Advocacy, Navigating the Wounded System, and Being Heard with Kimberly Diaz of CareMattersAlways.com
03/05/25 • 60 min
Have you ever felt unheard as a caregiver or as a patient? If so, this episode is for you!
I have the absolute privilege of sitting down with Kimberly Diaz, a powerhouse advocate who has dedicated her life to ensuring that caregivers and their loved ones are truly seen, heard, and supported. She is a nurse, case manager, and placement specialist, AND she’s a fierce advocate who fights for families navigating the wounded system.
⚠️⚠️⚠️Information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. While Kimberly and I are both nurses, we are not acting as your personal healthcare providers, legal advisors, or financial consultants. This discussion is based on our experiences and insights, but it is not a substitute for professional medical, legal, or financial advice.!!️ Always consult with your own healthcare team, legal counsel, or financial advisor before making any changes to medications, care plans, or other important decisions regarding your loved one’s well-being. Your situation is unique, and your trusted professionals should guide your choices.!!️ By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that we are not responsible for any outcomes resulting from actions taken based on the content discussed.⚠️⚠️⚠️
✨ We Will Cover:
✨ Sick care vs. wellness care—Why the traditional system fails not only patients, but caregivers too, and how caregivers can take a proactive approach to wellness!
✨ Advocacy is everything—From getting the right medication adjustments to ensuring the best caregiver fit, speaking up changes lives!
✨ Filling your own cup—The non-negotiable importance of self-care for caregivers to prevent burnout.
✨ The system can change, but we must be the change agents—How persistence and advocacy create real change in care plans, hospital interactions, and outdated policies.
✨ Finding the right team is everything—How to surround yourself with people who lift you up, support you, and help you fight for the best care possible.
Kimberly’s journey is a testament to the power of persistence and heart. If you’ve ever felt dismissed, this conversation will empower you to stand up, push forward, and demand the care you and your loved one deserve.
🌟 Part 2 of my conversation with Kimberly drops next week!🌟
🌟 Listen now & be part of the movement!🌟
#DancingWithDementia #CareMattersAlways #CaregiverSupport #AdvocacyMatters #YouAreHeard #SynergyRising #CaringMindsDementiaConsultingAndTraining #YoungCaregivers #DanceWithDementia
🎧 Connect With Kimberly: 💖
✨Website: CareMattersAlways.com
✨ Free Facebook Group: Caring Minds Dementia Consulting & Training
💃🏻Have topic requests, want to nominate a guest, or book a 1:1 consultation with me? Connect with us at SynergyRising.Life!💃🏻
🎧 Available on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts 🎧
✨ Facebook:Dancing With Dementia
✨ Website: www.SynergyRising.Life
✨ Instagram:DanceWithDementia
Have you ever felt unheard as a caregiver or as a patient? If so, this episode is for you!
I have the absolute privilege of sitting down with Kimberly Diaz, a powerhouse advocate who has dedicated her life to ensuring that caregivers and their loved ones are truly seen, heard, and supported. She is a nurse, case manager, and placement specialist, AND she’s a fierce advocate who fights for families navigating the wounded system.
⚠️⚠️⚠️Information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. While Kimberly and I are both nurses, we are not acting as your personal healthcare providers, legal advisors, or financial consultants. This discussion is based on our experiences and insights, but it is not a substitute for professional medical, legal, or financial advice.!!️ Always consult with your own healthcare team, legal counsel, or financial advisor before making any changes to medications, care plans, or other important decisions regarding your loved one’s well-being. Your situation is unique, and your trusted professionals should guide your choices.!!️ By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that we are not responsible for any outcomes resulting from actions taken based on the content discussed.⚠️⚠️⚠️
✨ We Will Cover:
✨ Sick care vs. wellness care—Why the traditional system fails not only patients, but caregivers too, and how caregivers can take a proactive approach to wellness!
✨ Advocacy is everything—From getting the right medication adjustments to ensuring the best caregiver fit, speaking up changes lives!
✨ Filling your own cup—The non-negotiable importance of self-care for caregivers to prevent burnout.
✨ The system can change, but we must be the change agents—How persistence and advocacy create real change in care plans, hospital interactions, and outdated policies.
✨ Finding the right team is everything—How to surround yourself with people who lift you up, support you, and help you fight for the best care possible.
Kimberly’s journey is a testament to the power of persistence and heart. If you’ve ever felt dismissed, this conversation will empower you to stand up, push forward, and demand the care you and your loved one deserve.
