preferences of elders regarding family involvement in personal care

- Roles of direct caregivers and the significant impact on the caregiving ecosystem

- Encouragement of support for direct caregivers to prevent burnout and ensure longevity

**Treasure:**

- Financial resources required for caregiving

- Fixed incomes of aging parents and rising costs of care

- Informal caregiving as a cost avoidance mechanism

- Financial strain on families and the ecosystem

- Importance of recognizing and supporting caregivers who save costs for the system

- Branch points for conserving or expending financial resources, including Medicare choices

- Awareness of the financial situations of independently wealthy elders and their potential future needs

- Complexities of family financial contributions and decisions

**Key Takeaways:**

- Understanding the types of support (Time, Touch, Treasure) helps in managing caregiving responsibilities more effectively

- Support systems are crucial for both direct and indirect caregivers

- Financial planning and resource allocation are vital for sustainable caregiving

- Using neutral language can help reduce stress and make caregiving discussions easier


Feel free to let me know if there are specific areas you'd like to focus more on or if you'd like additional details added to any section!



Caveats:

  • This is a judgement free zone
  • There are no "shoulds" allowed, we live in curiosity
  • Take what works well for you, leave the rest!
  • This podcast is for informational purposes only; it is not intended as formal legal, financial or medical advice


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Rebecca



Disclaimer: The information presented on this podcast is solely for information purposes. We do not provide medical, legal, financial, or other professional advice through this podcast and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions. It is your responsibility to seek advice from a licensed professional. Any actions you take are done at your own risk.

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About the Podcast

Real Conversations about Aging Parents
Captivating stories, insights and expert opinions about life with aging parents
Join me every week for REAL conversations about the ups, downs and sideways of navigating life with aging parents. We focus on mindset, education and collaboration through a willingness to discuss raw stories and all the sticky topics. Cultural pressure? Financial problems? Family dynamics? Fascinating!!
No judgement here. No shoulds. Just a bunch of people figuring this out together.

About the host:
I am a recovering perfect daughter, elective roommate of my 90 year old grandmother, and a rehabilitation physician who has seen *thousands* of families navigate the chaos that can occur when the unexpected happens (falls, strokes, etc). I've been taking notes and I'm ready to share and listen.

About your host

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Rebecca Tapia