Tumbleweed Plan

04/16/2026

One of the hardest parts of caregiving isn’t the tasks themselves.

It’s trying to explain what it’s actually like — to people who love you but can’t quite feel the weight of it — while being too exhausted to find the words.

This week, we’re sharing some language for a specific moment: when you need the people around you to understand what you’re carrying, not fix it.

For a partner or close family member:
“I know you want to help. Right now what I need most is for you to not try to solve it — just sit with me in it for a minute. I’m more tired than I have language for.”

For a friend who’s been distant:
“I haven’t been in touch because I’m running on empty. It’s not you. I just don’t have the bandwidth to reach out right now, and I’m still figuring out how to ask for what I need.”

For a manager or colleague:
“I’m managing some significant family caregiving responsibilities. I’m doing my best to stay present at work. I may need some flexibility in the coming weeks and wanted to be upfront about it.”

You don’t have to be articulate about your pain to communicate it. You just have to let someone in.

Save this for when you need it — or share it with someone who does. 💛

04/10/2026

Did you know?

The average person has more than 100 online accounts — and most families have no plan for what happens to them in an emergency or after a passing.

That means email archives, years of photos, banking platforms, active subscriptions, and social media accounts that may quietly remain online, get deleted, or become inaccessible forever — simply because no one knew the passwords.

Digital legacy planning isn't just for tech-savvy people. It's for anyone who uses a phone.

A simple digital plan should cover:
📧 Email and communication accounts
📸 Photo and cloud storage
💳 Subscriptions and auto-payments
🏦 Banking and financial platforms
📱 Instructions for your social media profiles

You don't have to organize everything at once. But writing down three accounts your family would need access to in a crisis? That's a 10-minute step that could save them weeks of frustration.

A complete legacy plan includes your digital life. Start there. 💛

04/07/2026

Myth: "Estate planning is only for people with a lot of money."

This belief stops more families from planning than almost anything else — and it's simply not true.

Reality: Estate planning isn't about what you own. It's about who gets to make decisions when you can't.

Without even a basic plan, here's what can happen: your family may have no legal authority to manage your accounts, no clarity on your medical wishes, and no roadmap for what you'd want. That creates confusion and conflict during an already overwhelming time — regardless of your net worth.

A basic plan doesn't have to be complicated. It covers things like:
• Who speaks for you if you become incapacitated (a healthcare proxy or power of attorney)
• Where your documents and accounts are stored
• What you'd want for your care
• Who takes care of your children, pets, or dependents

You don't need to be wealthy to have people who love you. And those people deserve clarity.

Start with one question: if something happened to you tomorrow, would the people in your life know what to do? That's where planning begins. 💛

04/04/2026

Did you know?

According to AARP's 2025 Caregiving in the U.S. report, 59 million Americans provide care to another adult family member — more than a 40% increase over just a decade ago.

And a 2025 Guardian Life report found that nearly half (43%) of full-time workers are juggling caregiving responsibilities alongside their jobs — a 13% jump since 2019.

Caregiver burnout isn't a personal failing. It's the natural result of carrying something enormous without enough infrastructure to support it.

For many people, the challenge isn't the caregiving itself — it's doing it in isolation, without a plan, without the right resources, and without anyone asking how you're holding up.

If that's where you are right now: you're not alone, and you don't have to figure it out by yourself.

Clarity around care planning, the right tools, and a little support can make a real difference — not just for the person you're caring for, but for you. 💛

04/02/2026

Myth: "You should be over it by now."

This is one of the loneliest things a grieving person can hear — even when they're saying it to themselves.

Grief doesn't move on a schedule. It doesn't follow neat stages, and it doesn't mean something is wrong with you if you're still feeling it months or years later.

Reality: There is no timeline for grief. There's only your timeline.

Grief can look like exhaustion, not tears. It can show up as anger that comes out sideways. It can feel like relief — and then guilt about the relief. It can disappear for weeks and return in an instant when a song plays in a grocery store.

That's not a setback. That's grief doing what grief does.

If someone in your life — or a voice in your own head — is telling you that you should be over it by now: you don't have to agree.

You're not behind. You're just human. 💛

03/30/2026

What does it really mean to be "sandwiched beyond the traditional definition"?

Denise Brown — founder of Caring Our Way and creator of Caregiving.com — knows firsthand. She cared for both parents while running a business, navigating decision fatigue, and managing her family's emotional needs alongside her own.

In this episode, Denise and host Paul H. Richardson Jr. explore:
💬 Why finding support is far more complicated than people assume
💬 How caregiving left little room for self-care — until it was gone
💬 The power of community and the courage to begin again

🎧 Listen now: https://sandwiched.podbean.com/e/denise-brown_sandwiched/

In this episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. talks with Denise Brown, founder of Caring Our Way and creator of Caregiving.com, about what it truly means to be “sandwiched beyond the traditional definition.” Denise shares her experience caring for both parents while running a busine...

03/20/2026

Wayne Freeman Chong's caregiving journey started at just 21 — helping his grandmother. What followed was a lifetime of lessons in empathy, guilt, forgiveness, and grace.

In this episode of Sandwiched, Wayne opens up about:
💬 A heated moment that changed his life forever
💬 Feeling torn between duty, love, and impossible decisions
💬 How guilt and love can coexist — and how grace transforms both

From his grandmother's quiet forgiveness to his mother's cancer battle, Wayne's story is a raw, honest look at what it means to be sandwiched between generations.

🎧 Listen now: https://sandwiched.podbean.com/e/wayne-freeman-chong/

In this deeply reflective episode of Sandwiched, host Paul H. Richardson Jr. talks with Wayne Freeman Chong, whose caregiving journey began when he was just twenty-one. What started as helping his grandmother soon became a lifelong lesson in empathy, forgiveness, and emotional strength. Wayne shares...

03/18/2026

Myth: “I have to be strong all the time.”

Reality: Strength includes pausing, resting, and letting someone else hold part of the load.

If you need a tiny reset:
- Put one hand on your chest
- Take 5 slow breaths
- Text one person: “Today is a lot.”

You’re allowed to be human.

03/14/2026

If your family is navigating serious illness, knowing these terms can reduce fear and confusion.

Save this carousel for later.

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03/11/2026

Asking for help is hard. Asking clearly is even harder — especially when you're exhausted.

Here's a script you can copy, paste, and send today:

> "I'm feeling stretched thin right now. I need help. Here are 2 things that would make a real difference this week:
> 1) _
> 2) _
> Can you take one of these on, or let me know what you can do?"

Why does this work?
✅ It's honest without being heavy
✅ It gives people a clear way to say yes
✅ It removes the guesswork that drains relationships

You don't need to do it all alone — you just need the right words to let people in.

03/10/2026

When a health crisis hits, the last thing you want is to scramble for insurance cards, medication lists, or legal paperwork.

Our latest article walks you through building a Documentation Center — one reliable place for everything someone would need in an emergency.

Inside, you'll find:
✅ How to create a current medication list
✅ Which legal documents to keep accessible
✅ A simple contact sheet that saves time when it matters most
✅ Tips for digital backups and regular reviews

Small steps now can make a huge difference later.

🔗 Read the full article on Substack: https://loom.ly/GBPNfeE

When a health crisis hits, the last thing you want is to rummage for insurance cards, a medication list, or legal paperwork while you are sitting in an emergency room.

03/07/2026

Hospice is widely misunderstood, and misunderstanding adds fear.

This carousel answers a few common myths in plain language so families can feel less alone and ask better questions.

Save it for later, or share it with someone who needs clarity.