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

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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.

In this deeply personal conversation, Carmen Johnson joins host, Paul H. Richardson, Jr. to share her story and what she calls being a “triple-decker sandwich”—caring for her children, grandchildren, and aging loved ones while facing her own breast cancer diagnosis. Through grief, illness, and generations of caregiving, Carmen found strength in preparation, perspective, and the love passed down from her grandmother, Myra.

She shares what it means to face mortality with intention, to plan for those we’ll leave behind, and to turn loss into a legacy of clarity and peace. From family chaos to meaningful connection, Carmen’s story is a reminder that preparing for the inevitable isn’t morbid—it’s one of the greatest gifts of love we can give.

Sandwiched is powered by Tumbleweed, bringing honest conversations about caregiving, resilience, and the human stories that connect us all.

In this moving conversation, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. welcomes Samantha Bates—a professional, mother, and family caregiver—who opens up about the emotional and practical realities of caring for aging parents while raising a young family.

Sam shares how her parents moved in during the pandemic, how she balanced full-time work with caregiving through her father’s illness, and how she continues to support her mother through early-onset dementia. With humor, grace, and authenticity, Sam reflects on the love, patience, and courage it takes to walk this path.

This episode is a reminder that caregiving isn’t just about managing needs—it’s about nurturing relationships, creating moments of joy, and preparing for life’s hardest transitions with compassion and strength.

Listen if you’ve ever:

• Felt pulled between work, parenting, and caregiving

• Needed a reminder that you’re not alone in the “Sandwich Generation”

• Wanted tools to start meaningful conversations with loved ones

Powered by Tumbleweed, a caregiving and legacy-planning platform supporting families through every season of care.

In this episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson, Jr. sits down with Sarah Davis (she/her), former caregiver to her mother, Sandy Davis.

Sarah shares her journey of moving from the Bay Area back to Iowa to care for her mom, who was living with Alzheimer’s. As Sandy’s only immediate family member, Sarah became her primary caregiver—navigating difficult choices, transitions to assisted living and nursing care, and the emotional weight of being the sole support system.

We talk about:

• ✈️ How two “temporary” trips to Iowa turned into a long-term move

• 🏡 The challenges of adjusting to caregiving, homeownership, and building a care team

• 🧘‍♀️ Why yoga, walks with her mom’s dog, and classes like the “stop method” became essential acts of self-care

• 🎶 How music therapy and finding community through zHilarity for Charity (founded by Seth Rogen & Lauren Miller Rogen) gave her strength

• 🎤 Her career in podcasting, including Warmly Iowa and Breathing Wind

Sarah’s story is one of resilience, recalibration, and learning to care for herself while caring for her mom. After Sandy’s passing in October 2024, Sarah has chosen to remain in Iowa—at least for now—as she continues to navigate the first year of grief.

👉 Listen in to hear how Sarah describes her “sandwich” as starting over—overwhelmed, burnt out, yet finding ways to breathe, reset, and create space for herself.

In this episode of Sandwiched, powered by Tumbleweed and hosted by Paul H. Richardson, Jr., we talk with Biagio Arobba, a software developer, proud father, twin, partner, and son. As his parents began to age, Biagio drew on his technical skills to help his family stay organized—ultimately creating a structure of weekly family meetings to plan their parents’ care journey.

Together, we explore:

• Caregiving through the lens of Native American culture

• The role of sons and brothers in caregiving

• Living “sandwiched” between raising children and supporting parents

• How family structure and intentional conversations create resilience

Biagio’s story highlights the power of combining heritage, technology, and love to prepare families for what’s ahead.