Lydia Molinera hosts the "Take Care with Meds" podcast, featuring Trudy Callaghan, who shares her journey caring for her mother with Alzheimer's and chronic leukemia. Trudy highlights the importance of advocacy, communication, and education in healthcare. She recounts her mother's medical history, including thyroid issues, arrhythmia, and dementia, and the challenges of managing medications and healthcare decisions. Trudy emphasizes the significance of being included in care meetings and the emotional impact of being a caregiver. She also discusses the critical role of palliative care in ensuring a peaceful end-of-life experience for her mother. The discussion highlights the importance of advocacy in healthcare, particularly for loved ones. Lidia emphasizes the value of asking questions to provide comfort and the challenges of navigating healthcare journeys. Trudy Callaghan shares her experience of caring for her mother, stressing the commitment to do her best despite the uncertainties. The conversation underscores that advocacy is about giving one's best, not perfection, and acknowledges the emotional and practical efforts of caregivers.

--Resources–
For resources and information on how you could be on the podcast, visit lidiamolinara.com/podcast.

--Note--

The information provided on this podcast is not a substitute for medical care and is not intended to be considered medical advice. If you require any medical assistance, please speak with your health care provider.

--Credits--

Hosted by Lidia Molinara.

Produced and edited by Odvod Media.

Original music by Darrin Hagen.

Melissa Sheldrick lost her son, Andrew (age 8), due to a medication error. Lidia takes us through Melissa’s story — we hear how this devastating event shapes Melissa’s view on medication safety and how to promote a culture of safety in medicine.

Through her work with the Assurance and Improvement in Medication Safety (AIMS) at the Ontario College of Pharmacists, and other advocate efforts, Melissa advocates to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy.

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:02) - Andrew
• (07:00) - Taking Action
• (11:04) - Understanding Medication
• (14:37) - Culture of Safety
• (20:34) - Culture of Communication
• (24:34) - A Healing Process
• (28:57) - Close

Medication Error Reporting: mederror.ca

For resources and information on how you could be on the podcast, visit lidiamolinara.com/podcast.

--Note--

The information provided on this podcast is not a substitute for medical care and is not intended to be considered medical advice. If you require any medical assistance, please speak with your health care provider.

--Credits--

Hosted by Lidia Molinara.

Produced and edited by Odvod Media.

Original music by Darrin Hagen.

The pandemic shone a light on many things. It highlighted how social connections and the way we live impacts our health - and that is especially true of the elderly. Dr. Paul Kivi and Dr. Marjan Abbasi join Lidia to discuss how to navigate elder-care in a way that best fits your needs and values.

--Chapters--

• (00:00) - Intro
• (04:20) - Lessons from the Pandemic
• (14:40) - Staying Social
• (24:05) - Frailty
• (32:35) - The Right Stuff - Reviewing your meds
• (37:45) - Shared Decisions
• (43:26) - Listen and Be Heard
• (54:26) - Your Life, Your Lead

- Healthy Aging Core Alberta

- Canadian Frailty Network

- AVOID Frailty
For resources and information on how you could be on the podcast, visit lidiamolinara.com/podcast.

--Note--

The information provided on this podcast is not a substitute for medical care and is not intended to be considered medical advice. If you require any medical assistance, please speak with your health care provider.

--Credits--

Hosted by Lidia Molinara.

Produced and edited by Odvod Media.

Original music by Darrin Hagen.

Education is a big part of ACE-ing your healthcare journey, and it can feel overwhelming. Lidia outlines what kind of questions can help you navigate your care (or the care of someone else), including tips for when and how to ask for options.

A - Advocate

C - Communicate

E - Educate

--Chapters--

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:29) - It’s good to ask.
• (04:03) - Keep the conversation open.
• (07:31) - What can I ask?
• (08:22) - What happens if things go wrong?
• (10:01) - Questions for “in the meantime”.
• (12:33) - What if the medication doesn’t work?
• (14:50) - Ask why.
• (17:51) - ACE it.
• (19:09) - Close

For resources and information on how you could be on the podcast, visit lidiamolinara.com/podcast.

--Note--

The information provided on this podcast is not a substitute for medical care and is not intended to be considered medical advice. If you require any medical assistance, please speak with your healthcare provider.

--Credits--

Hosted by Lidia Molinara.

Produced and edited by Odvod Media.

Original music by Darrin Hagen.

In the world of healthcare, what does it mean to communicate? Lidia guides you through the kind of information healthcare professionals need from you and how you can best share it.

Providing information can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to worry. Write it down and be honest. Like, really honest.

A - Advocate

C - Communicate

E - Educate

--Chapters--

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:58) - Write it down.
• (06:15) - Be honest.
• (10:57) - Know your history.
• (14:40) - Transition of care.
• (20:00) - Keep calm and stay with it.
• (21:48) - Close

- For resources and information on how you could be on the podcast, visit lidiamolinara.com/podcast.

--Note--

The information provided on this podcast is not a substitute for medical care and is not intended to be considered medical advice. If you require any medical assistance, please speak with your healthcare provider.

--Credits--

Hosted by Lidia Molinara.

Produced and edited by Odvod Media.

Original music by Darrin Hagen.

Learning to advocate for yourself is key to ensuring good healthcare, but it can be intimidating and confusing. Lidia breaks through common barriers to advocacy and provides suggestions for how you can break through them too.

A - Advocate

C - Communicate

E - Educate

--Chapters--

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:49) - What does it mean to advocate?
• (03:12) - Getting what you need.
• (05:32) - You’re not being disrespectful.
• (07:50) - When you can’t advocate for yourself.
• (09:00) - What questions should you ask?
• (11:22) - When you feel unheard.
• (13:57) - Medical jargon and the language barrier
• (20:18) - How do you feel in a healthcare setting?
• (24:10) - Close

--Resources–

For resources and information on how you could be on the podcast, visit lidiamolinara.com/podcast.

--Note--

The information provided on this podcast is not a substitute for medical care and is not intended to be considered medical advice. If you require any medical assistance, please speak with your healthcare provider.

--Credits--

Hosted by Lidia Molinara.

Produced and edited by Odvod Media.

Original music by Darrin Hagen.

In North American culture, medications are everywhere. We may not think twice about taking them. But, sometimes, the meds we take to help us can cause us harm.

Lidia shares examples of medication use gone wrong, and tells us how we can A.C.E. our healthcare journey: Advocate, Communicate and Educate.

--Chapters (audio v8)--

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:46) - When meds go awry.
• (07:49) - What can you do?
• (10:19) - Speak up, be honest, ask questions.
• (14:49) - A.C.E. your healthcare.
• (18:55) - Close

--Resources--

- Learn more about the US Food and Drug Administration’s work on Preventable Adverse Drug Reactions: A focus on Drug Interactions.
- For resources and information on how you could be on the podcast, visit lidiamolinara.com/podcast.

--Note--

The information provided on this podcast is not a substitute for medical care and is not intended to be considered medical advice. If you require any medical assistance, please speak with your healthcare provider.

--Credits--

Hosted by Lidia Molinara.

Produced and edited by Odvod Media.

Original music by Darrin Hagen.