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“People need tools to help them put together a plan to care for their loved one. They also need to get really good at asking for help.”
–Sammie Stephens
We’re not prepared to become the family caregiver for our parents. Yet so many of us are thrust into that role. How can we be more prepared? How do we handle this challenge?
Sammie Stephens, an adult-geriatric nurse practitioner, who works with caretakers and has experienced that role herself, says it starts with conversations we aren’t good at having. Often these happen as a result of an event, like someone breaking a hip.
Caretakers need to set boundaries around their time and what they can do, especially because they are often juggle so many other things, including children, businesses and more. But often, what they need first, is a plan. Sammie helps us navigate both in this conversation.
We talk about:
ABOUT SAMMIE
Sammie Stephens is an Adult-Geriatric Nurse Practitioner with over 20 years of experience in
both the clinical and administrative side of healthcare. She has a Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from New Mexico State University. She is also a graduate of the Real Balance Global Wellness Coach training program.
In 2015, Sammie established a health coaching program for a Level II Trauma hospital in
Wyoming. The program aimed to improve health and decrease burnout risk for employees. The
following year, she played a key role in developing an integrative health clinic at the same
hospital. The clinic focused on helping community members reduce the risk of heart disease,
diabetes, and stroke.
More recently, she served as a Nurse Practitioner for seniors, providing compassionate care to
patients in various locations including skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and
private residences. In 2022, Sammie started Vivac Health to help family caregivers understand
and navigate the healthcare system so their loved ones can get the care they need.
LINKS
Navigating Your Life and Caring for Aging Parents with Courtney Nalty
DOABLE CHANGES
At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Sometimes we don’t act because we’re emotionally stuck or because the change seems so huge. Change comes from action. Even a little shift can make a difference, especially when you keep making those micro shifts.
Choose one of these doable changes that piques your interest or resonates with where you are — and roll with it.
Here are three Doable Changes from this conversation:
