In this episode of Working Caregivers: The Invisible Employees, we’re joined by Erika Jacobson, a VA social worker, lifelong caregiver, and member of the sandwich generation, to unpack what caregiving really looks like inside veteran families. Erika blends professional insight with personal experience to help us understand why so many working caregivers feel isolated—and how support systems can make a real difference.

We talk through the VA’s Caregiver Support Programs, benefits many families don’t know exist, and why employers play a critical role in supporting caregivers at work. This episode is packed with practical information, advocacy, and a reminder that caregivers shouldn’t have to do this alone.

Episode Highlights:

[1:39] – Who working caregivers are and why they’re often invisible
[2:23] – Welcoming Erika and a cross-country weather check
[3:09] – South Dakota fun facts: Mount Rushmore and the Corn Palace
[4:51] – Erika’s family caregiving journey begins
[8:27] – How early caregiving shaped her career path
[11:57] – Overview of the VA Caregiver Support Program
[16:00] – Stipends, respite care, and caregiver benefits
[20:36] – National Family Caregivers Month and caregiver isolation
[23:00] – Zack challenges employers to partner with the VA
[29:33] – Aid & Attendance explained
[32:31] – Advice for working caregivers: ask for help

Links & Resources:

Corn Palace (Mitchell, SD)
A uniquely South Dakota landmark made entirely of corn murals—highlighted during our lighter conversation about Erika’s home state.
https://cornpalace.com/

Mount Rushmore National Memorial
One of the most iconic U.S. landmarks, also located in South Dakota and mentioned during our opening conversation.
https://www.nationalparks.org/explore/parks/mount-rushmore-national-memorial

National Family Caregivers Month (November)
A time dedicated to recognizing, supporting, and uplifting family caregivers—an important focus of this episode.

VA Caregiver Support Program
Provides education, resources, respite care, and support for caregivers of eligible veterans.
https://www.caregiver.va.gov

Find Your Local VA Caregiver Support Team
Search tool to connect directly with your local VA Caregiver Support Coordinator.
https://www.caregiver.va.gov/support/New_CSC_Page.asp

Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)
A VA program that may offer a stipend, health coverage, and expanded respite care for caregivers of veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities.

Aid & Attendance Benefit
Additional financial assistance tied to the VA pension for veterans or surviving spouses who need help with daily activities.
https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/

VA Wartime Periods (Pension Eligibility)
Defines qualifying service periods for non-service-connected pensions and Aid & Attendance.
https://www.va.gov/pension/eligibility/

Erika Jacobson’s Documentary
A powerful look into Erika’s caregiving journey and lived experience.
https://youtu.be/Tt6Nfsz5vi0

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In this powerful episode of Working Caregivers: The Invisible Employees, we sit down with the remarkable Dr. Feylyn Lewis, whose caregiving journey began at just 11 years old after her mother experienced life-altering complications from a botched spinal surgery. Dr. Lewis brings a deeply personal, heartfelt perspective to the realities faced by youth caregivers—experiences most adults never even imagine children navigating.

Throughout our conversation, Dr. Lewis opens our eyes to the emotional, physical, and invisible labor that young caregivers shoulder and how those early responsibilities shaped the advocate, scholar, and leader she is today. Her story is moving, courageous, and a call to action for all of us—employers, caregivers, and community members—to create a world where no caregiver feels alone. This is an episode you do not want to miss.

Dr. Feylyn Lewis is a Nashville native, Vanderbilt alumna, and former youth caregiver whose lived experience shaped her global career in research and advocacy. With a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a PhD in Social Work, she studies mental health and resiliency among youth and young adult caregivers across the U.S., Europe, the UK, and Australia. Dr. Lewis currently serves as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, where she leads student wellness, support services, and community engagement. Beyond academia, she is deeply involved in state, national, and international caregiving and equity initiatives, including board service with the Tennessee Caregiver Coalition and advisory roles across multiple organizations. A New America Story Fellow, she continues to write about and advocate for youth caregivers—all while caring for her mother in Nashville.

