The Care We Can’t Do Alone: Real Talk on Aging and Support
In this week’s episode of The Death Readiness Podcast, I had the opportunity to talk with Mikelle Rappaport, a senior care consultant and founder of Golden Lifestyle Partners, and Bob Stanton, a family friend who recently made the difficult decision to move his wife of 54 years into a skilled nursing facility.
Mikelle covered the technical side of long-term care—things like ADLs (activities of daily living), the difference between Medicare and Medicaid, what long-term care insurance covers, and how to start having conversations about care before there’s a crisis.
But the heart of the episode was Bob.
Bob’s wife Eleanor has Parkinson’s disease and dementia. For as long as he could, Bob cared for her at home, with the support of his son and local caregivers. But eventually, it became clear she needed more than they could provide. He made the decision—one that so many families wrestle with—to move her into a skilled nursing facility. And then he did what love looks like in its most enduring form: he kept showing up.
Bob’s story is honest and deeply human. It captures the quiet ache of returning to a home that now feels different. There’s no pretending that $11,600 a month for care is manageable for most people. No denying the heartbreak of watching someone you love disappear into memory loss. And yet, what came through most clearly in our conversation was his quiet, daily commitment to care.
If you listen to this episode, I hope you’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of:
What kinds of care are available (independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing)
What different programs will and won’t pay for (Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits, and private insurance)
How you can begin planning while there’s still time to choose—not just react
And I hope you also walk away remembering this: it’s not weak or wrong to ask for help. Sometimes love means keeping someone at home. Sometimes it means letting them go someplace safer, where their needs can be met more fully. And always, it means finding ways to stay connected.
I’ll be visiting Bob and Eleanor this summer, and I know I’ll carry their story with me for a long time. Because while we can’t always prevent hard things from happening, we can keep showing up for each other—with honesty, with grace, and with love.
Listen to the episode here:
Have thoughts or questions? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at jill@deathreadiness.com
