A Nurse’s Perspective: Rose Hedges on the Unexpected Struggles of Navigating Healthcare & Insurance as a Family Caregiver

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.

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