Caring responsibilities often fall heavily on women in midlife. You’re juggling work, family life, menopause — and now, the care of ageing parents or elderly relatives too. It’s a huge emotional and physical load, and it can take a real toll on your wellbeing.
In this episode of The Happy Menopause, I’m joined by psychologist and neuroscientist Dr Sabina Brennan, author of Still Me, a compassionate, evidence-based guide for anyone caring for someone with dementia. But while dementia is a focus, the practical tips and emotional insights she shares apply to anyone caring for an elderly loved one.
We discuss the emotional impact of caring, the early signs that someone might need more support, and how to communicate with empathy and confidence when things get difficult. Sabina explains why it’s so easy to lose yourself in the caring role and shares practical strategies to protect your own health, manage stress, and avoid burnout or compassion fatigue. We also talk about the guilt so many carers feel — and how to handle it in a constructive way — as well as her top tips for staying resilient and hopeful in the face of such a demanding role.
If you’re caring for an elderly loved one in midlife, this conversation offers clarity, comfort, and a wealth of practical advice to help you look after yourself while caring for someone else.
Show Notes
Find out more about Sabina’s work and have a look a her free resources by visiting her website.
Buy her new book: Still Me: A Neuroscientist’s Guide to Caring For Someone With Dementia.
Check out her other books: Beating Brain Fog and 100 Days to a Younger Brain
Listen to her Super Brain podcast
Follow her on Twitter, Instagram and You Tube.
Biography
Dr Sabina Brennan is a chartered health psychologist, neuroscientist, and award-winning science communicator passionate about helping people understand how their brains work so they can feel better, think more clearly, and live more fully. Through her best-selling books, talks, and the Super Brain podcast, she translates cutting-edge neuroscience into practical tools anyone can use to thrive in everyday life.
Before focusing on writing and public engagement, Sabina directed a major dementia research programme at Trinity College Dublin, where she also led Brain Fit, a large-scale study exploring the links between brain health, lifestyle, genomics, and dementia risk. She has advised the Irish Government and the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Longevity and served as Ireland’s national representative on the Scientific and Medical Advisory Panel for Alzheimer’s Disease International.
Advocacy has always been central to her work. Sabina has volunteered on numerous committees and advisory boards and collaborated with NGOs, government bodies, and community organisations to promote brain health and ageing well. Her dedication has been recognised with awards for science communication and the societal impact of her work.
A regular guest on radio and TV, Sabina brings science to life with warmth, clarity, and the occasional laugh. Originally from Dublin, she now lives on the shores of Lough Sillan in Co. Cavan with her husband and three dogs — Dizzy, Dolly, and Honey B — balancing her ‘brain’ work with the peace and natural beauty of rural life.
If you've listened to my podcast(s) I'd love to hear what you think.
