All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome the team from Bridgetown Music Therapy as guests to the show.

About: Alexis Baker, MT-BC, CDP

Alexis is the founder & owner of Bridgetown Music Therapy. Alexis is a board-certified music therapist, certified dementia practitioner, and founder of Bridgetown Music Therapy. Passionate about using music to make a difference in the lives of older adults, her mission is to spark joy and connection through meaningful music engagement.

In 2020, she became the innovator of Singing at Home and Music with Alexis, virtual music engagement programs for older adults living with dementia. In 2024, she co-authored the book “The Caregiver’s Advocate: A Complete Guide to Support and Resources”.

About Lindsey Bretzman, CDP:

Lindsey is a passionate Life Enrichment professional, who after caring for her grandfather for many years, began working in senior living in 2010. She has worked in a variety of senior living settings and is credentialed as a Certified Activity Director and Certified Dementia Practitioner.

Lindsey's "heart work" and dedication has earned her program awards through both the Oregon Healthcare Association and LeadingAge Oregon. In the fall of 2022, Lindsey joined the Bridgetown Music Therapy team as Life Enrichment Specialist.

About Tyler Mizak:

Tyler is the LifeStages Activity Director and LifeStories Memory Care Director, Colonial Courtyard at Bedford. He is also the host of the Ageless Adventures podcast, where he shares inspiring stories and insights from the world of senior living and real life Residents.

A passionate advocate for older adults, Tyler is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for seniors through creativity, connection, and meaningful engagement in the larger public community.

About Bridgetown Music Therapy:

Bridgetown Music Therapy’s mission is to make a difference in the lives of individuals living with dementia using the power of music. With services facilitated by passionate, talented board-certified music therapists and certified dementia practitioners, they spark joy and connection through meaningful music engagement.

They value providing programs that are engaging, therapeutic, high-quality, versatile, accessible, affordable, and dementia friendly. Their programs also provide respite to tired, busy, and overwhelmed caregivers.

All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome esteemed author Eliezer Sobel as guest to the show.

About Eliezer Sobel:

Eliezer is the author of The Silver Lining of Alzheimer’s: One Son’s Journey Into the Mystery, as well as two picture books for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, Blue Sky, White Clouds: A Book for Memory-Challenged Adults, and L’Chaim! Pictures to Evoke Memories of Jewish Life. He has also published Minyan: Ten Jewish Men in a World That is Heartbroken, selected by National Book Award winner John Casey as the winner of the Peter Taylor Prize for the Novel, among 400 entries.

Also, The 99th Monkey: A Spiritual Journalist’s Misadventures with Gurus, Messiahs, Sex, Psychedelics and Other Consciousness-Raising Experiments; Wild Heart Dancing: A One-Day Personal Quest to Liberate the Artist & Lover Within; The Dark Light of the Soul/Encounters with Gabrielle Roth; an e-book titled Why I Am Not Enlightened, and he blogs for PsychologyToday.com.

Eliezer has also led creativity workshops and silent meditation retreats around the U.S.; he is a certified teacher of Gabrielle Roth’s 5Rhythms® conscious movement practice; has served as a hospital chaplain; was the publisher of two magazines, The New Sun and the Wild Heart Journal; served as Music Director for several children’s theater companies on both coasts, and taught music in two alternative high schools. Also an amateur painter, he and Shari reside in Red Bank, New Jersey with their two cats, Shlomo and Nudnick.

The Care Advocates is brought to you by the All Home Care Matters Media team and focuses on providing family caregivers and their loved ones with support, resources, and discussion on the issues facing them in the matrix of long-term care.

The Care Advocates is hosted by Lance A. Slatton & Dr. George Ackerman, also known as Sharon's son George.

The Care Advocates are honored to welcome the sisters from "Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver" J.J. Elliott Hill & Natalie Elliott Handy as guests to the show.

About J.J. Elliott Hill, MBA:

J.J. is a finance executive turned entrepreneur, caregiver advocate, and podcast co-host. With over 17 years in commercial banking, she advised small to mid-sized businesses on strategic growth, asset management, and navigating regulatory and merger transitions. But in 2013, a corporate downsizing shifted her trajectory—leading her to co-found three startups spanning retail, manufacturing, and real estate.

In 2023, J.J. co-founded the Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver podcast to raise awareness for the 53 million Americans caring for loved ones—just like she has done since 2019 for her mother, a 22-year Parkinson’s patient. What began as a personal story has grown into a global caregiving platform, with over 300,000 monthly downloads and listeners in 54 countries. Today, Confessions is more than a podcast—it’s a movement, offering training, keynote speaking, and advocacy that centers and elevates the caregiver voice.

In 2024, J.J. brought that same strategic mindset to the caregiving space as co-founder and CFO of CareForward, a public benefit company dedicated to supporting caregivers and the communities around them through technology-driven solutions and volunteer networks.

She holds a B.A. in Economics from Hollins College and an MBA in Executive Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. J.J. is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) and is completing her certification as a Caregiving Consultant, Educator, and Facilitator through The Caregiving Years Academy.

About Natalie Elliott Handy, MSW:

Natalie is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 25 years of experience in health and human services. She is the CEO of CareForward, a technology-driven platform that connects individuals in crisis with volunteers and partner organizations to meet urgent, short-term needs and improve long-term outcomes. Natalie is also the CEO of Handy Innovative Solutions, a consulting firm focused on trauma-informed, evidence-based strategies for child welfare and behavioral health systems, specializing in transitioning high-acuity youth from congregate care into stable, family-based placements.

Natalie co-hosts the global podcast Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver with her sister, JJ Elliott-Hill. The show, ranked in the top 5% of podcasts globally and streamed in over 54 countries with 300K+ monthly downloads and streams, brings authenticity, humor, and hope to caregiving conversations. Through storytelling, education, and advocacy, the podcast provides a supportive space for caregivers worldwide.

A passionate advocate, Natalie has served in leadership roles across mental health, foster care, and healthcare systems, including CEO of multiple psychiatric treatment facilities and VP of Government Affairs at Health Connect America. She speaks nationally on caregiving, crisis response, and community solutions.

Learn more about the Self-Care at Sea Cruise: Official Website: https://www.funseas.com/self-care