Island Treasures Podcast is taking a short break from publishing new episodes to reflect and seek future direction!

Over the past six seasons, we've explored the many facets of caregiving, sharing insightful conversations and meaningful stories. While our existing content will remain available for you to revisit anytime, we feel it may be time to venture into new territory.

We look back over the life of the podcast thus far as its focus has been on caregiving, with exceptional guests - many caregivers themselves - sharing their caregiving stories, wisdom and experiences as they help encourage the listeners in their caregiving journeys.

A huge thank you to all the guests who have helped shape the caregiving chapter of the Island Treasures Podcast, namely: Roy Johnson, Dennis Dulniak, Theresa Wilbanks, Brenda Blais-Nesbitt, Cori Sandler and Alice de Wolff, Anne Sands, Betsy Haddad, Pat Thibodeau, Toni Gitles, Sue Johnston, Lisa Kendall, Chris MacLellan, Erin Galyean, Chandra White-Cummings, Arlene Jacobs, Judy Cornish, Zander Keig, Beth Hearn Douglas, Jennifer Richey, Kathy Shoaf, Mike George, Brenda Leppington, Loretta Veney, Dave Iverson, Licia Thompson, Jodi Kay Benusa, Breeda Miller, Debbie Compton, Ben Graham, Dr. Delon Canterbury, Roxane Anderson, Tracy Crump, Lori Lemasters, Natalie Hankins, Denise Brown, Kathy Neuhausser, Sandra Strauss, Heidi Rome, Katrina Prescott, Valerie Weins, Grace Block, Bill Cohen, Teepa Snow, Dr. George Ackerman, Lori Rogers, Jenna Rumberger, Victoria Essner, Alexis Baker, Amy Friesen, Susanne White, Sarah Merriman, Rebekah Dowhy, Angela Fairhurst, Gina Awad and Rayna Neises

Stay tuned for more details on what may lie ahead. Thank you for being part of our journey—we can’t wait to share what’s next!

Applause track Sound Effect by Freesound Community from Pixabay

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A central theme of the full podcast episode with Rayna Neises, called "Rayna's Caregiving Wisdom: No Regrets and Cherished Memories" was how to have no regrets when caregiving.

After 26 years of caregiving during which Rayna completed her training to become a certified coach, Rayna shares what enabled her to be able to look back on her caregiving experience and say she has no regrets.

We review how to define regrets, what it means to embrace a growth mindset, and we hear what questions we can ask ourselves to enhance our own wellbeing through a caregiving season.

Rayna talks about her book called "No Regrets: Hope for your Caregiving Season" and how the first 10 chapters address caregiving and the remaining 6 chapters are devoted to self-care and not losing oneself in the role of caregiver.

We hear how she creatively incorporated physical activity into the home environment for her dad who benefited from being able to participate in sports and how playing ping pong together led to creating memories.

A huge part of having no regrets when caregiving is making cherished memories with your loved ones, all while maintaining personal joy and creativity.

For more from Rayna visit her website A Season of Caring.com; and for more details on the excerpts contained in this mini podcast episode, please check out the full episode "Rayna's Caregiving Wisdom: No Regrets and Cherished Memories".

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In this episode we are joined by Rayna Neises for an enlightening conversation about her extensive caregiving journey.

Rayna is a dedicated Caregiving Coach, author, and advocate for family caregivers. With a heart deeply rooted in faith, Rayna has transformed her caregiving experiences into a mission to support others navigating the challenging path of caregiving.

She was introduced to caregiving as a teenager, caring first for her mom who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and later for her dad, who, after a cancer diagnosis and a MRSA infection, also had Alzheimer's disease.

Rayna delves into the emotional and practical challenges she faced and details how she and her sister managed to honor their father's wish to live at home.

Rayna discusses the importance of self-care for caregivers, her approach to documenting and learning from caregiving experiences, and the inspirations behind writing her book, 'No Regrets: Hope for Your Caregiving Season.' Additionally, we touch on Rayna's coaching work and her podcast, 'A Season of Caring,' which is an insightful resource that offers practical advice and spiritual encouragement to those caring for aging loved ones.

The episode concludes with advice for caregivers to cherish and capture moments - emphasizing the importance of maintaining personal joy and creativity.

Rayna is married to a farmer and lives on a farm in Kansas. Her life is a beautiful blend of faith, family, and farming. She is a stepmother to four and a grandmother to 8. Her close relationship with her sister, with whom she shared her caregiving journey, adds a profound depth to her understanding of family dynamics in times of need.

You can learn more about Rayna and her resources at www.ASeasonofCaring.com or on her podcast A Season of Caring.

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