What happens when you and your loved one don’t share the same faith during their final days?

In this episode of The Aging Untold Podcast, our experts tackle one of the most painful, sensitive dynamics in end-of-life care: navigating clashing religious and spiritual beliefs.

When family members attempt to impose faith or force last-minute conversions, it often alienates relationships, drives up anxiety, and robs everyone of peace when comfort matters most.

Our panel breaks down how to set personal boundaries, navigate hospice and hospital chaplain visits, and prioritize presence over preaching so your loved one feels safe, heard, and supported.

According to AARP, about 80% of adults between 50 and 80 say their spiritual beliefs are important to them. At the same time, approximately 29% of Americans report no religious affiliation and are less likely to seek support from faith-based communities.

On this episode of The Aging Untold Podcast, Dugan Meredith, who documents caring for his mother-in-law online through the “Taking Care of Granny” social media feeds, joins us to talk about what it’s really like to become a caregiver and how his family found their way through it.
Caring for an aging loved one can reshape a family, and it’s a responsibility more men are shouldering than ever before.

Today, an estimated 21 million men are in caregiving roles, according to AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. They are navigating the daily challenges of aging and illness alongside their own jobs and children.

Meredith’s mother-in-law, known online as Granny, was originally living with her oldest daughter in the Charleston, South Carolina, area. Meredith described the signs that led the family to seek a diagnosis.

“She was experiencing symptoms, showing signs, forgetting how to go pick up the grandchildren from school, getting lost,” Meredith said. “Talking to random strangers and inviting them back to the house.”

The turning point came when Granny tried to cook soup by putting it in a baking pan in the oven instead of putting it in a pot and placing it on the stove. Granny was later diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, also known as FTD.

When caring for aging parents, families often divide into the “good kid” who handles everything and the “bad kid” who seems distant—or worse, acts out of control and manipulation. In this episode of the Aging Untold Podcast, our expert panel breaks down the hidden dynamics of sibling conflict, power of attorney mistakes, financial exploitation, and even extreme situations where family members take control of vulnerable parents against their wishes. Learn how to communicate across distances, divide caregiving duties fairly, and assemble the right professional team before a crisis strikes.