Widowhood is more than grief—it’s disorientation, invisibility, and loss of identity. Widow’s advocate Carol McGehe shares insights on “widows fog,” rebuilding purpose, and how community care transforms lives.

Carol’s ministry, Living Forward, offers a compelling example of how structured compassion, social connection, and practical support can restore dignity, identity, and purpose.

This episode is essential listening for caregivers, families, faith communities, and anyone seeking to better understand the emotional and practical realities of widowhood.

Bio:

CAROL McGEHE lives with her husband Larry in Daytona Beach, FL. Carol is the founder of The Vine Church’s Living Forward Ministry for Widows and consults to help others begin widows’ ministries in their local communities. She and Larry are co-authors of the award-winning Christian historical novel, In Search of My Heart, the first book in the In Search series. In addition to writing and serving as a Widows’ Advocate, Carol enjoys traveling, Bible Study, playing pickleball, boogie boarding, and spending time with friends.

Website links and other social media:

McGehe Books (Carol McGehe)_ “Becoming A Widows’ Advocate”:

Website/ordering: McGeheBooks.com/Widows_Advocate/

Email: McGeheBooks@gmail.com

McGehe Books (Larry & Carol McGehe)_ “In Search of My Heart”:

Website/ordering: https://McGeheBooks.com

Email: McGeheBooks@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insearchseries

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@McGeheBooks

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mcgehebooks

#caregiving

#thesharegivingsecret

#widowsadvocate

#DeborahSGreenhut

#widows

#postcaring

In this episode of The Sharegiving Secret™, Dr. Deborah S. Greenhut speaks with Ryan Riggins, a senior transition advisor, real estate professional, and creator of a caregiver-focused planning blueprint.

Together, they explore one of the most overlooked truths in caregiving:

👉 Love does not create systems.

Ryan shares practical, hard-won insights from working with families navigating housing transitions, financial decisions, and emotional resistance. From the first difficult conversation to protecting a family’s largest asset, this episode offers both clarity and caution.

📚 Guest Resources Section Website: rigginsstrategicsolutions.com Book: The Unheard Conversation Blueprint + calculators: https://www.rigginsstrategicsolutions.com/the-blueprint Senior Safe App (daily check-in + caregiver tools) https://www.rigginsstrategicsolutions.com/seniorsafe-app

About Dr. Deborah Greenhut

Author of The Rational Caregiver and host of The Sharegiving Secret, Dr. Greenhut helps individuals “learn to speak their life” through narrative. Deborah's guide for caregivers, "The Rational Caregiver" is available in print on Amazon and in e-format on Kindle. www.deborahgreenhut.com and www.memoirmomentum.com

#Caregiving

#Sharegiving

#AgingParents

#CaregiverSupport

#NarrativeCompetence

#TheSharegivingSecret-TM

Why does caregiving so often become a one-person job?

In this episode of The Sharegiving Secret, Dr. Deborah S. Greenhut speaks with Nancy LeClair, founder of The Other Daughter, about the hidden dynamics that push caregiving onto a single family member—and the devastating emotional, financial, and relational consequences that follow.

Drawing on Nancy’s background in market research, hospital and home care, and family mediation, this conversation explores:

1. Why families default to a “primary caregiver” model
2. How unshared care leads to burnout, resentment, and long-term family rifts
3. The ethical and financial realities of unpaid caregiving labor
4. Why neutral third parties can save families from turning on one another
5. The urgency of planning before crisis strikes

This episode is a candid, compassionate look at why caregiving must be shared—and how families can begin having those conversations now.

Nancy LeClair is the founder of The Other Daughter, a caregiving consulting practice that helps families navigate elder care without sacrificing relationships. With experience in hospital care, home care, and family mediation, Nancy advocates for proactive planning, fair distribution of caregiving labor, and the use of neutral third parties to prevent burnout and family fracture.

Social Media:

Website: www.theotherdaughter.ca

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/theotherdaughter

Instagram: nleclairtheotherdaughter

Deborah S. Greenhut, PhD is a speaker, author, educator, and three-time family caregiver devoted to helping caregivers create fairer, healthier ways of caring—without losing themselves in the process. Through storytelling and practical frameworks, she helps caregivers rethink boundaries, rebalance responsibilities, and reclaim wellbeing. She is the author of the Amazon bestselling book The Rational Caregiver and the host of the podcast The Sharegiving Secret, where honest conversations illuminate how care can be shared, sustainable, and humane.

Deborah's book, The Rational Caregiver, is available on Amazon at this link in both Kindle and Print formats.

#TheSharegivingSecret #Caregiving #FamilyCaregiving #CaregiverBurnout

#ElderCare

#SandwichGeneration

#InvisibleLabor

#CaregivingSupport

#ShareTheCare