In this special episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. looks back on a handful of conversations that reveal a truth shared by every caregiver who has joined the show: no one plans for this role. There is always an event that shifts a life in an instant. A diagnosis that stops the room. A fall that comes out of nowhere. A late night trip to the hospital that becomes the beginning of a new reality.

Drawing from stories across the season, Paul weaves together the moments that marked the start of caregiving for so many of our guests. A spouse who collapses overnight with stage four cancer. A father’s sudden seizure witnessed by an eleven year old daughter. A grandmother who falls and becomes frail as her family steps in to carry her. A parent who reaches out for help for the first time. A caregiver who comes home from work to find everything changed. These are the sparks that reshape families and lives, even when no one feels ready.

Through these voices, this episode explores the emotional shift that happens in the instant when caregiving begins: the fear, the responsibility, the instinct to act, and the quiet realization that life will not look the same after this day. It is not a highlight reel, but a reflection on what becomes clear only in hindsight. Caregiving often starts suddenly, unexpectedly, and with a heart that is doing its best to keep up with the moment.

Paul invites listeners to revisit these stories not for the crisis itself, but for the shared human experience of stepping into care. Whether the moment arrived with a diagnosis, a decline, a phone call, or an internal pull to step forward, this episode honors the beginning of the caregiving journey and the resilience that follows.

If you have ever found yourself caring for someone you love, especially without warning, this episode offers recognition, connection, and the reminder that you are not alone in that moment of becoming.

Content Warning: This episode includes conversation about suicide, substance use, and grief. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 in the U.S. If outside the U.S., visit iasp.info/crisis for international support.

In this powerful episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. sits down with Jeff Johnston, founder and CEO of Brighten and host of the Living Undeterred podcast. Together they explore grief, resilience, and the complexity of caregiving through unimaginable loss.

Jeff shares his journey after losing his 23-year-old son to fentanyl poisoning, the years of alcoholism that followed, and the heartbreak of losing his wife shortly after. He speaks openly about the toll grief took on his family and the moment he chose to rebuild; leading to sobriety, purpose, and a mission to help others navigate suffering with compassion and courage.

Together, Paul and Jeff discuss caregiving behind closed doors: supporting a spouse through addiction, parenting teenagers in grief, raising a young granddaughter, and later stepping into caregiving for aging parents. Jeff also shares the origin of Brighten, the mental wellness app inspired by his granddaughter, and why prevention and access are essential in the future of mental health support.

This is a conversation about pain, hope, identity, and what it means to choose life after loss.

In this powerful episode of Sandwiched, Jenna Noel shares the moment life shifted in a way she never expected. With two teens at home and a growing career, she suddenly found herself stepping into the role of primary caregiver for both of her aging parents.

Jenna opens up about her father’s long journey with Parkinson’s and her mother’s recent dementia diagnosis, and how those realities reshaped the rhythm of her family life. What once felt manageable became a constant coordination of appointments, medications, safety planning, and emotional weight.

She speaks candidly about navigating guilt, boundaries, identity, and the pressure to show up for everyone. Jenna also highlights the workplace resources that helped her stay afloat, including Employee Assistance Programs, legal support, concierge services, and leaders who practiced compassion rather than just policy.

This conversation offers a grounded look at what happens when caregiving becomes part of who you are, even if you never saw it coming. Jenna’s story resonates deeply with anyone balancing parents, children, career, and self, and she brings forward insights that make caregiving feel a little less lonely. If you’re juggling aging parents, kids, work, and your own well-being, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone, and that support truly exists.

Sandwiched is powered by Tumbleweed, with host, Paul H. Richardson, Jr.

At just 25, Danielle Miura stepped into a role she never expected to take on so soon: becoming the primary caregiver for her grandmother. In this deeply honest episode of Sandwiched, Danielle opens up about the realities of caregiving in your twenties, balancing parenthood with complex family dynamics, and carrying emotional and physical responsibilities that force you to grow up quickly.

Danielle shares how she navigated sudden life changes, including relocating her family, supporting her grandmother through a traumatic fall, and managing the overwhelming weight of medical decisions, grief, and constant caregiving tasks. She also talks about how those experiences shaped her identity, her boundaries, and eventually her career as a financial planner for caregivers.

This conversation gently explores topics like decision fatigue, hospital emergencies, navigating loss, and learning to give yourself grace when you feel like you are carrying everything at once. Danielle’s story is both grounding and affirming for anyone who has ever been caught between family, career, and caregiving obligations.

If you are part of the Sandwich Generation or love someone who is, this episode offers insight, solidarity, and a reminder that you are not alone.

In this episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. talks with Lauren Yankoff, a mother, business leader, and only child who found herself navigating the challenges of caring for her parents while raising a family and managing a demanding career.

Lauren shares her family’s journey through her father’s Parkinson’s diagnosis, her mother’s determination to care for him alone, and the difficult transitions that followed—from moving her parents across states to guiding them into assisted living. With honesty and compassion, she reflects on the role reversal that so many adult children face, and how love, communication, and boundaries became essential tools in preserving both care and connection.

Together, Paul and Lauren explore the realities of caregiving: the gaps in the healthcare system, the emotional cost of doing it all, and the lessons that come from learning when to step in—and when to let go.

Sandwiched is powered by Tumbleweed, bringing real conversations about caregiving, family, and the human side of resilience.

Reserve a spot for the 3rd Annual National Family Caregiver Conference November Edition 2025

Go to: https://bit.ly/3HKPXOa

In this heartfelt episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. sits down with Sherrell D. Mims, a psychiatric nurse, entrepreneur, and founder of the Global Caregivers Network. Sherrell’s journey began at just eleven years old, when she became a caregiver for her father—an experience that shaped her lifelong calling to support those who care for others.

Through decades in nursing, including the unimaginable challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sherrell found purpose in pain. She shares how she turned personal loss into global advocacy, founding the Global Caregivers Network and Global Caregiver Speakers, communities that unite caregivers worldwide to share their stories and find strength together.

Sherrell opens up about faith as her anchor, the emotional toll of caregiving, and the lessons learned from love, loss, and perseverance. Her story reminds us that caregiving is more than duty—it’s a labor of love that requires compassion, resilience, and community.

Sandwiched is powered by Tumbleweed, where we explore the human side of caregiving, loss, and the courage to begin again.

Learn more about Global Caregivers Network and events: https://www.globalcaregiversnetwork.com

In this deeply reflective episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. talks with Wayne Freeman Chong, whose caregiving journey began when he was just twenty-one. What started as helping his grandmother soon became a lifelong lesson in empathy, forgiveness, and emotional strength.

Wayne shares the pivotal moment that changed his life; a heated exchange that ended in regret and became the spark for decades of self-discovery and healing. Through this painful memory, Wayne found the humility to study psychology, dedicate his life to understanding caregiver well-being, and explore the emotional realities often left unspoken in families.

As the conversation unfolds, Wayne and Paul unpack what it means to be sandwiched and feeling torn between duty, love, and the impossible decisions that caregiving demands. From his grandmother’s quiet forgiveness to his mother’s battle with cancer and his wife’s pregnancy, Wayne’s story is an honest look at how love and guilt can coexist, and how grace can transform even the hardest moments into growth.

Sandwiched is powered by Tumbleweed, amplifying stories of caregivers, loss, and the deep resilience that keeps families connected through life’s hardest seasons.

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.