Episodes of The Hart Of It All

What if families had a clear path through dementia care from diagnosis? In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart speaks with Dr. Saskia Sivananthan, CEO of the Brainwell Institute, about the Ontario Dementia Task Force and its goal to transform care across the province. Dr. Sivananthan explains why caregivers need clear guidance, assessments and support before they reach burnout or crisis. She also challenges misconceptions about dementia and shares why better treatment and care are no...

What does it take to build a secure and fulfilling retirement? After decades of helping Canadians prepare for the future, The Wealthy Barber author David Chilton is now entering retirement and considering what makes those years work. David joins Teri Hart for a conversation about retirement, aging parents, and the cost of care. He shares his family’s experience navigating his 93-year-old father’s dementia, assisted living, and long-term care. Together, David and Teri explore why many Canadians...

For many people, driving represents far more than getting from one place to another. It means independence, freedom, adulthood, and connection. That is why the moment an older adult can no longer safely get behind the wheel can be one of the most painful transitions a family faces. Returning guest and geriatrician Dr. Amina Jabbar joins Teri Hart on The Hart of It All to talk about what she calls “retiring from driving.” Together, they explore how families can approach the conversation with hon...

Most people avoid thinking about Alzheimer’s until it touches their own lives. Hon. Lisa Raitt once felt that fear herself. But when her husband, Bruce Wood, was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s at 56, she was forced to confront the disease, gaps in Canada’s dementia care system, and realities families often navigate alone. In this candid conversation with Teri Hart, Lisa shares the path from Bruce’s diagnosis to becoming an advocate for people living with dementia and their caregivers. S...

Caregivers are doing some of the most important work in our society, yet so many are doing it unpaid, unsupported, and without even realizing that “caregiver” is the word for what they have become. On this episode of The Hart of It All, host Teri Hart welcomes back CareYaya CEO Neal K. Shah to talk about the viral conversations that have struck a nerve with caregivers across North America. After his first appearance sparked a huge response online, Neal returns to dig deeper into why caregiving ...

What does the emergency room reveal about the future of care in Canada? In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart sits down with Dr. Brian Goldman, emergency physician, author, and longtime healthcare advocate, to talk about what Canada’s overwhelmed ERs are telling us about the deeper cracks in our healthcare system. Drawing from his book The Casino Shift, Dr. Goldman explains how hospital overcrowding, long-term care waitlists, primary care shortages, and a lack of home care support a...

The hidden crisis in Canadian seniors' care: why so many wait in limbo and how for-profit chains profit at their expense Imagine a system where 70% of long-term care homes are owned by private corporations, yet they profit from taxpayer dollars meant for vulnerable seniors. Meanwhile, over 50,000 Ontarians await a spot in these facilities, living in hospitals, transitional units, or at home, often in dangerous limbo. Is this the care Canada prides itself on? Melissa Miller, an elder law expert...

What does meaningful support look like when someone’s life has changed overnight? In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart sits down with Catherine Wreford, Broadway performer, Amazing Race Canada winner, brain cancer advocate, mother, and someone who knows what it means to both support others and receive support herself. Catherine was diagnosed with brain cancer at 32, just weeks after giving birth to her second child. She was told she had two to six years to live. Thirteen years late...

The housing crisis can feel especially frightening for senior women living alone. With rising rents, limited pension income, and few affordable options, the question of where and how to live can become urgent very quickly. In this episode, Teri Hart speaks with Pat Dunn, founder of Senior Women Living Together, about her own experience facing housing insecurity and the community-based solution she created in response. Teri and Pat discuss why so many senior women are financially vulnerable, ho...

The financial side of caregiving can feel overwhelming, especially when aging parents want to stay at home. But understanding the options early can bring clarity, relief, and a stronger sense of control. In the last episode, personal finance expert Rob Carrick walked through a practical financial checklist to help caregivers start important money conversations with aging parents. In Part 2 of his conversation with Teri Hart, Rob goes deeper into the financial realities families may face as pare...

Money is one of the hardest parts of caregiving to talk about, but it is also one of the most important. In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart sits down with longtime personal finance expert Rob Carrick for part one of a two-part conversation about the financial realities of aging, caregiving, and planning for the future. From aging in place to retirement homes, long-term care, home equity, personal support workers, and the hidden costs families often do not see coming, Rob explains ...

Caregiving in Canada is not a private family issue. It is one of the biggest social, economic, and healthcare realities of our time. In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri Hart speaks with Liv Mendelsohn, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, about CCCE’s newly released Caring in Canada report and what it reveals about the true state of care across the country. Liv shares the staggering scale of unpaid caregiving in Canada, including the estimated $97.1 bill...

