Episode 67: Author Jolene Philo Joins Us To Talk About Caregiving and Loving Children With Disabilities

Caregiving is one of the most challenging and intense experiences a parent or a child can face as they walk through life. Whether its taking care of an elderly parent or caring for a child with special needs, it can be difficult to know where to turn for help or when you should pass off caregiving to a full time team.   That is why we are so grateful to have Author Jolene Philo as our guest on today's episode. Jolene Philo has the unique perspective of being both the child of, and the parent of, someone with a disability. She shares what it was like caring for her father, who was diagnosed with MS, at an early age and how that quickly became her family's "normal". Jolene then speaks about raising her son who was born with a life-threatening birth defect and had to have multiple surgeries throughout his life.   Jolene then took her experiences and wrote several books including Sharing Love Abundantly with Special Needs Families: The Five Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities. She says the reason she felt called to write these books was so devastated parents could begin to place their hope in God's dream for their children.   Who is Jolene Philo? Jolene Philo grew up in a caregiving family and raised a son with medical special needs. As a teacher, she created an inclusive classroom for children with disabilities for 25 years. She's authored several books, including Every Child Welcome: A Ministry Handbook for Including Kids with Special Needs and Sharing Love Abundantly with Special Needs Families: The Five Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities. She hosts the award winning blog, www.DifferentDream.com. Jolene and her husband live in a multigenerational family in Iowa with her daughter, son-in-law and their two young children. Resources: Our listeners can access free caregiving resources, check out her books, and schedule coaching sessions on her website: https://www.differentdream.com You can also check out for Jolene's blog and fictional works by visiting her other website: https://www.jolenephilo.com