Lisa Marie Chirico is an Everyday Wellness Coach, caregiving expert, and founder of Care Planet. She's on a mission to empower family caregivers, as well as people searching for more positivity and greater well-being in their lives, through personalized coaching and special events. Lisa is also an Alzheimer's Advocate, Long-Term Care Advocate, and Elder-Care Specialist. After living through the journey as a family caregiver herself, Lisa wanted to help others during this difficult moment in their lives.
The interview below has been edited for clarity and length.
Lisa and Care Planet are currently registering participants for their next virtual summit, a 3.5-hour virtual event where attendees can learn from eight leading dementia care experts from the comfort of home.
How a Daughter Became Her Father's Voice Through Alzheimer's
Ben: How did you get involved in caregiving?
Lisa: My dad passed away in 2013. He had Alzheimer's disease and needed skilled nursing.
- I packed up my home from Florida and moved near him
- Caregiving turned out to be far more complicated than I ever imagined
- Due to the disease, he was no longer walking or talking
- My father was a big personality, the life of the party, so outgoing, and it was heartbreaking to watch him lose his voice
- I became his voice, since he needed a lot of support
Why Being Physically Present Still Matters in Nursing Homes
Ben: Why did you feel the need to move close to him even if he was in a home full of professional caregivers?
Lisa: Nursing homes traditionally, even before the pandemic, are short-staffed, and those staff are underpaid and overworked. We were blessed with a group of great caregivers, but my dad still needed an advocate. He couldn't communicate for himself, so I wanted to physically be there to see him and his caregivers.
Ben: What sort of support did you have outside of his nursing home?
Lisa: Not much, and I should have sought more.
- I didn't reach out to local Alzheimer's support groups
- I didn't share on Facebook how difficult life had become for my dad and me
- I ended up leaving the workforce because of my caregiving responsibilities
My dad passed away in 2013. Since then, I've been helping other families, I felt passionate about sharing what I'd learned. I started a company called Nursinghomeology in 2015, which I turned into Care Planet after the pandemic.
What Care Planet Offers Family Caregivers
Ben: How does Care Planet help people?
Lisa: It's for families who are providing care for a loved one. I'm a certified life and grief coach, and through my background and experience, I deeply understand the world of caregiving. Care Planet is a resource hub for caregiving, including conferences, gatherings, content, and other supports.
Ben: What kind of help are you giving to people when they reach out? What are they looking for?
Lisa: Transitioning from being your mom or dad's full-time caregiver into a member of their support team can be a challenging shift for many.
- They're no longer on the front lines of caregiving, replaced by people they may not know at all
- I help them navigate this new world and set up systems to better understand (and support) professional caregivers
- A lot of my counseling focuses on grief, since moving a parent into a care community is a profound transition for the whole family
I also counsel patients themselves, often after a diagnosis, when they're scared about what's to come and already grieving. I help people shift their mindset to see it through a more hopeful lens: bringing joy into their lives and experiencing the present moment.
Shifting From Fear and Guilt Toward Hope
Ben: That sounds like an easier task to accomplish than it probably is in reality.
Lisa: We all have the ability within us to shift away from the mundaneness of our everyday world and to see the magnificence in all of us. We're flawed, we're human, we're sick, we're dying, but we have this magnificent light in all of us. Shifting away from despair and fear isn't easy, but I do have techniques for my clients to practice. It doesn't happen overnight.
Ben: Caregiving is not easy on family members. There's a lot of burnout, and even guilt associated with it. They feel a lack of control.
Lisa: If you're going to see a loved one at a nursing home and are just full of guilt, it's not going to be a good visit for either of you. You need to shift the focus to something positive, for both your sakes.
Building Community Through Education: The Dementia Caregiver Cruise
Ben: What's your goal with Care Planet?
Lisa: Education is important.
- Before starting Nursinghomeology in 2015, I spent a lot of time in Facebook groups about caregiving and dementia
- It's heartbreaking to see how many people are desperately looking for help
- I wanted to create a central location with expert advice, which led me to organize an event in 2019, before the pandemic, called the "Dementia Caregiver Cruise and Conference"
Ben: Would love to hear more about the Dementia Cruise.
Lisa: I wanted to organize an event with excellent expert advice around dementia for those who have it and their families, so I decided to hold a multi-day conference on a cruise ship.
- The cruise gave people a sense of community: dinners together, island excursions in the Caribbean, and space to share stories and tips
- I invited a group of speakers covering financial services, the caregiving journey, healthcare, and more
- Each morning, attendees listened to a speaker, took notes, learned, and felt empowered, which takes away fear and lightens the burden on their shoulders
- Only adults in the early stages of dementia were invited; those who might wander or be at risk were not included, since the event was designed for families at the beginning of their dementia journey
Where to Find Lisa Marie Chirico and Care Planet
Ben: For people reading this who want to learn more, where can they go?
Lisa: They can go to CarePlanet.co, where they'll find content focused on caregiving as well as life coaching to help make their lives better. Anyone who wants to connect can email me at Lisa@CarePlanet.co.
Ben: Anything else exciting on the horizon?
Lisa: Since the pandemic, we stopped the Dementia Cruise, but hope to start it up again soon.
- I pivoted into the online world and am organizing a virtual conference with the same learning goals, minus the buffets and beaches
- Anyone interested can visit www.CarePlanet.co for more info
- I also have my own podcast, Time-Love-Coffee-Peace, available wherever you get your podcasts
1 comment
Thank you for such a great interview. Counseling is so important after being newly diagnosed, to help people understand that they can still live life and not be stuck in a place of fear, but I don’t think many people are aware that it’s available to them. I’ll be sure to check out the summit and cruises.