Introduction:

• Guest: Toni Gitles
• Background: Toni Gitles is a certified caregiving consultant, educator, and author of the international best-selling book "21 Mistakes Caregivers Make and How to Avoid Them."

Toni Gitles' Caregiving Journey:

• Toni shares her personal journey of caregiving for her mother, beginning in 2003 when her mother was 86 years old.
• Moved from California to Florida to be with her mother due to her mother's health challenges.
• Decision to move home to spend time with her mother and provide support.
• Three years of caregiving, managing small challenges and getting her mother's pain managed.
• Crisis hit when her mother was hospitalized with a serious illness at 89, with doctors suggesting she might not survive.

Overcoming Challenges:

• After her mother's hospitalization and being told she wouldn't live independently again, Toni faced uncertainty and panic.
• Toni moved in with her mother and explored options like home health care and assisted living.
• Challenge with her mother's confusion due to medication, leading to a significant improvement after discontinuing the medication.
• Importance of questioning medical advice and advocating for loved ones' well-being.

Finding Humor and Happiness:

• Despite challenges, Toni emphasizes the importance of humor and finding joy in caregiving.
• Shared a touching story of realizing the need for love and connection with her mother, leading to a positive change in their relationship.

Lessons Learned and Advice for Caregivers:

• Toni highlights the importance of self-care for caregivers, emphasizing the need to prioritize one's own well-being.
• She discusses the mistake of trying to do everything alone and the significance of seeking and accepting help from others.
• Importance of building supportive communities and effective communication skills for caregivers.
• Toni shares her five themes for a fantastic life: quality relationships, effective communication, giving and receiving love, intentional happiness, and contributing to others.

Conclusion:

• Book: "21 Mistakes Caregivers Make and How to Avoid Them" available on Amazon.
• Website: www.heartofcaregiving.com
• Host's Resources: Visit www.drl.live for more insights and resources on living a fantastic life.

BIO:

Toni Gitles is a Certified Caregiving Consultant and Educator and is the author of the #1 International Best Selling book, 21 Mistakes Caregivers Make & How to Avoid Them: Solutions and Strategies to Reduce Stress and Increase Happiness, available on Amazon.com. In her private consultations and group workshops she empowers families to work through their caregiving challenges to find meaning, love and purpose with their loved ones as they navigate the caregiving journey.

Social Media:

Facebook Group - Heart of Caregiving, https://www.facebook.com/groups/568316578647069

Twitter - @HofCaregiving, https://twitter.com/HofCaregiving

Instagram - @heartofcaregiving, https://www.instagram.com/heartofcaregiving/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toni-gitles/ Linktree - https://linktr.ee/tonigitles