If you’re an adult child caring for an ageing parent while also managing work, family, appointments, admin, and your own emotional load, this episode is for you.

In this guest episode of Nervous System Reset for Caregivers, Michelle speaks with Wendy Adlerstein, a licensed social worker with nearly 30 years of experience in ageing and home care.

Wendy shares what she sees when adult children first reach out: exhaustion, racing thoughts, disrupted sleep, isolation, guilt, and the feeling that caregiving has quietly become a second full-time job.

Together, Michelle and Wendy explore the calm first step when you don’t know where to begin, how to plan before a crisis, how to speak with ageing parents about support, and how to find ethical home care that protects dignity and independence.

What you’ll learn

• The quiet signs that an adult child caregiver is carrying too much
• Why caregiving can quickly become isolating
• How to recognise when outside support is needed
• Why planning ahead can reduce crisis pressure
• How to introduce home care without making your parent feel they are losing control
• How to assess whether a support agency is safe, reliable, and well-managed
• Why predictable support can protect caregiver capacity
• How family members can divide responsibilities and work as a team
• A simple grounding reset before a difficult conversation
• Why self-care can begin with small, repeatable moments

Gentle note

This conversation includes dementia, ageing, caregiver overwhelm, loss of independence, and family stress. Please listen in a way that feels supportive for you. You’re welcome to pause and come back at any time.

Chapters

00:08 — Navigating Caregiving Challenges
00:28 — Understanding the Caregiver’s Emotional Load
02:36 — Wendy Adlerstein’s Story and Expertise
57:33 — OASIS Signature Programme Overview
58:42 — Recognising the Need for Support

Connect with Wendy Adlerstein

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-adlerstein-009859a8/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/FLHCWSBoston

Website: https://www.firstlighthomecare.com/home-healthcare-west-suburban-boston/

Caregiver resources

• Gratitude Journal: https://jandbinspired.com/gratitude-journal-2026-j-and-b-inspired
• 90 Second Reset Program: https://jandbinspired.com/90-second-reset-program
• Gentle Radiance Circle — community: https://web.facebook.com/groups/1533792571644996/
• Mission Statement for Caregivers: https://jandbinspired.com/jandboasis-mission-statement
• OASIS Signature Program: https://link.jandbinspired.com/widget/form/w3HKv1FKxfrYuaYhtEsg?notrack=true
• What to Say in Hard Appointments Workshop — 8 October: https://jandbinspired.com/steadycare

Your next small step is to write three lines:

1. What feels hardest right now?
2. What would reduce the pressure by 20%?
3. Who could help me take the first step?

Music by Hartzmann (via Uppbeat)

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