Episode 45 Summary

In this return visit, coach and energy-healer Jennifer Takagi explores what happens after the marathon of family caregiving is over. Drawing on the heartbreak of losing both parents just 12 days apart and her gift for lightning-fast medical note-taking that kept doctors honest , Jennifer shares her signature “12-Minute to Success” WIND methodology for rebuilding purpose in bite-sized, achievable sprints . Host Dr. Deborah Greenhut and Jennifer discuss identity loss, grief, and why carving out twelve focused minutes can restart momentum—no matter where you are on the caregiver journey.

Key Takeaways

1. The caregiving season ends—plan for the next chapter now. Jennifer reminds listeners that even the most intense care situations are temporary; envisioning post-caregiving life prevents an existential free-fall when duties end .
2. Why 12 minutes? Borrowing from Jack Canfield’s “5 % more” rule, Jennifer translates 5 % of a four-hour block into twelve minutes—long enough to gain traction, short enough to feel doable .
3. Rapid note-taking is a super-power. Accurate, spelled-out medical notes defuse sibling conflict and empower families to challenge providers when something “doesn’t sound right” .
4. Self-care role models matter. Jennifer’s father set the tone by leaving the ICU nightly to eat, pay bills, and sleep—modeling sustainable caregiving boundaries .
5. Energy work + high-performance habits = Success Mastery. Jennifer’s 1-on-1 program blends clearing emotional blocks with practical habit-building; interested listeners can book a complimentary call at YourSuccessCall.com

About Our Guest:

Jennifer Takagi, a 12-Minute Success Coach, empowers individuals—especially women—to discover their purpose and potential. Believing in the power of self-trust and intuition, she helps clients gain clarity, confidence, and meaningful success. As a keynote speaker, she inspires audiences to lead with their values and inner wisdom. Jennifer’s blend of intuitive guidance and practical strategies encourages growth, alignment with personal values, and impactful, soul-led leadership.

About Me:

I have cared for many family members across the life span, experiencing the joys and challenges of child-rearing, the poignance of caring for parents, friends, and elder partners. I realized that I could not handle the stress of family caregiving 24/7/365. It was time for a new approach to caring. My health and happiness were slipping away. This is how Think to Thrive for Caregivers evolved. Let your mind meet your heart so you don’t lose track of your life.

Connect with Me:

https://www.deborahgreenhut.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgreenhut01/

Find my books here

Thanks for listening!

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The Sharegiving Secret, EP 44: Kristina Jenen

Enrollment, End-of-Life Care, and Sacred Listening: A Conversation with Pastor Kristina Jensen

Pastor and strategist Kristina Jensen joins Deborah to explore caregiving through the lens of enrollment, sacred presence, and hospice care. A must-listen for anyone navigating family dynamics and end-of-life challenges.

In this deeply resonant episode of The Sharegiving Secret™, host Deborah Greenhut welcomes Pastor Kristina Jensen—a woman of many callings including Lutheran pastor, hospice chaplain, and enrollment strategist for online coaches.

Together, they explore:

· The meaning of “enrollment” and how it applies to caregiving and family dynamics

· How caregivers can create emotional safety during tough conversations

· The spiritual and logistical realities of hospice care

· Why many caregivers miss out on life-changing services—and how to ask the right questions

· Sacred ways to reclaim your voice and presence in even the most chaotic caregiving moments

Kristina’s warm insights and personal stories will uplift, validate, and guide anyone who has ever felt unseen or overwhelmed in their caregiving role.

Whether you're negotiating with family members or facing the possibility of hospice, this conversation offers emotional clarity and actionable hope.

Connect with Kristina Jensen

• Instagram: @kristinaleejensen
• Church: St. John’s Lutheran, Saxeville, WI
• (Now streaming services and sermons online)

Bio: Kristina Jensen is a seasoned sales and enrollment strategist who has generated millions in revenue for coaches and course creators. She helps entrepreneurs build genuine, lasting connections during sales calls, resulting in more closed sales, increased confidence, and deeper trust with clients. With 18 years as an ordained pastor, she blends compassion with practical insight in every strategy.