Episode Highlights:

[0:00] – Dr. Lewis begins sharing her caregiving story starting at age 11
[3:27] – Dr. Lewis describes becoming a youth caregiver after her mother’s surgery
[3:51] – Reading her powerful letter to her younger self
[9:39] – Exploring what it meant to “shrink yourself” as a young caregiver
[11:31] – The emotional and traumatic weight carried by youth caregivers
[16:55] – How caregiving support has (and hasn’t) changed for her in adulthood
[23:33] – Discussing the realities of youth caregiving and age-inappropriate tasks
[25:56] – The strengths, empathy, and resilience learned through caregiving
[26:19] – Why children often stay silent—and why naming caregiving matters
[28:14] – Encouraging communities to proactively support caregivers
[29:14] – The fear youth caregivers have of social service involvement
[29:47] – How schools can play a role in recognizing and supporting caregivers
[30:39] – Dr. Lewis’ “PS to her younger self”—a message of faith and endurance
[31:35] – Closing reflections and gratitude for Dr. Lewis’ powerful voice

Links & Resources:

· Tennessee Caregiver Coalition: https://tncaregiver.org/

· Dr. Feylyn Lewis’ TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EPCFyeUElk

· Black Scholars Speak Interview YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pid2wBO8dlc

· National Alliance For Caregiving's Caregiver Summit Dr. Lewis talk (time stamp 1:02:21): youtube.com/watch?v=reWOmR31GJ8&am

Lindsay Jurist-Rosner is the Co-Founder and CEO of Wellthy, the market-leading care concierge company transforming how families navigate care for themselves and their loved ones. Two million people currently have access to Wellthy through major employers and health plans—including Best Buy, Cisco, Hilton, and Meta—and the company now employs more than 300 specialists supporting family caregivers every day.

Driven by her own 28-year caregiving journey for her mother, Lindsay set out to build the very resource she wished existed. Today, Wellthy is widely recognized for its innovation: in 2023, it earned a spot on Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” and “Top 10 Most Innovative Workplace Companies” lists, and Lindsay was named to Inc. Magazine’s “Female Founders 200.”

Before launching Wellthy, Lindsay worked in advertising technology and media, leading marketing, product, and sales teams. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics–Operations Research from Columbia University. Her writing has appeared in Fortune, Good Housekeeping, and Employee Benefit News, and she has spoken at major events including CES. She also serves on the Board of Hilarity for Charity (HFC), founded by Seth and Lauren Rogen. Lindsay lives in New York City with her husband and four children.

Episode Highlights:

[0:00] – Lindsay shares the ROI insight that’s reshaping how employers view caregiving support.
[1:39] – We open the episode and welcome listeners from around the world.
[2:32] – Introducing Lindsay and why we’ve talked about her for years.
[2:53] – Lindsay’s personal story about becoming a dog parent through caregiving.
[5:35] – Lindsay walks us through her 28-year caregiving journey with her mom and how it inspired Wellthy.
[8:30] – Zack asks what pushed Lindsay to build Wellthy at scale.
[10:13] – Breaking down what Wellthy actually does—and how it’s evolved globally.
[14:48] – How Wellthy balances technology with the irreplaceable human side of caregiving.
[17:44] – Why human empathy still sits at the center of care concierge support.
[18:51] – The growing role of employers in caregiving benefits and organizational challenges.
[19:59] – The Harvard ROI study: what the data revealed and why it’s “profound.”
[26:33] – Shout-outs to innovative employers leading the way in caregiver support.
[31:08] – Lindsay’s vision of a “care utopia” and what the next decade may hold.
[34:31] – Why customized caregiver benefits matter—and why so many programs remain underused.

Links & Resources:

· Lindsay’s Caregiver Story: https://wellthy.com/about

· Wellthy: https://wellthy.com

· Lindsay at National Alliance for Caregiving’s Caregiver Nation Summit: https://www.caregivernationsummit.org/agenda/

· Harvard Business School ROI Report using Wellthy data:
https://www.hbs.edu/managing-the-future-of-work/research/Pages/healthy-outcomes.aspx

· Cisco – Best Places to Work: https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/1000064

· Hilton – Best Places to Work: https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/1000367

· UPS