Episode 42

Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver: Gretchen Staebler on Returning Home to Care for Her Mother

Published on: 31st October, 2022

📝 Episode Overview:

In this honest and deeply relatable episode, Laura speaks with Gretchen Staebler, author of Mother Lode: Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver. Gretchen shares what it was like to return to her childhood home to care for her 96-year-old mother—after 36 years of “comfortable distance.” Together, they explore identity, self-care, and the raw truth of what it means to show up in the messiness of caregiving.

👤 Meet Gretchen Staebler:

Gretchen Staebler is a writer, blogger, and family caregiver who left her life on the East Coast to move home and companion her mother through the final years of life. With a background in counseling, she thought she might be prepared—but her journey was anything but predictable. Her memoir, Mother Lode: Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver, is a heartfelt, humorous, and raw account of what it really means to step into the role of caregiver.

📌 Topics Discussed:

  • Long-distance to live-in caregiving transitions
  • Unexpected emotional dynamics with aging parents
  • Caregiver survival tools: routines, writing, yoga, and gratitude
  • Why storytelling and journaling can be transformational
  • Reclaiming identity while caregiving
  • The power of naming your experience to regain control

⏱️ Timestamps (Approximate):

00:00 – Introduction and meeting Gretchen Staebler

01:40 – Returning home after decades to care for her mother

04:15 – What caregiving looked like (and what her counseling degree didn’t prepare her for)

06:25 – How she stayed grounded: yoga, writing, routines, and gratitude

10:55 – Creating a writing group as a lifeline

13:35 – Naming and tracking daily caregiving experiences

16:42 – The emotional complexity of caring for an aging parent

20:25 – What she learned about herself during the caregiving journey

25:00 – Finding humor and lightness amid grief

29:10 – Writing her memoir and sharing her story

32:30 – Encouragement for other caregivers

đź’ˇ Key Takeaways:

  • You don’t have to feel “ready” to step into caregiving—it’s okay to be reluctant
  • Writing can be a healing tool, especially during chaotic seasons
  • Maintaining personal routines (even small ones) creates stability
  • Humor and honesty are powerful survival skills
  • You’re allowed to have complicated feelings and still be a loving caregiver

📚 Resources Mentioned:

🤝 Connect with Gretchen Staebler:

Website: https://gretchenstaebler.com

Blog: https://gretchenstaebler.com/blog

Instagram: @gretchen.staebler

Facebook: Gretchen Staebler – Writer


🌿 Connect with Laura Vaillancourt & the Life on Repeat Podcast:

Website: https://lifeonrepeatpodcast.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/lifeonrepeatpodcast

Facebook: https://facebook.com/lifeonrepeatpodcast

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeonRepeatPodcast


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About the Podcast

Life on Repeat: A Dementia Caregiver Podcast
A Podcast for Dementia Caregivers
Life on Repeat is a podcast for those caring for someone with dementia. Join Laura Vaillancourt, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Geriatric Mental Health Specialist and Eldercare Coach as she explores helpful caregiving tips, practical resources and most importantly, how to care for yourself through this journey.

About your host

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Laura Vaillancourt

Laura has a unique perspective of dementia. She grew up spending time in the nursing home wing of the hospital her mother worked at in a rural community in the Pacific Northwest. She learned from a young age the importance and impact that connecting with those that have memory impairment can have. This early exposure shaped her perspective and fostered her passion and love of working with those who experience and live with dementia.

Laura is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Geriatric Mental Health Specialist and Eldercare Coach. She owns a group practice that specializes in serving the aging population and she has extensive experience as a consultant providing counseling, coaching and care management to families that are in the midst of making difficult decisions related to their loved one’s care and health transitions.

Laura's passion and professional experience has been working with individuals and family members that have been affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. She is a passionate speaker and educator on topics related to dementia and caregiving. She is the host of Life on Repeat: a Dementia Caregiver Podcast.