Podcast: The Care Economy

Care Economy Podcast Cover Art

The Care Economy: Practical Approaches to Family Caregiving and Financial Well-Being, explores one of today’s most pressing and often overlooked economic issues: unpaid family caregiving. More than one in five U.S. adults provides care for a family member, creating financial strain, workplace disruption, and long-term economic consequences for families and employers alike.

Funded by an Administration for Community Living grant, the podcast features solutions-oriented conversations with leaders in policy, finance, workplace benefits, law, and aging services, examining how systems can better protect caregivers’ financial stability while strengthening workforce participation and community resilience.

Produced and hosted by Maureen Feldman — a former family caregiver and longtime leader in aging and social connection initiatives — the series bridges expert analysis with lived experience to deliver practical, actionable insights for family caregivers and the professionals who support them, including Area Agencies on Aging, healthcare providers, employers, and policymakers.

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Season 1

Episode 1

Lessons from Lived Experience

Financial caregiving is one of the most emotionally complex — and financially risky — parts of supporting a loved one.

In this episode of The Care Economy, host Maureen Feldman is joined by financial caregiving expert Beth Pinsker and caregiving advocate Amy Goyer for an honest conversation about the real cost of care, caregiver financial stress, and the difficult decisions families face behind the scenes.

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Episode 2

Family Caregiving and Financial Stability

Family caregiving is one of the most significant — and least discussed — financial events many families will ever face.

In this episode of The Care Economy, host Maureen Feldman speaks with Surya Kolluri, Head of the TIAA Institute, alongside caregiving program leader Crystal Polizzotti from AgeSpan, to unpack the real financial impact of caregiving and how families can prepare before crisis hits.

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Episode 3

Supporting Family Caregivers at Work: Employer Strategies That Actually Work

Millions of employees are balancing paid work with unpaid caregiving—often at considerable personal and financial cost.

In this episode of the Care Economy, Diane Ty, Managing Director of Future of Aging at the Milken Institute; Teresa McDade, Director of Global Work and Life Benefits at Microsoft; and Bryn Ceman of the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources sit down with Maureen Feldman to discuss how employers can better support working family caregivers through innovative benefits, flexible workplace policies, and practical solutions that improve both employee well-being and workforce resilience.

Together, they explore what forward-thinking organizations are doing, why caregiver supports matter, and how workplaces can become part of the solution.

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Episode 4

Understanding the Legal Landscape of Care

Legal planning is one of the most overlooked — yet most critical — aspects of family caregiving.

In this episode of The Care Economy, host Maureen Feldman speaks with certified elder law attorney Terry Garrett and caregiver advocate Shirley Eileen Trapani about the essential legal documents, benefits, and financial protections every caregiver should understand.

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Episode 5

Policy and the Family Care Economy

More than 63 million Americans provide unpaid care, and nearly half experience serious financial consequences.

In this episode of The Care Economy, host Maureen Feldman speaks with Jason Resendez, President & CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, and Johnnie Jones, Caregiver Support Coordinator at Elder Options, to explore how caregiving affects financial stability, employment, and long-term economic mobility.

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