Some 85% of the 44.4 million caregivers in the United States today are "sandwiched," women and men "in the middle," caring for children and aging parents or a loved one while balancing their own needs, work and family responsibilities.

Special Guest: Dr. Marion Somers – Author of the award-winning syndicated series, "Ask Dr. Marion" and honoree of the 2009 Lehman College Alumni Achievement Award for her dedication in the field of elder care, Marion Somers, Ph.D. has provided care for the elderly for more than three decades.

Dr. Marion is a member of the American College of Health Care Administrators, the American Society on Aging, the American Therapeutic Recreation Association, the Gerontological Society of America, the National Alzheimer's Association, the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers, the National Council on Aging, and the National Institute of Adult Day Care, among others.

Learn more about Dr. Marion →

Special Guest: Dr. Marion Somers (see above)

Learn more about Dr. Marion →

Special Guest: Chayo Reyes – Ret. LA Police Det. of 25 years and Elder Abuse Expert. Developed the County's first Elder Person's Estate Unit, is co-founder of the LA County Financial Abuse Specialist Team (FAST), the first FAST team in the country.

Reyes also co-drafted California Senate Bill 1742 (effective January 1, 2001), which enables law enforcement, in conjunction with Adult Protective Services and the Public Guardian's Office, to secure and protect the assets of elder or dependent adults during the course of a financial abuse investigation. (Activated Probate Code Sections 2950-2955).

Reyes is currently an instructor for the California Department of Justice's Advance Fraud Investigator's Course, the National District Attorneys Association, University of South Carolina National Advocacy Center, Lassen College Criminal Justice Outreach Program, and San Jose State University Criminal Justice Outreach Program.

On January 8, 2001, he was selected as a member of the University of California Davis-Medical Training Center's Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Advisory Board in Sacramento. He has testified before the California Senate and Assembly Subcommittees on Aging.

Learn more about the Institute for the Prevention of Financial Crimes →

Special Guest: Cindy Laverty - National Caregiver Expert, Home Care Consultant, Radio Host and Senior Care Speaker.

Several years ago, while caring for her ill and aging former father-in-law, Cindy Laverty discovered that compassionate care giving was her "true", professional calling. Learning quickly to navigate the complex caregiver landscape Laverty then used her insights to found a company that teaches others how to manage these systems without being lost or abused by them.

The Care Company is comprised of "life managers", who provide all of the services and compassion needed to organize households, minimize stress and aid seniors in maintaining their independence, dignity and the ability to continue living in their own homes.

In 2009, Laverty expanded her outreach launching The Cindy Laverty Show, the nation's only live, radio program devoted to caring for the caregiver, and dedicated to her philosophy that in order to have a functional society, we need to learn how to better care for ourselves so we can care for others.

Learn more about Cindy Laverty →

Special Guest: Dr. Darlene Mininni is the author of The Emotional Toolkit, former producer and host of The Dr. Darlene Mininni Show on KTLK radio in Los Angeles, and creator of UCLA's award-winning happiness course for women, a class so popular applications jumped from 30 to 700 in 18 months.

She has appeared on CNN, NPR, FOX and PBS and been quoted in SELF, COSMO, Woman's Day, Marie Claire, Ladies Home Journal and Prevention. Dr. Mininni-who has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and a Masters degree in Public Health- has been called the "Dr. Oz of Emotional Health" because she combines practical advice with the latest research to show audiences how to live happier lives. Dr. Mininni also consults privately with individuals and groups looking to create both inner and outer success.

Learn more about Darlene Mininni →

Special Guests: Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. and
Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. are relationship experts who have developed a 4-step model for change you can't afford to ignore. It targets those in the Sandwich Generation challenged by a family in flux.

The relationships and roles in families are always changing and Drs. Goldberg and Lichtman tackle these transitions head-on. Whether you're coping with acting-out teenagers, aging parents, boomerang kids or difficult daughters-in-law, they have the solutions that will make your family rifts disappear.

Learn more about Phyllis Goldberg & Rosemary Lichtman →

Special Guest: Halina Irving, MA, MS, MFT

Halina is a licensed marriage, family and child counselor who also facilitates support groups and co-facilitates couples groups at the Ted Mann Family Resource Center, the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA. She received her MA at UCLA and her MS in counseling with a specialization in rehabilitation, at California State University at Los Angeles.

A Holocaust and cancer survivor herself, and having been the primary care provider for both her parents and sister, Halina has personal understanding of the pain and problems encountered by families while caregiving. Through her own experiences and helping her patients, she has come to cherish connectedness with others and believes strongly that every life should be celebrated and captured for future generations. Halina celebrated her survival of World War II by creating a documentary called Hiding Halina.

