Parenting Your Parent: Alzheimer’s Costs, Burnout, and Finding the Humor with J. Smiles

🎙️Carrie On!

Show Notes:

When J. Smiles’ father died suddenly, her mother’s dementia accelerated from grief-induced trauma into a rapid decline. Overnight, J. went from touring comic and multi-hyphenate professional to full-time only-child caregiver—and discovered just how broken (and expensive) the system is. We talk candidly about the $900 Alzheimer’s medication with insurance, the IRS flagging her for “money laundering” while she was literally paying for mom’s care, why “balance is a farce,” and the improv rule that saves her sanity: “Yes… and.” If you’re in the sandwich generation, this one will make you feel seen—and give you scripts, steps, and a little laughter to carry on.

Caring for an aging parent with dementia is messy, expensive, and heartbreakingly human. Comedian and caregiver J. ...