Hashtags:

#CaregivingMatters

#FamilyCaregivers

#CaregiverSupport

#TheSharegivingSecret

#SacredCaregiving

#EndOfLifeCare

#HospiceAwareness

#EmotionalSafety

#CaregiverWisdom

#WomenInMinistry

🕊️ Spiritual & Emotional Themes

#SacredListening

#SpiritualCare

#FaithAndHealing

#PresenceMatters

#SeenAndHeard

#PastoralCare

#ChaplainVoices

🧠 Psychological & Communication Skills

#TraumaInformedCare

#EnrollmentNotSales

#HealingConversations

#FamilyDynamics

#CaregiverBoundaries

🧑‍⚕️ End-of-Life & Practical Tips

#PalliativeCare

#HospiceSupport

#AskForHelp

#MedicareAndCaregiving

#CaregivingResources

In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode of The Sharegiving Secrets, I welcome web developer and brand strategist Lori Osborne to share her powerful story of starting over—twice. From overcoming a life-altering brain tumor diagnosis to caring for her mother in her final days, Lori’s resilience, honesty, and vulnerability offer hope and practical wisdom to anyone navigating caregiving, grief, or reinvention.

· Listeners will hear:

· How Lori turned adversity into a thriving creative business

· Why caregiving nearly broke her—and what employers and families need to do better

· The brutal toll of unsupported caregiving and how we can shift the conversation toward compassion

· Tips for surviving family conflict and protecting your health as a caregiver

Lori’s story is a candid reminder that caregiving is not just an act of love—it's a crisis that requires support, boundaries, and systemic change.

Lori’s bio:

Lori Osborne is affectionately known as The Authority Amplifier. She’s the founder of BizBolster Web Solutions and the creator of The Authority Blueprint™. With nearly a decade of experience in brand strategy and website design, Lori helps Thought Leaders identify and clarify their brand and translates it into authority-driven websites that attract aligned clients and amplify their impact online.

When she's not building powerhouse brands, Lori enjoys coastal life near Amelia Island, Florida, alongside her amazing husband and two adorable fur babies.

Link to Complimentary Brand Audit:

5 Steps to Evaluate Your Brand & Online Authority:

https://www.bizbolster.com/vip-visibility-audit

Grief doesn’t end when caregiving does—it evolves into something else entirely. I sat down with Dr. George Ackerman, a former caregiver, police officer, and fierce Parkinson’s advocate, who turned personal heartbreak into global impact after losing his mom to the disease. George opens up about the raw truth of caregiving—especially as a son—and how he built TogetherForSharon.com as a lifeline for others navigating isolation, advocacy, and loss. His mission proves that love doesn’t stop when caregiving ends—it transforms into purpose, action, and connection that can light the way for others still in the fight.

About Dr. George Ackerman:

Dr. George Ackerman (Sharon’s son) is from Brooklyn, N.Y. Now residing in Florida, he works in the fields of law, police, and education. George lost his mother, Sharon Riff Ackerman on 1/1/2020 due to Parkinson’s Disease.

George wanted to honor his mother and continue to help in the Parkinson’s awareness cause and did not know how to bring change. We started TogetherForSharon® as a family for the purpose of keeping my mother, Sharon Riff Ackerman’s, memory alive and to share the message of Parkinson’s Awareness and hope for a cure.

Today https://www.togetherforsharon.com/ reaches thousands of individuals across the country for PD Awareness. George currently interviews individuals throughout the Parkinson’s community including various foundations, caregivers, and Parkinson’s warriors to help share their stories and causes.

I am on a mission, and nothing will ever stop me until there is a PD Cure.... nothing. Join me, share and we are a family in this mission toward a cure, always! https://www.togetherforsharon.com/about-us/#mission

Author, A Son’s Journey from Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver to Advocate. To order your copy click https://www.togetherforsharon.com/my-book-a-sons-journey/

Also available in kindle/eBook and Hardcover at https://www.togetherforsharon.com/my-book/

Author, Voices of Resilience: Conversations with Parkinson's Disease Warriors, Caregivers and Advocates. Book 1. https://www.togetherforsharon.com/my-book-voices-of-resilience/

Author, Voices of Resilience: Conversations with Parkinson's Disease Warriors, Caregivers and Advocates. Book II. https://www.togetherforsharon.com/book-voices-of-resilience-ii/

