The Hart Of It All with Teri Hart

Where we live as we age is one of the biggest decisions families face, and one of the most confusing. In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart is joined by elder-care expert Pat Irwin, president and founder of ElderCareCanada, to walk through the full spectrum of senior living options, from aging in place and naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs), to retirement communities, life-lease housing, and long-term care.

Drawing on nearly three decades of experience and her own family’s story, Pat breaks down what these choices really look like as needs evolve, how finances shape every decision, and why there is no single “right” path. They also talk candidly about resistance, family dynamics, and the emotional weight carried by caregivers and adult children who are often navigating all of this behind the scenes.
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This episode of The Hart of it All is brought to you by Capital Direct. Since 2006, Capital Direct One Income Trust has been investing in and supporting Canadian families and homeowners. The Capital Direct One Income Trust may be a perfect addition to your portfolio. Their proven track record has been recognized by the Canadian Hedge Fund Awards for Best 10 Year Return* and is eligible for qualified investment accounts including TFSA, RESP and RRSP. For more information, visit incometrustone.com

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Please visit: https://www.capitaldirect.ca/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=hart-of-it-all

Resources:

Learn more about ElderCareCanada:
www.eldercarecanada.ca

To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod

Follow The Hart Of It All:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehartofitallpod/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehartofitallpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehartofitallpod

Follow Teri Hart:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terihart

Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital

I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode.

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🟡 About The Hart of it All

A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving.

No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most.

From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people underestimate how deeply Parkinson’s disease reshapes identity, independence, and daily life. In this revealing episode, award-winning writer and journalist Marni Jackson shares her journey from diagnosis to redefining how she lives, including the unexpected ways she pushes back through boxing, mindfulness, and movement.

Marni speaks candidly about living with an incurable disease, the importance of honest conversations around caregiving and asking for help, and finding joy and humour as life slows down. Her story offers a powerful reminder that resilience is not about fixing what is broken, but about presence, patience, and learning new ways to stay connected to yourself and others.
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This episode of The Hart Of It All is presented by Capital Direct. Invest in your family’s future and care with the Capital Direct One Income Trust a carefully, curated portfolio of residential mortgages.

Please visit: https://www.capitaldirect.ca/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=hart-of-it-all

BC AN #101742 | Ontario Mortgage Broker Licence #10549 | Admin Licence #11408 | Alberta MW-9811291 | Nova Scotia 10769862

Best 10 Year Return in the Mortgage Funds Category as at June 30, 2025.

Resources:

Marni Jackson's Globe & Mail article about boxing with Parkinson's Disease:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-after-being-diagnosed-with-parkinsons-im-literally-in-the-fight-of-my/

Rock Steady Boxing - Fighting Back Against Parkinson's Disease:
https://rocksteadyboxing.org/

Regent Park, Dancing with Parkinson’s:
https://parkinson.ca/care-finder/dwp-toronto-regentpark/

Canada's National Ballet School - Sharing Dance Parkinson's:
https://www.nbs-enb.ca/dance-for-life/sharing-dance-parkinson-s/

Follow Marni Jackson:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marnibjackson

To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod

Follow The Hart Of It All:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehartofitallpod/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehartofitallpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehartofitallpod

Follow Teri Hart:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terihart

Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital

I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode.

-

🟡 About The Hart of it All

A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving.

No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most.

From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caring for someone living with dementia changes everything. In this episode of The Hart of It All, host Teri Hart sits down with Dr. Adriana Shnall, program director at the Baycrest Koschitzky Centre for Innovations in Caregiving, to explore what caregivers are really carrying.

Dr. Shnall shares why dementia caregiving is uniquely complex, touching on ambiguous loss, personality changes, repetition, and the grief that unfolds over time. Together, they discuss why language matters, how behaviour always has meaning, and the importance of offering caregivers empathy, validation, and grace.

This conversation blends expert insight with deep compassion, offering practical guidance alongside reassurance for caregivers navigating an incredibly challenging journey.
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This episode of The Hart of It All is brought to you by Capital Direct. The Capital Direct Flexi Line™ turns your home equity into flexible support, so you can arrange the care your family deserves now and pay it back when the time is right.

Please visit: https://www.capitaldirect.ca/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=hart-of-it-all

BC AN #101742 | Ontario Mortgage Broker Licence #10549 | Admin Licence #11408 | Alberta MW-9811291 | Nova Scotia 10769862

*Best 10 Year Return in the Mortgage Funds Category as at June 30, 2025.

