Deborah Bakti
In this episode of The Empathy Exchange, we delve into the emotional tapestry of the admission process. Mary’s story becomes a lens through which we explore shared family and staff experiences. Unveiling three impactful gaps – knowledge, emotion and identity – I guide you through key insights. The knowledge gap reveals misconceptions families often have…
My story began with my dad’s move into long-term care, followed closely by my husband Ty’s journey with a rare and incurable disease. The narrative unfolded over years of navigating through hospitals, care facilities, and the inevitable (and tough) transitions that come with changing needs and circumstances. From acute care to assisted living, I grappled…
In today’s episode, Dr. Amy Climer invites us to rethink what it means to be creative, and how structured curiosity can transform how care teams collaborate, problem solve, and engage with their work. Drawing from her book, Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results, Amy shares practical ways leaders and staff can spark…
What if the most powerful way to build trust isn’t through explanation but through a story? In this episode of The Relational Approach Podcast, storyteller and coach Marsha Shandur pulls back the curtain on how personal storytelling creates instant emotional connection, deepens empathy, and helps people feel seen. Through warmth, humor, and science-backed insight, she…
What if the biggest barrier to high performance in caregiving isn’t your workload but your thought load? In today’s episode I sit down with Dr. Liane Davey, an organizational psychologist, bestselling author, and expert in productive conflict and team dynamics, to explore the hidden toll of emotional labor in seniors’ care. Liane introduces us to…
What if the most meaningful way to support caregivers isn’t by jumping to solving problems but by pausing and truly seeing and hearing them? In today’s episode I sit down with Denise Brown – caregiver advocate, coach, and founder of the Caregiving Listening Project to explore what it really means to show up for caregivers,…
What if family councils could be a source of connection, not conflict? In this episode of The Relational Approach Podcast, Lisa Dawson shares how care homes and families can move from tension to trust, and build collaborative relationships that truly support resident well-being. Drawing from her own experience as a family caregiver and council leader,…
What if the most powerful voice in the hiring process isn’t the manager, but the resident? In today’s episode, Rose Lamb and Lou Watson show us what it looks like when residents aren’t just living in a seniors’ community, they’re shaping it. As a 92-year-young resident at The Village of Taunton Mills, Lou brings wisdom,…
What if it’s not about balance at all, but about alignment? In this episode of The Relational Approach Podcast, Dr. Katie Keller Wood offers a Montessori-inspired perspective on caregiving, purpose, and the meaningful work we’re called to do, especially in the most ordinary moments. Rather than striving for “work-life balance,” Katie invites us to reimagine…
What if what looks like resistance is actually fear? In this episode of The Relational Approach Podcast, Mindy Spigel, a nurse, author and speaker, shares how fear shows up in residents, families, as well as care teams, and how a relational mindset can transform those moments into trust-building opportunities. Mindy introduces her unforgettable metaphor of…