Learn more about Halina Irving →

Special Guest: Dorothy Breininger - President and Founder of Delphi Center for Organization and one of America's Most Trusted Professional Organizers. Dorothy has served on the board of directors for NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers), is a member of the NSGCD (National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization) and was named "Most Innovative Organizer" in 2006 & 2010 by NAPO.

An Expert on A&E's wildly successful hit TV show, Hoarders, Dorothy has been featured on The Bonnie Hunt Show, Nightline, The View, Dr. Phil, and The Today Show, PBS & QVC. She has co-authored several books, including Chicken Soup for the Soul's Life Lessons for Busy Moms and hosts her own Internet TV Show - "Follow the Dot . . ." where she shares everyday strategies to organize your life around your values".

Learn more about Dorothy Breininger →

Special Guest: Mike Campbell has been an advisor and consultant to the senior housing and care industry for more than 18 years. He is the founder of Campbell Consulting Services, LLC where he continues to serve clients in the senior housing and care industry. As a CPA, he has provided accounting and auditing services to various health care clients. In his post at Ernst & Young's National Post Acute Care Consulting Practice, Campbell coordinated financial feasibility studies for senior housing and care projects across the country.

He was also co-founder of Karrington Advisory Services, where he developed new and innovative market area assessment methodologies for the assisted living and Alzheimer's/dementia care settings. He holds a B.A. in business administration from Ohio University, is the father of three daughters, and resides near Cleveland.

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Special Guest: Jodi Stolove has been dancing since she was a child and has taught dance and fitness for the past 30 years. A cum laude graduate of Michigan University, her teaching skills are enriched by a MS in Counseling Psychology.

The Chair Dancing® concept was born when, as a result of a fractured ankle, Jodi taught her dance and aerobic classes from a chair. Used at prominent health care facilities, including Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers, Harvard University Health Service and the Mayo Clinic, Jodi's fitness program provides a great way to bring all generations together for dance, fitness and fun.

Chair Dancing has been featured nationally on NBC Today, CBS This Morning and QVC, and acclaimed in publications including The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, Good Housekeeping, Weight Watchers and Parade Magazines.

Learn more about Jodi Stolove →

Special Guest: Eldercare Adviser Bonnie Davis. After helping her own mother transition to a retirement community, and seeing the gift of having her safe and happy, Bonnie became an Eldercare Advisor with A Place for Mom in Los Angeles. She has helped hundreds of families find the most appropriate care, whether in home care or residential. Her work is FREE to families, as she is reimbursed by local communities serving seniors. Bonnie assesses health, budget, geographic constraints and family preferences, to come up with a specific plan. She educates the family about the local options that meet their specific care needs.

Bonnie has a BA in psychology from the University of Rochester, counseling studies at the American Jewish University, and post-graduate work at Boston College School of Social Work. She is a member of the Older Adult Task Force.

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Special Guest: Gary Barg, Editor-in-Chief, Today's Caregiver. In 1995, four years after he lost his father to cancer, Gary, who was a successful, award-winning video producer, returned to Miami to help his mother care for his grandparents.

Facing stacks of nursing home brochures, state pamphlets and insurance forms, it occurred to him that a caregiver's needs often go unnoticed and that they needed a single information source.

That's when Gary gave up his career and Today's Caregiver was born. First published in July 1995, the magazine became his life's work. An expert on all caregiver-related topics, Gary has authored The Fearless Caregiver-How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One and Still Have a Life of Your Own.

Gary has appeared nationally on radio and television, including NBC's Today Show, and spoken at many conferences including the Scleroderma Association, Alzheimer's Association, Hope & Help AIDS, AARP, the Fearless Caregiver and the National Huntington Disease Association.

Learn more about Today's Caregiver Magazine →

Special Guest: Shawn Herz, M.S.G, LM.F.T. Shawn Herz holds a Masters of Science in Gerontology from the University of Southern California and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Since 1995, Ms. Herz has been employed with the Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center which is a department in the Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center at the University of Southern California. Shawn provides clinical expertise as a supervisor, trainer and therapist as well as develops classes and programs for family caregivers, professionals and interested community members.

Shawn is in demand as a guest speaker on caregiver issues throughout Los Angeles County and is a regular guest lecturer at USC's School of Social Work and the School of Gerontology. With over thirty years of experience, Shawn is often called upon by the news media for her knowledge and insight as an expert on caregiving and senior issues

Learn more about Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center →