Episode 42
Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver: Gretchen Staebler on Returning Home to Care for Her Mother
📝 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:
- Mother Lode: Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver by Gretchen Staebler
- Gretchen’s blog: gretchenstaebler.com/blog
- Main website with resources and reading lists: gretchenstaebler.com
🤝 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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