In this episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. talks with Denise Brown, founder of Caring Our Way and creator of Caregiving.com, about what it truly means to be “sandwiched beyond the traditional definition.” Denise shares her experience caring for both parents while running a business—an emotional and logistical balancing act that stretched her limits and reshaped her understanding of care.

She opens up about decision fatigue, managing her parents’ and sister’s emotional needs alongside her own, and how caregiving left little room for self-care until it was gone. Denise reflects on what it takes to integrate help into the family dynamic, why finding support is far more complicated than people assume, and how she rebuilt her life and purpose after caregiving ended.

Together, Paul and Denise explore the power of community, the origins of Caring Our Way, and how opportunities for connection can be a form of healing. Their conversation shines a light on resilience, compassion, and the courage to begin again.

Sandwiched is powered by Tumbleweed, bringing honest conversations about caregiving, loss, and the strength it takes to love through life’s hardest seasons. Watch here or listen wherever you get your podcasts every Friday at 7:00am CST.

In this deeply personal conversation, Carmen Johnson joins host, Paul H. Richardson, Jr. to share her story and what she calls being a “triple-decker sandwich”—caring for her children, grandchildren, and aging loved ones while facing her own breast cancer diagnosis. Through grief, illness, and generations of caregiving, Carmen found strength in preparation, perspective, and the love passed down from her grandmother, Myra.

She shares what it means to face mortality with intention, to plan for those we’ll leave behind, and to turn loss into a legacy of clarity and peace. From family chaos to meaningful connection, Carmen’s story is a reminder that preparing for the inevitable isn’t morbid—it’s one of the greatest gifts of love we can give.

Sandwiched is powered by Tumbleweed, bringing honest conversations about caregiving, resilience, and the human stories that connect us all.

In this moving conversation, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. welcomes Samantha Bates—a professional, mother, and family caregiver—who opens up about the emotional and practical realities of caring for aging parents while raising a young family.

Sam shares how her parents moved in during the pandemic, how she balanced full-time work with caregiving through her father’s illness, and how she continues to support her mother through early-onset dementia. With humor, grace, and authenticity, Sam reflects on the love, patience, and courage it takes to walk this path.

This episode is a reminder that caregiving isn’t just about managing needs—it’s about nurturing relationships, creating moments of joy, and preparing for life’s hardest transitions with compassion and strength.

Listen if you’ve ever:

• Felt pulled between work, parenting, and caregiving

• Needed a reminder that you’re not alone in the “Sandwich Generation”

• Wanted tools to start meaningful conversations with loved ones

Powered by Tumbleweed, a caregiving and legacy-planning platform supporting families through every season of care.

In this episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson, Jr. sits down with Sarah Davis (she/her), former caregiver to her mother, Sandy Davis.

Sarah shares her journey of moving from the Bay Area back to Iowa to care for her mom, who was living with Alzheimer’s. As Sandy’s only immediate family member, Sarah became her primary caregiver—navigating difficult choices, transitions to assisted living and nursing care, and the emotional weight of being the sole support system.

We talk about:

• ✈️ How two “temporary” trips to Iowa turned into a long-term move

• 🏡 The challenges of adjusting to caregiving, homeownership, and building a care team

• 🧘‍♀️ Why yoga, walks with her mom’s dog, and classes like the “stop method” became essential acts of self-care

• 🎶 How music therapy and finding community through zHilarity for Charity (founded by Seth Rogen & Lauren Miller Rogen) gave her strength

• 🎤 Her career in podcasting, including Warmly Iowa and Breathing Wind

Sarah’s story is one of resilience, recalibration, and learning to care for herself while caring for her mom. After Sandy’s passing in October 2024, Sarah has chosen to remain in Iowa—at least for now—as she continues to navigate the first year of grief.

👉 Listen in to hear how Sarah describes her “sandwich” as starting over—overwhelmed, burnt out, yet finding ways to breathe, reset, and create space for herself.

In this episode of Sandwiched, powered by Tumbleweed and hosted by Paul H. Richardson, Jr., we talk with Biagio Arobba, a software developer, proud father, twin, partner, and son. As his parents began to age, Biagio drew on his technical skills to help his family stay organized—ultimately creating a structure of weekly family meetings to plan their parents’ care journey.

Together, we explore:

• Caregiving through the lens of Native American culture

• The role of sons and brothers in caregiving

• Living “sandwiched” between raising children and supporting parents

• How family structure and intentional conversations create resilience

Biagio’s story highlights the power of combining heritage, technology, and love to prepare families for what’s ahead.

In this powerful episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson, Jr. speaks with Rose Hedges — a devoted mom, wife, ICU nurse, and now a recognized family caregiver.

Rose opens up about her deeply personal journey of unexpectedly becoming the primary caregiver for a chronically ill family member. From the moment she rushed an hour away on a Sunday morning, through a harrowing ICU stay and complex diagnosis, Rose found herself navigating the tension between her professional knowledge as a nurse and the emotional reality of caregiving for family.

In this episode, Rose shares:

• The challenge of wearing both the nurse hat and family member hat, and the blurred boundaries between the two.
• Navigating health insurance, disability, Medicare/Medicaid renewals — and the frustration of lapsed benefits.
• Balancing caregiving while raising twins, supporting her husband, and welcoming a loved one into her home.
• Lessons from supporting her mother through cancer years earlier, and the ongoing reminder to “help yourself” even when caregiving feels all-consuming.

Rose’s story highlights the emotional highs and lows of caregiving — offering honesty, compassion, and inspiration for anyone walking this path.

💙 Tune in weekly to Sandwiched for real conversations about caregiving, resilience, family, and the sandwich generation.

Sandwiched is powered by Tumbleweed.

In this heartfelt episode of Sandwiched, powered by Tumbleweed, host Paul H. Richardson, Jr. sits down with Eileen O’Doherty, a rising graduate at the University of Iowa and member of the Tumbleweed team.

Eileen opens up about her journey of losing her mother, Megan, to cancer after years of caregiving that began when she was just five years old. Raised by a single mom, Eileen learned resilience, responsibility, and the meaning of support from an early age.She shares vivid memories of navigating her mother’s diagnosis, stepping into caregiving roles as a child, and eventually moving in with relatives after her mother’s passing.

Through honest reflection, Eileen highlights how grief shaped her adolescence, the importance of openness with children, and the gift of cherishing small moments. Her story reminds us that even in life’s most difficult seasons, there can be strength, love, and resilience.

In this moving episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. sits down with Gary San Angel—a community-based artist, filmmaker, and storyteller who is also a devoted son, partner, dad, and family caregiver.

Gary opens up about caring for his father and how his Filipino heritage and daily work at USC have shaped his journey. Through honest reflections, he shares how art, humor, and storytelling help him navigate the challenges of caregiving while still finding joy, resilience, and connection.

This conversation sits at the intersection of culture, creativity, and caregiving, reminding us that healing and meaning can be found even in life’s toughest seasons.

✨ Tune in weekly to Sandwiched for heartfelt stories about the sandwich generation, caregiving, grief, family, and resilience—powered by Tumbleweed.