In Good Company: Eldercare in Your Backyard Podcast

02/11/2026

Why are families so shocked by the final days of life?

Because no one prepares them.

Dr. Debra Parker Oliver has lived hospice care three times — as a wife, a daughter, and a caregiver. And even with decades of experience, she says nothing fully prepares you when it’s your own loved one.

In this episode, she shares:
• What dying really looks and sounds like
• Why caregivers become exhausted and invisible
• The hidden suffering caused by our healthcare system
• What families wish they had known sooner

If you’re caring for someone — or ever will — this conversation will stay with you.

You are not alone. ❤️

What does dying really look and sound like — and why are families so often unprepared for it?In this powerful conversation, Dr. Debra Parker Oliver — a natio...

02/10/2026

🔥 End-of-Life Care Summit This Friday!🔥
📅 Friday, February 13, 2026
📍 Oasis Hotel & Convention Center - Springfield, MO

Healthcare professionals, caregivers, and community leaders: this is your day! Join the End-of-Life Care Summit, presented by the Hospice Foundation for Outreach, for a meaningful, evidence-based event dedicated to improving care for patients, families, and care teams.

✨ What to Expect:
• Inspiring plenary sessions on hospice care, grief support, and communication skills
• Breakout talks on music therapy in end-of-life care, AI tools, and advanced care planning
• Networking - plus light breakfast, buffet lunch & snacks included
• Continuing education credits available for physicians, nurses, therapists, and more (up to 5.75 credits)

Plus, don’t miss our In Good Company: Eldercare in Your Backyard Podcast, featuring special episodes with Summit speakers and guests. Real conversations, real insight, and a deeper look into the voices shaping compassionate end-of-life care.

02/05/2026

Death is something we all avoid talking about, until we can’t.

In this powerful episode, Dr. Amanda Altobell, Director of Ethics at Mercy Springfield, joins us to challenge the idea that dying is a failure of medicine. Drawing from her work as a clinician, ethicist, and hospice provider, she shares hard truths about CPR, hospice, and why “doing everything” isn’t always the same as doing what’s right.

We talk advance directives, family conflict, what TV gets wildly wrong about end-of-life care, and why waiting to plan is often waiting too long, especially under Missouri law.

Honest, compassionate, and deeply human. If you have aging parents, work in health care, or care about dignity at the end of life, this one’s a must-listen.

Dr. Amanda Altobell is the Director of Ethics at Mercy Springfield, where she helps patients, families, and care teams navigate some of the most emotionally ...

01/28/2026

What does hospice really look like — and why do so many families misunderstand it? 💛

In the latest episode of In Good Company, we sit down with Kim Therriault, Director of Hospice at Haven Home Health and Hospice, to talk about what hospice truly is: choice, dignity, comfort, and control.

Kim shares a powerful story that shaped her approach to care — and breaks down why families often wait too long, how hospice supports the whole family, and why starting the conversation sooner matters.

Because hospice isn’t about giving up.
It’s about living life on your terms.

What does hospice really look like — and why do so many families misunderstand it?In this episode of In Good Company, we sit down with Kim Therriault, Direct...

01/21/2026

Better care starts with better listening.

🎙️ This week on In Good Company, Dr. Will Vincel joins us to talk about slowing down in healthcare, involving family, and delivering dignified care as we age.

A must-listen conversation with a dentist who puts patients first.

In this episode of In Good Company, we’re joined by Dr. Will Vincel, a general dentist at Ozarks Preferred Dental Group in Springfield, Missouri, and an adju...

01/19/2026

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his powerful legacy of courage, service, and truth. His words continue to challenge us to listen deeply, lead with empathy, and work toward a more just world. 🎙️✨

01/16/2026

It’s never too late to restore purpose. Learn how helping your loved ones can maintain freedom and a meaningful diffrence.

01/15/2026

Through comfort and compassionate care, hospice brings families closer together when it matters most.

01/15/2026

You don’t need permission to take the next step. Self-referral is easier than you think, and it starts with you.

01/15/2026

Here's how Hospice gives you control of your medical decisions, not the other way around.

01/14/2026

🧠 Alzheimer’s doesn’t just steal memories, it changes entire families. But what if the fight against it is closer than you think?

In this powerful episode of 🎙️ In Good Company, we sit down with Marcia Rauwerdink, a longtime advocate and board member with the Alzheimer’s Association, to talk about what’s really happening behind the scenes in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of families, but many people don’t realize how much progress depends on advocacy, education, and public policy.In this e...

01/07/2026

This episode will stay with you long after you listen.
We sit down with Camelia Jacob, founder & CEO of Jacob’s Ladder, Jacob’s Houses, and Jacob’s Care Center, alongside Luchiia Lebed, a vital part of the mission, sharing the remarkable story behind Missouri’s faith-led, home-like end-of-life care model where no one dies alone.

What started with prayer, purpose, and a $5,000 sign became a network of intimate homes built on dignity, compassion, and love. Camelia and Luchiia open up about what families aren’t told about end-of-life decisions, why traditional care often falls short, and the powerful moments of healing, reconciliation, and peace they witness every day.

💛 This conversation will challenge assumptions, soften hearts, and offer real hope for what end-of-life care can be.
🎧 Listen now and share with someone who needs encouragement today.

In this powerful and deeply moving episode, we sit down with Camelia Jacob, founder and CEO of Jacob’s Ladder, Jacob’s Houses, and Jacob’s Care Center—alongs...