🌟 Part 2 of my conversation with Kimberly drops next week!🌟
🌟 Listen now & be part of the movement!🌟
#DancingWithDementia #CareMattersAlways #CaregiverSupport #AdvocacyMatters #YouAreHeard #SynergyRising #CaringMindsDementiaConsultingAndTraining #YoungCaregivers #DanceWithDementia
🎧 Connect With Kimberly: 💖
✨Website: CareMattersAlways.com
✨ Free Facebook Group: Caring Minds Dementia Consulting & Training
💃🏻Have topic requests, want to nominate a guest, or book a 1:1 consultation with me? Connect with us at SynergyRising.Life!💃🏻
🎧 Available on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts 🎧
✨ Facebook:Dancing With Dementia
✨ Website: www.SynergyRising.Life
✨ Instagram:DanceWithDementia
Previous Episode
Innovation in Caregiving and Insights for Caregivers with Children: How Cindy McCaffery Built YOUQuest for Young-Onset Dementia Support 🎶
What happens when caregiving, motherhood, and career collide—and the system doesn’t offer the support you need?
For Cindy MacCaffrey, that wasn’t just a question; it was a call to action. As a wife, mother, and daughter-in-law of those impacted by young-onset dementia, Cindy saw the gaps in resources, support, and community-based care—so she created YOUQuest, a first-of-its-kind day program designed for active individuals living with young-onset dementia.
In this eye-opening episode, Cindy shares:
💡 How she turned a gap in the system into an innovative solution
🏀 Why traditional care models don’t work for young-onset & how YOUQuest is different
🎶 The power of music, movement & connection in brain health
🌱 Her best advice for caregivers balancing work, kids, and a spouse with dementia
🧠 Why shifting the language from "dementia" to "brain disease" opens up better conversations
✨ The importance of family & child counseling—and why “Enjoying the NOW” is key
This episode is for you if you are a:
🕺🏾💃🏻 Young caregiver navigating the challenges of supporting a spouse or parent
🕺🏾💃🏻 Parent raising kids while caregiving
🕺🏾💃🏻 Change-maker or Innovator looking to create solutions in dementia care
🕺🏾💃🏻 Special Soul who wants to reframe caregiving with more JOY
✨ This episode is a must-listen for every caregiver, advocate, and changemaker.✨
🎧 Tune in now & be inspired!
✨ Facebook:Dancing With Dementia
✨ Website: www.SynergyRising.Life
✨ Instagram: DanceWithDementia
✨ Podcast Links: Apple Podcasts AND Spotify AND Amazon Podcasts
🎧 Follow & Support YOUQuest: 📌
✨Learn more about YouQuest: YouQuest.ca
✨YOUQuest Connect: Facebook
✨YOUQuest Connect: Instagram
🌞 Want to bring a YOUQuest-style program to your city? Click the link to connect with Cindy: https://forms.gle/zdSFSYjG7j99jGFn6 🌞
🙌 If this episode touches you, and you’d like to help us reach caregivers in need of a little dance, please share, subscribe, and rate us 5-🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟! Tag a caregiver who needs to hear this. Let’s spread
💃🏻Have topic requests, want to nominate a guest, or book a 1:1 consultation with me? Connect with us at SynergyRising.Life!💃🏻
🎧 Available on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts 🎧
✨ Facebook:Dancing With Dementia
✨ Website: www.SynergyRising.Life
✨ Instagram:DanceWithDementia
Next Episode
Caring for the Caregivers & Let's Advocate (Part 2 with Kimberly Diaz)
Do you care for a caregiver?
Are you a friend, partner, or community member looking out for the caregiver in your life? You may not be the one providing hands-on care, but your support matters more than you know . Tune in for ways to truly show up for the caregiver in your life—whether it's offering a helping hand, sharing resources, or simply being there when they need it most.
In today’s episode, we dive deep into:
✨ How to support a caregiver in meaningful ways (hint: it’s not just “let me know if you need anything” )
✨ The power of community & why caregivers need their village
✨ Advocacy as the heart of caregiving—how speaking up changes lives
✨ Medical & medication management tips—how caregivers can build a strong support system
✨ Finding beauty in the journey—how even the hardest moments can shift our perspective
🎧 Connect With Kimberly: 💖
✨Website:CareMattersAlways.com
✨ Free Facebook Group: Caring Minds Dementia Consulting & Training
💃🏻Want to be part of the conversation? Visit synergyrising.life!💃🏻
✨ Request show topics✨ Nominate or become a guest✨ Book 1:1 consultations for deeper support
Loved this episode?
💖 Subscribe, rate, and leave a review! Your support helps us reach and uplift more caregivers around the world.💖
✨💃🏻 Until next time, take care of YOU—because Caregivers on the Dancefloor of Life? We deserve to dance, too! 💃🏻✨
#DancingWithDementia #CareMattersAlways #CaregiverSupport #AdvocacyMatters #YouAreHeard #SynergyRising #CaringMindsDementiaConsultingAndTraining #YoungCaregivers #DanceWithDementia
💃🏻Have topic requests, want to nominate a guest, or book a 1:1 consultation with me? Connect with us at SynergyRising.Life!💃🏻
🎧 Available on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts 🎧
✨ Facebook:Dancing With Dementia
✨ Website: www.SynergyRising.Life
✨ Instagram:DanceWithDementia
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