Who Cares
Who Cares
Podcast Description
Who Cares is the podcast dedicated to informing, inspiring, and empowering the care at home community. Hosted by the National Alliance for Care at Home, we bring expert insights, meaningful conversations, and advocacy for person-centered healthcare to the forefront. As the leading authority in home-based care, we invite dialogue and spark transformative discussions that shape the future of care across America. From hospice and home health to personal and palliative care, we explore the challenges, innovations, and human stories driving this essential industry.Care at home will impact us all. Let’s shape the future together.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on critical aspects of home healthcare including hospice, personal care, and palliative services, with episodes discussing pressing issues such as the challenges faced by the aging population, the overlooked needs of hospital referrals for home health, and innovative care models like the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model to improve patient outcomes.
Who Cares is the podcast dedicated to informing, inspiring, and empowering the care at home community. Hosted by the National Alliance for Care at Home, we bring expert insights, meaningful conversations, and advocacy for person-centered healthcare to the forefront. As the leading authority in home-based care, we invite dialogue and spark transformative discussions that shape the future of care across America. From hospice and home health to personal and palliative care, we explore the challenges, innovations, and human stories driving this essential industry.
Care at home will impact us all. Let’s shape the future together.
When a crisis strikes, the question no one wants to ask, “What do we do?”, can leave families scrambling. In this episode of Who Cares, hosts Elyssa Katz and Dr. Steven Landers unpack the essential but often overlooked practice of advance care planning, the process of outlining your wishes for medical care before you ever face a life-threatening situation. Joined later by Dr. Susan Nelson, Chair of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care at Ochsner Health and President of the National POLST Collaborative, they demystify how to turn something daunting into an empowering act of self-advocacy.
Advance care planning isn’t about predicting the future; it’s about protecting your future self. Listeners will learn what documents are included (like living wills, health care proxies, DNRs, and POLST or MOLST forms), how these tools differ, and why it’s critical to designate someone you trust to speak on your behalf. The hosts also explain how Medicare covers advance care planning conversations, how to store your documents safely on paper or digitally, and how to keep them updated as your life changes.
Dr. Nelson offers an inside look at how these plans are interpreted in hospitals and why confusion persists among both patients and providers. She shares practical tips for initiating tough conversations, whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or clinician, and highlights national resources such as CaringInfo.org, which provides free, state-specific advance directive forms in English and Spanish. Through personal anecdotes and expert guidance, she reframes these conversations not as morbid tasks but as meaningful gifts that bring clarity, autonomy, and love.
Key themes include the emotional and relational relief that comes from documenting your wishes, how to normalize discussions around “what matters most,” and how simple actions, like talking during a family gathering or reviewing your documents on your birthday, can safeguard peace of mind for years to come.
Whether you’re a healthcare professional guiding patients, a caregiver seeking reassurance, or someone planning ahead for yourself, this episode shows how advance care planning transforms uncertainty into confidence. It’s not just paperwork; it’s a legacy of compassion and control for those you love.
Visit https://www.caringinfo.org/ for more information.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.