In this conversation, psychologist and writer Sarah Vosburgh shares her experience of caring for her mother while raising children and managing the rest of life. As roles begin to reverse, the emotional weight builds — from the early signs and resistance, to diagnosis, to the moment safety becomes a daily negotiation.
We talk about the realities people don’t often speak about: the fight over driving, family denial, navigating care systems, and the complicated mix of relief and grief that can come with memory care.
We also explore dignity — how to protect it in small, everyday ways — and why trying to correct someone with dementia can sometimes do more harm than good.
Later in the conversation, we move into what stays with you. The stories that surface at night, the emotional residue of caregiving, and how Sarah turned those experiences into her memoir, Who Will Name the Bees? — a deeply personal account of love, loss, and watching a parent slowly change.
If you’re supporting ageing parents, navigating dementia, or feeling the pressure of caring across generations, this conversation will resonate.
CHAPTERS
0:00 - Caregiving Enters The Midlife Story
2:20 - Sarah’s Family Context And Sandwich Years
4:30 - Alzheimer’s Resistance And The Driving Fight
12:20 - Getting A Diagnosis When Mum Refuses
17:30 - Memory Care Relief And System Frustrations
29:30 - Turning Night Stories Into A Memoir
41:20 - Creativity As Grief Work
50:10 - Book Details Advice And How To Help
GUEST DIRECTORY
https://midliferebel.beam.ly/person/sarah-vosburgh
If you want, I can also give you 2–3 alternate titles that lean more emotional vs more searchable — depending on how bold you want to go.