Social media links:

• All Social https://linktr.ee/togetherforsharon
• Website https://www.togetherforsharon.com/
• TogetherForSharon® Shop https://www.togetherforsharon.com/shop/
• Email togetherforsharon@gmail.com
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-ackerman-ph-d-esq-mba-00871a82/
• TikTok

When caregiving emergencies hit, most of us scramble—and I’ve been there, making late-night calls, crossing my fingers for a decent match. That’s why my conversation with Amit Shrivastava lit me up. He’s building something truly game-changing with Go Instacare—a platform that doesn’t just find caregivers, it matches them based on personality, experience, and even language compatibility. Amit’s passion comes from lived experience, watching his own mother care for his grandmother without resources or support. Now, he’s transforming that into a tech-powered solution that’s free for families and built with heart. We talk about AI, instant caregiver matching, and why true care begins with connection.

About Amit Shrivastava:

Amit was born and brought up in India alongside his 5 other siblings. Although not from an affluent background, his parents ensured that he and his siblings got a good education. While growing up, one of the greatest things he learnt from his parents was caring for others. 30 years later, Amit still remembers how his mom, unable to hire professional care due to financial constraint, had to do all the heavy lifting while caring for his aged grandmother in her last years. This experience fueled in him a passion to develop a system that would lessen the hardship on families going through similar situation - unable to afford much needed professional care for their loved ones. So, drawing from his wealth of knowledge and experience in engineering and business strategy, Amit set up GoInstaCare Inc to leverage modern tech and bring AFFORDABLE and INSTANT care to families, by connecting them directly with professional care providers around the United States. With GoInstaCare, Amit is finally fulfilling his lifelong dream of revolutionizing the care giving marketplace by providing excellent yet affordable care to clients, peace of mind to family members and a healthy growth environment for care providers.

Link to Founder’s profiles: https://goinstacare.com/about#meet-founders

About Go InstaCare -

Go InstaCare is a tech-based, caregiving App that connects families looking for care with BACKGROUND CHECKED care providers, Instantly. The App is completely free to use. Go InstaCare App allows families to search for caregivers based on budget, skills, personality type, experience and many other criterion. The best part is that the matched caregivers are available to talk to families right away. Moreover, families can even do a video call with caregivers they like. The system also works on feedback from families so good caregivers keep showing up on top of the search results.

By leveraging modern tech to connect care seekers directly with well-trained care providers across the country, GoInstaCare makes it possible for care seekers to receive the best quality care they need, anywhere, anytime and all of this at a very affordable rate.

Our Mission: At GoInstaCare, our mission is to provide RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE and INSTANT care, anytime, anywhere to Families across the United States.

Learn more about Go InstaCare:

Client App Links :

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/goinstacare-find-home-care/id6448659417

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goinstacare.client&pli=1

Provider App Link:

Apple:

What if the person giving your aging parent a bath, managing their meds, or cooking their meals is just 12 years old? I shine a light on the overlooked crisis of child and teen caregivers—millions of young people in kinship care who take on adult responsibilities far too early, often in silence. These kids don’t just lose their childhoods—they risk their mental health, education, and future. Add to that the rollback of child labor protections across the U.S., and we’re creating a pressure cooker of stress and exploitation. If we really value caregiving, we have to protect the youngest ones doing it. They shouldn’t have to carry what so many adults struggle to hold.

Resources:

Legislation:

Arkansas (2023): Repealed age verification requirements for workers under 16

Iowa (2023–2024): Passed legislation allowing teens to work more hours and in jobs previously restricted for safety reasons

Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin: Introduced similar bills to expand youth labor

Economic Policy Institute (EPI): Reports on deregulation of youth labor laws

National Employment Law Project (NELP): Research and legal challenges to child labor law rollbacks

Department of Labor (Wage and Hour Division): Enforcement statements and child labor trends

Generations United: Research on intergenerational caregiving and youth caregivers

National Alliance for Caregiving: Surveys and statistics on young caregivers

Scholars such as Dr. Diana Pearce (University of Washington) and Dr. Melinda K. Lewis (University of Kansas) have written about hidden labor in low-income households, including caregiving

