We’re back with coffee, chaos, and maybe a few choice words, and diving straight into what feels like the collective caregiver mood of 2025: utter overwhelm.

Between policy threats, service cuts, and the general sense that the ground keeps shifting beneath us, it’s no wonder so many caregivers are running on fumes. In this episode, we unpack what that overwhelm actually feels like, share some of the most painfully relatable community responses, and talk about how we keep showing up when it feels like everything’s falling apart.

From the constant fear of losing supports, to finding small acts of resistance through joy, to figuring out how to rest without checking out completely, this one’s for every caregiver who’s ever wondered how they are going to make it through, while knowing they can't give up either.

In this episode:
[00:00:00] A chaotic reunion (and a questionable tea choice)
[00:04:00] The baseline overwhelm of medically complex caregiving
[00:10:00] What 200+ caregivers told us about feeling uneasy in 2025
[00:12:00] The most painfully accurate metaphors for overwhelm (eggs, hailstorms, and dumpster fires)
[00:18:00] How the math on policy “reforms” isn’t mathing, and why that matters
[00:20:00] Joy and disengagement as small acts of resistance
[00:27:00] Finding your people, protecting your energy, and knowing when to step back
[00:33:00] Why re-emerging matters, and what it means to not let the overwhelm win

For the transcript, our blog, links, and more, visit our website: https://www.caffeinatedcaregivers.com/podcast/
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Thanks friends! Talk soon!