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Parenting UP! Caregiving adventures with comedian J Smiles

Get engulfed in the intense journey of a caregiver who happens to be a comedian. J Smiles use of levity reveals the stress and rewards of caregiving interwoven with her own personal journey.  Almost 10 years ago, she was catapulted into caregiving overnight when the shock of her dad's death pushed her mom into Alzheimer's in the blink of an eye. A natural storyteller, her vivid descriptions and impressive recall will place you squarely in each moment of truth, at each fork in the road. She was a single, childless mechanical engineering, product designing, lawyer living a meticulously crafted international existence until she wasn't. The lifestyle shift was immediate. Starting from scratch, she painstakingly carved out useful knowledge and created a beneficial care plan for her mom.  J Smiles will fly solo and have expert guests. You will get tips, tricks, trends and TRUTH.  Alzheimer's is heavy, we don’t have to be. All caregivers are welcome to snuggle up, Parent Up!

Recent Episodes

Dec. 23, 2024

Parenting Up! Best of 2024

Parenting Up! family, thank you for an amazing year! We hit some major milestones, surpassing 100 episodes and 100 subscribers on YouTube, plus some incredible episodes with memorable guests and we could not have done it with...

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Dec. 9, 2024

Festive Frenzy! Holidays with Zetty

We know that you may think Zetty was from the south and surely was known for some famous recipes we grew up enjoying - but that's not exactly what I remember about my mom during the holidays. Zetty may not …

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Nov. 25, 2024

Sending Love & Spreading Smiles: Showing Caregivers You Care

Discover how love, laughter, and resilience can transform the caregiving experience in our latest episode, where we celebrate a remarkable milestone for our Parenting Up! community—being named one of the top three podcasts of...

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Nov. 11, 2024

Some of Ya'll Suck at Supporting Caregivers

Happy National Family Caregivers Month! That's right - in today's episode, we celebrate family caregivers and give tips on better supporting us! Whether it's helping out with everyday tasks, or reading articles that you think...

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Oct. 29, 2024

Ballots & Beliefs: Ballots & Beliefs: Zetty’s Passion for Voting

In this episode, J Smiles talks about Zetty's life before she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Zetty, or better known to her friends as 'T.Y.' was passionate about voting and instilled in J a great sense of responsibility for ...

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Oct. 17, 2024

Comedians Care: Rodney Perry - Caregiving Full Circle; Giving and Rec…

Join us as we chat with the multi-talented Rodney Perry, who combines the art of comedy with the heartfelt caregiving journey. Rodney opens up about his personal comedy experiences and providing care for his family, from foll...

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Recent Blog Posts

"I'm On Edge Of Quitting Caregiving"

“I'm On Edge Of Quitting Caregiving” Everybody has a bad day. What are signs that you need an immediate break from caregiving? I’m J Smiles, comedian, Alzheimer’s and Dementia activist, and family caregiver. You may know me…

“Advocating 101: Partner with the provider – chatting with “Eclectic” Dawn – “Your Loved One Doesn’t Have to Have Alzheimer’s or Dementia For You to be Part of the Parenting Up Family: 5 Reasons You Became a Caregiver”

“Advocating 101: Partner with the provider – chatting with “Eclectic” Dawn  Your Loved One Doesn’t Have to Have Alzheimer’s or Dementia For You to be Part of the Parenting Up Family: 5 Reasons You Became a C…

“Keeping Mom Independent: A Chat with Kim Cooper”  - How to Give Your Loved one Independence for a Better Quality of Life

“Keeping Mom Independent: A Chat with Kim Cooper”  How to Give Your Loved one Independence for a Better Quality of Life I’m J Smiles, comedian, Alzheimer’s and Dementia activist, and family caregiver. You may know me f…