In this episode Ben Graham, Vice President of Brand Development and Marketing at Joe & Bella, tells his caregiving story, which starts with his grandparents no longer being safe in their home. The family moves the grandparents into Assisted Living where they are befriended by fellow-residents of the home - Joe and Bella! Ben, along with his family, provided care for his two grandparents for nearly a decade as they lived in Assisted Living and Memory Care.
Having Joe and Bella help with the transition to living in a care home certainly made the move easier than it could have been on Ben's grandparents and Joe and Bella became like family over the years. Their names became the name of the clothing company which creates innovative and fashionable adaptive apparel.
Joe & Bella was recently awarded as the Up-And-Comer Award for Chicago's startup community by Chicago Innovation; "Most Innovative Older Adult Clothing Brand: 2022" by Global Health, and "2022 Best New Apparel Brand" by Boomer Venture Summit.
Joe & Bella's first adaptive clothing line, CareZips, won the 2022 "Best New Product" award by Today's Caregiver Magazine and Caregiver.com.
To hear more about CareZips and the Everyday Freedom Pants and to read Bella's Blog check out Joe & Bella
Island Treasures
As caregivers tell their stories they will share encouragement and insights to the listeners who may be in the midst of their own caregiving journey. It is a source of wisdom, encouragement and empowerment for caregivers so they do not feel they are alone. The idea for Island Treasures came during the pandemic as a means to reach caregivers in their homes where they may be feeling frustrated, isolated and alone; and needing a boost of encouragement. The guests share how they're managing their own caregiving journeys and what resources they have found especially meaningful so they could cope and even thrive during challenging times for caregivers. Encouragement and hope are both key goals of the podcasts. You may also find moments of joy and laughter mixed in with the realities of caregiving. The podcasts highlight caregivers of folks with dementia, Alzheimer's or other chronic illnesses, as well as elder parents, those providing care to a child or family member with special needs, and also guests who provide resources specific to caregiving: elders and dementia and caregiving tips and strategies. The podcasts are brought to you by Alongside Caregiver Consulting and if you find you are struggling and in need of supports, tap into Alongside Caregiver Consulting to see the resources and services available.