Resources:

Baycrest Family Caregiving Innovations:
https://www.baycrest.org/family-caregiving-innovations/

Canadian Caregiver Assessment & Resources Tool (C-CART):
https://www.baycrest.org/ccart/

Follow Dr. Adriana Shnall:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-adriana-shnall-phd-msw-rsw-88b8a4150/

Follow Baycrest:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baycrest/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baycrestcentre
Website: https://www.baycrest.org/

To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod

Follow The Hart Of It All:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehartofitallpod/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehartofitallpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehartofitallpod

Follow Teri Hart:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terihart

Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital

I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode.

-

🟡 About The Hart of it All

A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving.

No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most.

From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this deeply personal episode of The Hart of It All, host Teri Hart is joined by filmmaker and casting director Heidi Levitt, who shares her journey as a caregiver to her husband, Charlie Hess, following his diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Heidi opens up about the emotional weight of caregiving, the shock and clarity that came with an early diagnosis, and how love and partnership evolve in the face of profound change. She also discusses her documentary "Walk With Me", a film borne from lived experience that offers an honest and compassionate look at how Alzheimer’s reshapes families.

This conversation is a powerful reminder of the resilience required to care, the importance of support for caregivers, and the role storytelling can play in helping others feel less alone.

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This episode of The Hart of It All is brought to you by Capital Direct. The Capital Direct Flexi Line™ turns your home equity into flexible support, so you can arrange the care your family deserves now and pay it back when the time is right.

Please visit: https://www.capitaldirect.ca/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=hart-of-it-all

BC AN #101742 | Ontario Mortgage Broker Licence #10549 | Admin Licence #11408 | Alberta MW-9811291 | Nova Scotia 10769862

*Best 10 Year Return in the Mortgage Funds Category as at June 30, 2025.

Follow Heidi Levitt:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidela

Follow Heidi's Documentary, "Walk With Me":
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walkwithmedoc
Website: https://www.walkwithmedoc.com/

Follow Charlie Hess:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdesign

Go to https://www.walkwithmedoc.com/ to request access to the incredible documentary, "Walk With Me"

To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod

Follow The Hart Of It All:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehartofitallpod/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehartofitallpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehartofitallpod

Follow Teri Hart:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terihart

Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital

I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode.

-

🟡 About The Hart of it All

A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving.

No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most.

From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When should you see a geriatrician? Dr. Amina Jabbar explains aging, cognitive decline, and care options for older adults and their families. If you are caring for aging parents or worried about dementia or Alzheimer’s, this conversation brings clarity without fear.

This week, Teri Hart is joined by Dr. Amina Jabbar, a GTA geriatrician and health policy PhD candidate at McMaster University, for a powerful conversation about cognitive decline, dementia vs. Alzheimer’s, and why geriatric medicine is about helping people live as well as they can with the time they have.

They talk about diagnosis, driving, loneliness, caregiving realities, and why “none of this should be a surprise,” including the advanced care planning conversations we all avoid (and shouldn’t).

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This episode of The Hart of It All is brought to you by Capital Direct. The Capital Direct Flexi Line™ turns your home equity into flexible support, so you can arrange the care your family deserves now and pay it back when the time is right.

Please visit :https://www.capitaldirect.ca/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=hart-of-it-all

BC AN #101742 | Ontario Mortgage Broker Licence #10549 | Admin Licence #11408 | Alberta MW-9811291 | Nova Scotia 10769862

*Best 10 Year Return in the Mortgage Funds Category as at June 30, 2025.

Resources:

Global Deterioration Scale, Alzherimer's Society:
https://alzheimer.ca/sites/default/files/documents/Progression-overview--Alzheimer-Society.pdf

To watch this episode, subscribe to The Hart Of It All's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHartofitAllPod

Follow The Hart Of It All:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehartofitallpod/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehartofitallpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehartofitallpod

Follow Teri Hart:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terihart

Co-Executive Produced by: Carrie Hayden & Jess Carroll of 6of1 Digital
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6of1digital

I’m here to share stories and conversations, not medical or professional advice. I’m not a doctor, therapist, or licensed professional, and this podcast is NOT a substitute for guidance from qualified experts. Please seek out professional support when you need it. Take care and I’ll see you in the next episode.

-

🟡 About The Hart of it All

A podcast about navigating the realities of caregiving.

No one should have to do it alone. That’s the heart behind The Hart of It All, hosted by Canadian broadcaster Teri Hart. Inspired by her own experience caring for her dad and helping her mom navigate a new reality, Teri shines a light on the stories, resources, and conversations caregivers need most.

From doctors and nutritionists to fellow caregivers living it every day, each episode offers guidance and connection. Honest, supportive, and grounded in lived experience, The Hart of It All is here to remind us that caring for each other is something we’re all in together.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.