The Kitchen Table Care Chats

In this episode of Kitchen Table Care Chats, Samantha and Stephanie sit down with Rebecca Rawn (ED) to talk about the Senior Living CaRES Fund, the people behind the mission, and the meaningful impact of supporting those who work and live in senior living communities.Rebecca shares the story behind the CaRES Fund and why caring for the people who care for others matters so much. Together, they explore the realities facing senior living professionals, the importance of community support, and how small acts of generosity can make a meaningful difference when people need it most.A heartfelt conversation about compassion, connection, and creating a stronger senior living community.🎙️ Kitchen Table Care ChatsBecause the best conversations happen around the kitchen table.

Kitchen Table Care Chats welcomes Barb Fletcher for a conversation about resilience, caregiving, and navigating the challenges that come with life and care. Pull up a chair and join us at the kitchen table for an inspiring and honest conversation.

Welcome back to Kitchen Table Care Chats. Today we're having a conversation about grief. It's something every one of us will experience, yet no two journeys are the same.In this episode, our cohost, Stephanie Gogan, shares her personal story with honesty, courage, and hope. Whether you're grieving yourself or supporting someone you love, we hope this conversation reminds you that you're not alone.Let's pull up a chair at the kitchen table.

Today, we’re joined by Beth, Johnathan, and Reza from AWARE NS.In this episode, we get to know the organization, the work they do across Nova Scotia, and the people and communities they support. We talk about why this work matters, how AWARE NS is making a difference, and what they want more Nova Scotians to understand about their mission.Beth, Johnathan, and Reza bring such valuable perspectives to the conversation, and we’re excited to share more about the important work happening at AWARE NS.

We're pulling up a chair to talk about something everyone in caregiving runs into: myths in healthcare. From long term care to home care to acute care, there are assumptions we've all carried for years that just aren't true anymore, and some that never were.In this episode, we're separating what's real from what we've simply always assumed, and talking honestly about where those misconceptions get in the way of good care.Grab a seat at the table and join us for a conversation worth having.

Healthcare workforce challenges aren't going away, but technology is changing how organizations respond.In this episode of Kitchen Table Care Chats, we sit down with Gord McCallum from GoEasyCare to discuss workforce management, AI, scheduling, recruitment, and the future of healthcare technology. We explore how smarter systems can reduce administrative burden, improve efficiency, and help healthcare teams focus on what matters most, delivering quality care.Tune in for an engaging conversation on the future of healthcare operations and innovation.

What does person centred care truly look like in practice?In this episode of Kitchen Table Care Chats, Steph and Sam are joined by Daphne Noonan and Jana Jones from Person Centred Universe to discuss creating meaningful connections, empowering care teams, and putting people at the heart of every care experience.Tune in for an inspiring conversation on compassion, dignity, and the future of person centred care.

Jan Seely shares her perspective on the current state of New Brunswick's special care home sector, from staffing and sustainability to advocacy and innovation. We explore what's working, what's changing, and what the future of senior care could look like.

What happens when the demands of healthcare and parenthood collide?In this episode of Kitchen Table Care Chats, Steph and Sam have an honest conversation about exhaustion in healthcare, the challenges of balancing caregiving at work and at home, and why supporting healthcare professionals matters more than ever.Sponsored by Surge Learning and Carelynk.

What does increased funding for long term care actually mean at the bedside?In this episode of Kitchen Table Care Chats, we sit down with Victor Shea, Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Baptist Housing, to discuss the realities facing long term care in New Brunswick and across Atlantic Canada.We explore funding announcements, workforce pressures, aging in place, innovation in seniors care, and what it will take to build sustainable systems that support both residents and care teams. Victor also shares his perspective on leadership, collaboration, and the future of care for older adults.Join us for an honest conversation about the challenges, opportunities, and important questions shaping long term care today.Hosted by Samantha Romkey and Stephanie Gogan.Sponsored by Carelynk and Surge Learning.

