Episode 57: Greek-Style

When her father was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma—a type of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma—Callie was thrust into long-distance caregiving complicated by her parents’ old-world mentality.  Born in Greece, her parents now live in California and Callie lives in Virginia. In today’s episode she talks about the challenges of hiring a male home health aide for her 88-year-old father, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatments, and coaching potential aides on how to avoid being fired by her stubborn 91-year-old mother.  Callie also talks about the benefits of venting with friends, what not to say to adults caring for a loved one and why she plans to approach her own later years in a radically different way than her parents.  Note: Callie is not her real name; we’ve changed it for the interview to protect her privacy.

More on B-cell lymphoma: Types of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma