Why Caregiving for a Parent Feels Impossible

In this episode, I sit down with Shauna Sweeney, founder and CEO of tendercare, to talk about the caregiving journey that inspired her to leave a career at Facebook and build one of the most impactful caregiver support platforms today.

Shauna shares the deeply personal story of her dad’s early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis, what it was like growing up as a single-parent household, and the emotional transition from being a daughter to becoming a caregiver.

We explore the highs and lows of family caregiving - from missed insurance deadlines and financial scares to the unexpected gift of finding Da, the trusted caregiver who became part of their family.

We also dive into the other side of Shauna’s life: her years at Facebook during its hyper growth era, where she led storytelling, global partnerships, and industry intelligence. She opens up about what it felt like to “hit a plateau” at one of the biggest companies in the world while struggling behind the scenes to manage her father’s care.

That contrast, groundbreaking technology at work and broken caregiving systems at home, became the spark that led to tendercare. Today, tendercare provides digital tools, support, and solutions for caregivers: from the Magic Magnet™, a free fridge magnet that gives EMTs instant access to secure medical info, to a caregiver-first app designed to reduce overwhelm and provide clarity in the hardest moments.

Shauna reminds us that while technology can never erase the pain of caregiving, it can give families peace of mind and help them focus on what matters most: love, dignity, and presence.

Get a free Magic Magnet and tendercard: https://trytendercare.com/magnet-wait...

Check out tendercare: https://trytendercare.com

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Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:00 Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
2:10 Childhood & Bond with Dad
12:30 From Academia to Tech
15:00 Joining Facebook
26:30 Hitting a Plateau
30:00 Early Caregiving Struggles
33:00 Fear & Denial
40:00 Finding Da (Caregiver Support)
47:00 Hoping for Old Times
48:30 Tech as Lifeline & Burden
52:00 Caregiver Hacks
52:50 Starting Tendercare
59:00 Magic Magnet & Key Features
1:02:00 Long-Term Vision
1:05:00 Lessons to Younger Self
1:06:30 Closing Reflections