Links to Internet Resources:

• Eldercare.acl.gov (resource locator)
• Reports from Economic Policy Institute: https://www.epi.org
• National Employment Law Project: https://www.nelp.org
• Generations United: https://www.gu.org
• National Alliance for Caregiving: https://www.caregiving.org
• National Conference of State Legislatures tracking: https://www.ncsl.org/about-us

Episode 18—Terry Tucker:

Captivate link: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/93d1fc30-a9ab-4f88-83ee-42ba15343c73/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP4Wxq8zTEc&t=7s

About Me:

I have cared for many family members across the life span, experiencing the joys and challenges of child-rearing, the poignance of caring for parents, friends, and elder partners. I realized that I could not handle the stress of family caregiving 24/7/365. It was time for a new approach to caring. My health and happiness were slipping away. This is how Think to Thrive for Caregivers evolved. Let your mind meet your heart so you don’t lose track of your life.

Connect with Me:

https://www.deborahgreenhut.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgreenhut01/

We're bringing back one of our favorite episodes from the archives! Enjoy the episode!

Diving into the stages of caregiving, I realize it’s a journey full of unexpected twists and deep emotions, not just a checklist to be managed. Whether it’s starting the conversation early with loved ones about potential needs or shouldering the full weight of care responsibilities, each stage demands a different part of you. The emotional load can be overwhelming, especially when it shifts from professional detachment to intimate, familial involvement. It’s a human response to feel worn by the efforts to balance personal grief with the demands of caregiving. Embracing these stages isn’t about getting stuck in the roles we play but learning to navigate them with grace, preparing for the grief that may come, and ensuring we don’t lose ourselves to the emotional undertow. This journey reshaped not only how I view caregiving but also how I see resilience and the power of planning ahead.

About Me:

I have cared for many family members across the life span, experiencing the joys and challenges of child-rearing, the poignance of caring for parents, friends, and elder partners. I realized that I could not handle the stress of family caregiving 24/7/365. It was time for a new approach to caring. My health and happiness were slipping away. This is how Think to Thrive for Caregivers evolved. Let your mind meet your heart so you don’t lose track of your life.

Connect with Me:

https://www.deborahgreenhut.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgreenhut01/

Find my books here

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

Alzheimer’s doesn’t just challenge memory—it tests love, patience, and every ounce of strength a caregiver has. I spoke with Jennifer Fink, host of Fading Memories, who knows firsthand what it takes to care for a parent with dementia while still holding on to your own identity. Jennifer gets real about how to advocate with doctors who don’t listen, when to let go of guilt, and why self-care isn’t selfish—it’s survival. Her practical tools, fierce honesty, and deep compassion reminded me that caregivers aren’t just supporting a loved one—they’re holding up an entire system, and they deserve support too.

About Our Guest:

Jennifer Fink, a caregiver for three generations affected by Alzheimer's, launched the Fading Memories podcast to prevent the disease and support fellow caregivers. With a thirst for knowledge, she has interviewed caregivers, experts, and those with cognitive impairment, broadening her understanding of brain health, caregiving, and lifestyle choices. Jennifer's experiences inspired her to share insights and become a trusted friend to others on a similar journey. Passionate about navigating the challenges and avoiding personal struggles, she offers support and expertise through the Fading Memories podcast, and professional speaking, fostering a community where shared wisdom can make a difference in the lives of caregivers and individuals impacted by dementia.

Links:

Fading Memories Podcast: https://fadingmemoriespodcast.com/category/episodes/

Host+ Speaker, Presenter, & future Author www.fadingmemoriespodcast.com

To contact my Agent for Speaking Engagements:

Wellness Productions Co.

Antoniette Roze (718) 772-9103

About Me:

I have cared for many family members across the life span, experiencing the joys and challenges of child-rearing, the poignance of caring for parents, friends, and elder partners. I realized that I could not handle the stress of family caregiving 24/7/365. It was time for a new approach to caring. My health and happiness were slipping away. This is how Think to Thrive for Caregivers evolved. Let your mind meet your heart so you don’t lose track of your life.

Connect with Me:

https://www.deborahgreenhut.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgreenhut01/

Find my books here

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcasts review

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple...