The Hart Of It All with Teri Hart

Eleven months, 46 episodes and countless conversations later, what has The Hart of It All taught us about caregiving? In the season one finale, Teri Hart looks back at 10 lessons that changed how she thinks about aging, caregiving and the systems families are navigating. Revisiting conversations with Alyson Schafer, Deb Galet, Beverley Wolfe, Rob Carrick, Dr. Amina Jabbar, Cathy Barrick, Neal K. Shah, Dr. Amy D'Arprix, Jordana Talsky and Dr. Saskia Sivananthan, Teri reflects on some of the season’s most practical and thought-provoking takeaways, from difficult family conversations and aging in place to dementia risk, finances, sibling conflict, legal planning and the future of caregiving. Whether you have been with us since episode one or are just discovering the podcast, this finale is a great place to catch up and think differently about caregiving. __ Resources: - Alyson Schafer's starting the conversation episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/starting-the-caregiving-conversation-without-fear/id1843639868?i=1000730606378 - Deb Galet's aging in place episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/planning-to-age-in-place-what-seniors-and-families/id1843639868?i=1000758384090 - Beverley Wolfe's hearing loss episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/why-hearing-loss-matters-more-than-we-think-with/id1843639868?i=1000741500706 - Rob Carrick's finance episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-financial-checklist-every-caregiver-needs-part-1/id1843639868?i=1000769606479 - Dr. Amina Jabbar's geriatrician's advice episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/what-a-geriatrician-wants-families-to-know-about/id1843639868?i=1000744963093 - Neal K. Shah's caregiving as a diagnosis episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/why-caregiving-should-be-treated-like-a-diagnosis/id1843639868?i=1000766195660 - Cathy Barrick's Alzheimer's episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/navigating-alzheimers-one-step-at-a-time-with/id1843639868?i=1000743945187 - Dr. Amy D'Arprix's sibling conflict episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/how-to-handle-sibling-conflict-in-caregiving-with-life/id1843639868?i=1000763992839 - Jordana Talsky's wills and executors episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-gift-of-clarity-wills-and-choosing/id1843639868?i=1000739256968 - Dr. Saskia Sivananthan Dementia Task Force episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/a-new-plan-to-support-dementia-caregivers-before/id1843639868?i=1000779836937 To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod Follow The Hart Of It All: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehartofitallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehartofitallpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehartofitallpod Follow Teri Hart: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terihart Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode. __ 🟡 About The Hart of it All A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving. No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most. From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caregiving is complicated. Caring for someone who has hurt you can be even more so. How do you protect yourself while caring for someone who caused you harm? For people caring for a parent, family member or other care recipient with whom they have a complicated or painful history, the emotional weight can be even greater. How do you step into a caregiving role without ignoring what happened in the past or sacrificing your own wellbeing? In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart speaks with registered social worker, psychotherapist and Compassion in Caregiving founder Stephanie Muskat about navigating caregiving when the relationship is anything but simple. Stephanie explains why caregiving does not have to mean reconciliation or unlimited access, and how understanding your own values can help you decide what role, if any, you want to play. She shares practical strategies for setting boundaries, preparing for difficult interactions and recognizing when guilt or shame is pushing you beyond the limits you have set for yourself. Teri and Stephanie also explore how dementia can further complicate already difficult family dynamics, why conversations about the past may not always bring the closure caregivers hope for, and how sibling relationships can become another source of tension when caregiving responsibilities are uneven. Drawing on both her professional expertise and her own years of experience as a caregiver, Stephanie offers a different way to think about boundaries: not as rigid walls, but as limits that allow caregivers to continually ask themselves what they need, what they can realistically give and why they are making the choices they are making. Not every care recipient is a “loved one,” and caregiving should not require losing yourself in the process. __ Resources: Follow Stephanie Muskat: Website: http://www.compassionincaregiving.com Listen to Stephaine's Podcast, "Caregiver's Compass": Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/caregivers-compass/id1576543499 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2U5OizDwrtCGJAzdqnMmT8 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compassionincaregiving TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@compassionincaregiving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/compassionincaregiving To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod Follow The Hart Of It All: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehartofitallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehartofitallpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehartofitallpod Follow Teri Hart: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terihart Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode. __ 🟡 About The Hart of it All A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving. No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most. From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when being the caregiver your loved one needs means accepting that you cannot do it all yourself? In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart speaks with four-time JUNO Award nominee Shawnee Kish about becoming a caregiver to her mom, Lynn, after a catastrophic brainstem stroke changed both of their lives in December 2020. Shawnee shares the extraordinary lengths she and her wife, Jen, went to support Lynn, from navigating hospitals and rehabilitation during COVID to buying and renovating a home so they could live together and provide the support she needed. But as Shawnee tried to help her mom rebuild her life, she began to realize that recovery could not happen on her terms. Lynn had changed, her needs had changed, and Shawnee had to learn the difference between trying to fix someone’s life and supporting them as they decide what they want that life to look like. At the same time, the demands of full-time caregiving were taking a devastating toll on Shawnee’s career, marriage, motherhood and sense of self. She opens up about reaching a point where something had to change, the guilt she felt admitting she could no longer provide the level of care her mom needed, and how another major health crisis forced their family to rethink everything once again. Today, Mama Lynn is thriving with a team providing around-the-clock support, while Shawnee has found a new way to be both her daughter and her caregiver. Their relationship, she says, has never been better. This is a powerful conversation about caregiver burnout, guilt, power of attorney, family dynamics, stroke recovery and the difficult realization that sometimes the most loving thing a caregiver can do is stop trying to be the hero. Resources: Follow Shawnee Kish: Website: https://www.shawneekish.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawneekish Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawneekish/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/67KtTWjRTAU9ZkjRFnaffZ?si=70T4i4kCSvqc2YPcvLk6AA Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/shawnee-kish/1559364390 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Officialshawneekish Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawneekish To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod Follow The Hart Of It All: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehartofitallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehartofitallpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehartofitallpod Follow Teri Hart: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terihart Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode. - 🟡 About The Hart of it All A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving. No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most. From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if families had a clear path through dementia care from diagnosis? In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart speaks with Dr. Saskia Sivananthan, CEO of the Brainwell Institute, about the Ontario Dementia Task Force and its goal to transform care across the province. Dr. Sivananthan explains why caregivers need clear guidance, assessments and support before they reach burnout or crisis. She also challenges misconceptions about dementia and shares why better treatment and care are now possible. This is a hopeful conversation about building a system people living with dementia and their families no longer have to navigate alone. __ This episode is sponsored by RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. This content is provided for general information only and is not intended to provide any advice nor endorsements/recommendations. All opinions and views expressed by the speaker(s) are not representative of views and opinions of RBC Wealth Management. All Information and opinions provided in this podcast are in good faith of the speaker(s), but without legal responsibility for RBC Wealth Management. A longer life means planning for the longer run. And that requires more than just financial foresight. It takes a plan that encompasses health, wellness and finances. That’s why RBC Wealth Management partners with leading organizations to help Canadians maneuver each of life’s stages with peace of mind and confidence. Learn more at: RBC Wealth Management: http://rbcwm.com/ Aging Well Hub: http://rbcwm.com/agingwell __ Resources: Learn more about The Brainwell Institute: Website: www.brainwellinstitute.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brainwell_institute/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Brainwell-Institute/61563530946708/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-brainwell-institute/ Contact: https://brainwellinstitute.org/contact-us/ Watch the Ontario Dementia Task Force Announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9U1tD_IIng Learn more about First Link - Dementia Supports: https://firstlinkontario.ca/ Learn more about The Alzheimer's Society of Ontario: https://www.alzheimer.ca/on/en Read "The Emperor of All Maladies": https://www.indigo.ca/products/the-emperor-of-all-maladies-a-biography-of-cancer https://www.amazon.ca/Emperor-All-Maladies-Biography-Cancer/dp/1439170916 Learn more about "The Dementia Bill" - Bill 121: https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-121 Follow Dr. Saskia Sivananthan: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sassy_nikali To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod Follow The Hart Of It All: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehartofitallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehartofitallpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehartofitallpod Follow Teri Hart: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terihart Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode. - 🟡 About The Hart of it All A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving. No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most. From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to build a secure and fulfilling retirement? After decades of helping Canadians prepare for the future, The Wealthy Barber author David Chilton is now entering retirement and considering what makes those years work. David joins Teri Hart for a conversation about retirement, aging parents, and the cost of care. He shares his family’s experience navigating his 93-year-old father’s dementia, assisted living, and long-term care. Together, David and Teri explore why many Canadians believe the government will cover future care, how in-home support can reshape family finances, and why younger generations may find themselves supporting children and parents. They also discuss aging in place, home equity, and why every family’s needs are different. David explains why wills and powers of attorney are only the beginning. Honest conversations about money, housing, health, and caregiving expectations can help families avoid rushed decisions in a crisis. This episode of The Hart of It All is a hopeful reminder that retirement planning is about more than saving. It is also about health, connection, communication, purpose, and joy. __ This episode is sponsored by RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. This content is provided for general information only and is not intended to provide any advice nor endorsements/recommendations. All opinions and views expressed by the speaker(s) are not representative of views and opinions of RBC Wealth Management. All Information and opinions provided in this podcast are in good faith of the speaker(s), but without legal responsibility for RBC Wealth Management. A longer life means planning for the longer run. And that requires more than just financial foresight. It takes a plan that encompasses health, wellness and finances. That’s why RBC Wealth Management partners with leading organizations to help Canadians maneuver each of life’s stages with peace of mind and confidence. Learn more at: RBC Wealth Management: http://rbcwm.com/ Aging Well Hub: http://rbcwm.com/agingwell __ Resources: Get the latest, updated version of 'The Wealthy Barber': https://www.indigo.ca/products/the-wealthy-barber-2025-indigo-exclusive Follow David Chilton: Website: https://thewealthybarber.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWealthyBarber Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewealthybarber TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewealthybarber Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Wealthy-Barber-61553899000342/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wealthy-barber/ To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod Follow The Hart Of It All: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehartofitallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehartofitallpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehartofitallpod Follow Teri Hart: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terihart Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode. - 🟡 About The Hart of it All A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving. No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most. From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.