You Are Not Alone: Finding Support and Strategy During the Caregiving Journey

Navigating the Emotional Maze: Guilt and Overwhelm

The reality of being a family caregiver often boils down to two heavy emotions: guilt and overwhelm.

The guilt stems from the feeling that you simply can’t do enough, no matter how hard you try. The overwhelm is the product of trying to juggle your own life — work, relationships, and children — while taking on the massive new role of supporting a loved one.

Adding to this stress are complicated family dynamics and cultural expectations. Many times, the lead role in caregiving automatically falls to women, reflecting cultural norms, even though women today are often balancing demanding careers that weren’t common in previous generations.

Furthermore, the fear of asking for help from siblings or other family members often prevents caregivers from lessening their own workload. Circle for Care addresses this by normalizing the journey and helping you gain the courage to ask for participation from others, whether they manage finances from afar or set up appointments.

Strategy and Practicality: The Power of Coaching

Circle for Care’s approach differs from traditional support groups because it integrates coaching, strategy, and a commitment to action. You don’t just share — you build a plan.

If you are feeling broken or at the end of your rope, the experts recommend starting here:

• Take a breath and remember you matter. You have choices, and not everything requires an immediate response.

• Set an intention. Yvette shares that she set an intention for how she wanted to be in her mother’s final years, using that vision as her grounding force.

• Shift your perspective. Especially when dealing with memory loss, stop worrying about being "right." Instead of arguing if the sky is purple or blue, accept your loved one’s perspective and ask curious questions to meet them where they are.

• Prioritize. If your to-do list has 20 overwhelming tasks, break it down and focus on knocking off just one big thing.

Addressing the Logistics: Downsizing and Choosing Care

Beyond emotional support, Bay Area caregivers need practical assistance for the major logistical challenges, such as downsizing, selling the senior’s home, and choosing appropriate care options.

Because Circle for Care spends time vetting local professionals in Northern California, they serve as a crucial resource hub. They provide warm introductions and referrals to experts who specialize in the senior living space, including:

• Real estate agents (like our host, Dale Corpus).

• Placement services for assisted living facilities or in-home care.

• Care management groups.

They encourage people to utilize the community, noting that peer support provides different perspectives and ideas for handling practical issues — like using technology (such as Alexa) to remind a parent to take medication.

Jana and Yvette stress that beginning the conversation about future care needs early is a "gift." By asking questions without judgment and being curious about your parents' wishes, you are truly able to support them when the transition inevitably comes.

Final Thoughts

If you are a family caregiver in the Bay Area feeling the immense pressure of the sandwich generation, know that you are not alone. Help is available to bring clarity and strategy to your caregiving journey.

If your loved one is considering senior living and you need to figure out what to do with their home in Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Solano, or Napa County, let’s talk.

📅 Schedule your FREE consultation and learn more about my services today: www.simplifyseniortransitions.com

🎧 We encourage you to listen to the full episode to hear all the detailed insights from Jana Cosgrove and Yvette Huygen.

📲 Have a quick question? DM me on Instagram @soldbydale.

✉️ P.S. Got news or an amazing story to share? Hit us up at dale.corpus@exprealty.com and you might be featured in our next episode!

Watch The Podcast Here