What will healthcare look like in 2030?In this episode of Kitchen Table Care Chats, we make our predictions for the future of healthcare. From AI-powered hiring and automated scheduling to wearable technology, digital credentials, and aging in place, we explore what may be coming next for healthcare professionals, organizations, and the people they serve.What do you think healthcare will look like in 2030? Let us know in the comments.#Healthcare #FutureOfHealthcare #HealthcareInnovation #KitchenTableCareChats #HealthTech #HealthcareLeadership

AI is everywhere in healthcare right now. In this episode, we break down some of the technologies being used across the sector, what they actually do, and how they are impacting care, operations, and decision making.

When a loved one enters long term care, families carry hope, fear, and high expectations.In this episode, Charbel Daniel sits down with us to talk about what happens when those expectations meet the realities of the system. We explore the tension, the misunderstandings, and the difficult moments on both sides.

In this episode of Kitchen Table Care Chats, we sit down with Lesley Hirst to explore The Compassion Advantage, starting with the one place most leadership conversations avoid: the self.This is not about fixing teams. It is about understanding how your internal state, emotional awareness, and personal patterns directly shape how you lead.Lesley introduces her 4E Framework, a practical approach that helps leaders build deeper self awareness, regulate their responses, and lead with greater intention and alignment.This conversation reframes compassion as something you build within yourself first, shaping everything that follows.

The conversation around long-term care staffing just got very real.With the CUPE strike impacting LTC starting today, we sit down with Ty Loppie—a Personal Care Worker with six years of frontline experience and the Young Worker VP for CUPE—to talk about what this moment actually means inside our homes.This isn’t policy talk from the outside.This is lived experience from the floor.We get into:What led to this point—and what’s often misunderstoodThe realities staff face every day in LTCHow staffing, safety, and quality of care are directly connectedWhat workers are asking for—and why it mattersWhat this means for residents, families, and the future of careIf you work in long-term care—or care about the system at all—this is a conversation you need to hear.Because behind every headline… there are real people carrying the weight of the system.

In this episode of Kitchen Table Care Chats, we step away from the clinical and into the deeply personal. We share the moments in care that have stayed with us — the ones that shaped how we lead, how we show up, and why we do this work. These are the stories you don’t forget.

Safety in healthcare starts long before the first shift. Elizabeth Steel, Safety Officer at NSCC, joins us to talk about preparing the next generation of healthcare workers to recognize risk, speak up, and prioritize safety from day one.

With over 30 years of experience as an LPN, Cheryl Nickerson brings a powerful blend of hands-on clinical expertise, adult education, and trauma-informed mental health training to the kitchen table.In this episode, we unpack burnout through the lens of real frontline experience — what it actually looks like in practice, how trauma shows up in care environments, and why education and self-awareness are critical to sustaining our workforce. Cheryl shares honest reflections from decades in healthcare, offering both validation and practical insight for caregivers, leaders, and anyone navigating the emotional weight of caring for others.This conversation is grounded, real, and deeply needed.

Retention isn’t about forcing people to stay — it’s about creating a place they don’t want to leave.In healthcare, when staff feel supported, valued, and able to do meaningful work, turnover drops and care improves. Retention isn’t a staffing metric — it’s a culture signal.Pull up a chair and let's chat.

Healthcare burnout is everywhere — yet so few people feel safe naming it. In this episode, we explore why healthcare professionals stay silent despite rising workloads, moral distress, and exhaustion. From fear of professional repercussions to a culture that rewards self-sacrifice over self-preservation, burnout has become normalized rather than addressed. This conversation challenges listeners to question why speaking up feels risky in a system built on care — and what it will take to change that.

🎙️ Kitchen Table Care Chats — Trailer Out NowReal conversations. Honest reflections. The care system, unpacked.Kitchen Table Care Chats is a new podcast creating space for candid, human conversations about caregiving, healthcare, burnout, and the systems we work within — and live within — every day.In this trailer, we set the tone for what’s to come:unfiltered dialogue, lived experience, and the conversations that usually happen after the shift ends.🗓 Launching January 30, 2026Proudly sponsored by Surge Learning and Carelynk Inc., organizations committed to supporting care professionals through education, innovation, and meaningful change.Pull up a chair.The conversations start at the kitchen table.