Juggling a demanding career and a young family is already overwhelming. But what happens when you add caring for an estranged parent to the equation? That’s exactly what happened to podcaster and author Jonathan Hirsch when his father Thomas was diagnosed with dementia. Jonathan’s parents raised him in a cult, and were largely absent from his life growing up. Now, he’s had to navigate the logistics, guilt, and grief that comes with caring for someone who never truly cared for you. 

This show was created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.

For a deeper dive into Jonathan’s story, check out his new book, The Mind is Burning: Losing my Father to a Cult and Dementia

Check out AARP’s Caregiving Checklist for help choosing an assisted living facility.

Juggling a demanding career and a young family is already overwhelming. But what happens when you add caring for an estranged parent to the equation? That&rsquo;s exactly what happened to podcaster and author Jonathan Hirsch when his father Thomas was diagnosed with dementia. Jonathan&rsquo;s parents raised him in a cult, and were largely absent from his life growing up. Now, he&rsquo;s had to navigate the logistics, guilt, and grief that comes with caring for someone who never truly cared for you.&nbsp;
This show was created in partnership with the <a href="https://www.rwjf.org/">Robert Wood Johnson Foundation</a>, a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.
For a deeper dive into Jonathan&rsquo;s story, check out his new book, <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Mind-Is-Burning/Jonathan-Hirsch/9781797190464">The Mind is Burning: Losing my Father to a Cult and Dementia</a>
Check out <a href="https://assets.aarp.org/external_sites/caregiving/checklists/checklist_assistedLiving.html">AARP&rsquo;s Caregiving Checklist</a> for help choosing an assisted living facility.

Every caregiving journey is unique, but the isolation, guilt, and exhaustion is universal. In Season 2 of Squeezed, Yvette Nicole Brown dives back into the everyday realities of caregivers today, from Medicaid cuts that could upend millions of lives to caring for young kids while going through chemo. She’ll also explore the complex emotions of caring for a parent who was never really there for you, and what happens when the caregiving journey comes to an end once your loved one passes.

Squeezed is a new series by Lemonada Media, created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Every caregiving journey is unique, but the isolation, guilt, and exhaustion is universal. In Season 2 of Squeezed, Yvette Nicole Brown dives back into the everyday realities of caregivers today, from Medicaid cuts that could upend millions of lives to caring for young kids while going through chemo. She&rsquo;ll also explore the complex emotions of caring for a parent who was never really there for you, and what happens when the caregiving journey comes to an end once your loved one passes.
Squeezed is a new series by Lemonada Media, created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.