A lot of people dealing with dementia caregiving quietly wonder: Is it supposed to feel this overwhelming? Troy McCallum understands the kind of exhaustion that comes from constantly being “on” for someone you love. As his mother’s dementia progressed, Troy found himself trying to manage everything at once: the confusion, the wandering, the emotional volatility, the constant fear that something could go wrong. He was exhausted, anxious, and running on adrenaline for so long that his own health...

Caregiving is not just a personal challenge. It is quickly becoming one of the biggest healthcare issues of our time. On this episode of The Hart of It All, host Teri Hart sits down with Neal Shah, founder of CareYaya, to explore why caregiving needs to be treated as a core part of our healthcare system, not an afterthought. Neal shares his journey from hedge fund leader to caregiver advocate, and breaks down the hidden ways caregiving impacts physical and mental health. From rising hospitaliza...

When it comes to caring for aging parents, siblings can be the hardest part. You might agree on everything for years, and then suddenly you’re facing decisions about care, money, or where your parent should live and nothing feels simple anymore. Old dynamics resurface, tensions build, and conversations that should bring you together can start to pull you apart. In this episode of The Hart of It All, Teri sits down with family dynamics expert Dr. Amy D’Aprix to unpack why caregiving can turn si...

What if saying goodbye felt more like a celebration than a loss? Teri sits down with wedding and event planner Trevor Frankfort to explore how we can rethink end-of-life gatherings in a way that feels personal, meaningful, and even uplifting. Instead of defaulting to tradition, Trevor shares how a celebration of life can reflect who someone truly was, from their favourite music and meals to the stories and moments that defined them. Through real examples, including a concert-style tribute for ...

Most people don’t realize how much caregiving reshapes you until you are living it. When sportscaster Evanka Osmak’s mother was diagnosed with ALS, everything changed quickly. What followed was a period of intense caregiving, difficult decisions, and the emotional weight of watching someone you love decline. In this episode, Evanka reflects on that time with honesty and clarity. She shares what it looked like to balance her career with being present for her mom, Jeanne, and how she navigated th...

What if a TV show could actually change how we care for each other? In this special National Caregiver’s Day episode, The Pitt creator and showrunner R. Scott Gemmill joins Teri Hart for a powerful conversation about the real-world impact of one of television’s most talked-about medical dramas. Praised for its accuracy, The Pitt is built directly from the experiences of frontline healthcare workers. Scott shares how conversations with doctors, nurses, and caregivers shape the show’s storylines...

Aging in place is something most Canadians want, but making it possible takes more than good intentions. In this practical and reassuring conversation, Teri Hart is joined by Deb Galet, President and CEO of Baycrest Hospital and Apotex Centre, Jewish Home for the Aged, to talk about what it really takes for older adults to live safely and independently at home. Drawing on her background as an occupational therapist and healthcare leader, Deb breaks down the physical, cognitive, and environmenta...

Are you making the most of your doctor’s appointments as a caregiver? Or leaving with more questions than answers? Dr. Nadine Laraya, a Toronto-based family physician with over a decade of experience, shares what caregivers need to know about navigating the healthcare system, advocating for loved ones, and building stronger doctor-patient relationships. From how to prepare for medical appointments to understanding confidentiality, communication, and family dynamics, Dr. Laraya offers practical,...

Taylor Kaye became a caregiver overnight when her husband, Greg, suffered a devastating stroke in 2022. In this deeply honest conversation with Teri Hart, she shares what it means to navigate life after a sudden stroke while also raising three daughters, working full time, and adjusting to the unexpected realities of becoming a family caregiver. Taylor opens up about the shock of those early hospital days, the pressure of making life-altering medical decisions, and the responsibility of advocat...

Jeanne Beker had just turned 70 and felt, in her own words, “invincible.” Weeks later, a routine mammogram revealed breast cancer. In this candid conversation with Teri Hart, Jeanne reflects on what it meant to suddenly become the person needing care after a lifetime of independence. She shares how the support of her husband Iain, her daughters, friends, and an outpouring of community helped carry her through chemotherapy, surgery, and recovery. With remarkable honesty and positivity, Jeanne a...

Caregiving burnout isn’t just feeling tired. It’s a slow, chronic depletion that can quietly impact your mental clarity, physical health, and emotional resilience. In this episode, returning guest Alyson Schafer, parenting expert, family counsellor, and current caregiver, joins Teri to unpack what burnout really looks like for caregivers. They explore how love, duty, and guilt can blur the early warning signs, and why so many caregivers don’t recognize what’s happening until they are already ru...

Most Canadians have heard about Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), but what does it truly entail? Dr. Jean Marmoreo, one of Canada's first practitioners of MAiD, reveals how this groundbreaking program has evolved over nearly a decade and why it remains a vital part of end-of-life care. If you or loved ones face difficult choices or simply want a clearer understanding of how MAiD works, this episode offers essential insights rooted in compassion, legality, and dignity. In this candid conversat...