AARP Hearing Center
Key takeaways
- Former United Way CEO Angela F. Williams discusses navigating complex caregiving challenges effectively.
- She advises utilizing community and government resources, including VA and 211 centers, to ease caregiving burdens.
- Williams emphasizes the need for a strong support network to sustain emotional, spiritual and practical resilience in caregiving.
Summary
Caregiving for an aging parent requires a unique blend of leadership, resilience and adaptability — qualities exemplified by Angela F. Williams, former CEO of United Way. Transitioning from corporate leadership to managing her mother’s complex care needs, Williams highlights the critical importance of navigating health care systems like the VA and Social Security while leveraging community resources such as local 211 call centers. Her experience underscores that caregiving demands not only financial and physical resources, but also emotional and spiritual strength, making it a profound and personal mission.
Understanding the challenges of caregiving can empower families to provide better support while minimizing stress. Williams’ journey illustrates how seeking help from trusted organizations and building a network of family and community support are essential steps for anyone facing this role. With millions of caregivers nationwide, Williams’ story affirms that no one faces this demanding role alone and that effective caregiving is a vital part of the care system’s backbone.
The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
Full Transcript:
[00:00:00] Angela Williams: Hey, Mom, you doing OK? Eleather Williams: Mm-hmm. Angela Williams: We’re just checking in on you. Just drink a little bit of water, OK? Eleather Williams: Mm-hmm. Angela Williams: All right. I was CEO of one of the largest health and human service organizations in the world.
[00:00:11] Is that good? Eleather Williams: Good. Angela Williams: Now, I am here in my home helping my mom.
[00:00:18] All of the aspects of leadership, all of those skills are now being used for a different mission, Mission Mom.
[00:00:28] Hello. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Hi, Angela. How are you? Angela Williams: Welcome. Thank you. Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Thank you for having me. Angela Williams: Oh, absolutely.
[00:00:34] I’d love to introduce you to my husband, Pastor Rod. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Hello, Pastor Rod. Pastor Rod: Hi, how are you doing? Angela Williams: Mom, I wanna introduce you to Dr. Jordan.
[00:00:41] Dr. Jordan, this is Mrs. Williams. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Hello, Mrs. Williams. How are you? Eleather Williams: Fine. How are you? Myechia Minter-Jordan: I’m very well, thank you so much for
[00:00:46] letting me be in your home. Eleather Williams: Thank you. Angela Williams: It doesn’t matter if you’re at the pinnacle of your career or if you are an hourly worker.
[00:00:53] Myechia Minter-Jordan: Mm-hmm. Angela Williams: It just doesn’t matter. Caregiving does not discriminate. Myechia Minter-Jordan: At AARP, we believe deeply that caregivers are the
[00:01:02] backbone of our care system, and I know you know this more than many of us. I’d love to learn about your caregiving journey.
[00:01:10] Angela Williams: My dad died last year in June at the age of 91. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Wow. Angela Williams: My brother and sister and I said, “We’ve gotta do something to really
[00:01:17] do wraparound with Mom.” She has had a, a couple of strokes, that her communication has been diminished.
[00:01:25] Um, short-term memory loss. You don’t want to live a life of regret.
[00:01:32] Myechia Minter-Jordan: Mm. Angela Williams: And we don’t get a second chance at parents. Once we lose them, we lose them. Myechia Minter-Jordan: You were the CEO of United Way.
[00:01:40] You know, you have this team of folks at work, but yet when you come home, it’s you, your brother, your sister, trying to put it all together.
[00:01:48] What was that like for you when you stepped into this, um, more of a leading role in, in caregiver duties?
[00:01:55] Angela Williams: So I know how to be a leader and all the things that go along with that, but I’m an apprentice right now in the caregiving world.
[00:02:02] I, I don’t have all the answers. I don’t know all of the things, and I’m learning. The costs, uh, are extraordinary ...
[00:02:10] Myechia Minter-Jordan: Yes … Angela Williams: In, in caregiving, and the costs are not only financial, but they’re physical, mental ...
[00:02:17] Myechia Minter-Jordan: Mm-hmm. Angela Williams: Spiritual. Myechia Minter-Jordan: It sounds like you’re taking it day by day. Angela Williams: Absolutely. Myechia Minter-Jordan: And that you’re ...
[00:02:23] Angela Williams: Actually, can I say minute by minute? Myechia Minter-Jordan: OK. Minute by minute. Angela Williams: Yes. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Minute by minute. So how did you manage that and, and how did you get help?
[00:02:32] Angela Williams: So I think there are two ways to get help. For us, it was navigating the VA system.
[00:02:38] Myechia Minter-Jordan: Mm-hmm. Angela Williams: Still trying to navigate it to get the benefits that my mom is entitled to. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Mm. Angela Williams: Social Security is another thing.
[00:02:45] Again, a system … and trying to navigate that and kinda walking into a, a, a number of barriers.
[00:02:52] But then you have family and your own personal friends and community that you tend to lean on also... Myechia Minter-Jordan: Yeah.
[00:02:59] Angela Williams: To say, “Well, what have you heard? Where do you go?” Myechia Minter-Jordan: That sounds like a full-time job. Angela Williams: It is. There’s no ...
[00:03:05] Myechia Minter-Jordan: Like just trying to navigate the system. Angela Williams: Yes, yes. Myechia Minter-Jordan: And trying to pull all of those... Angela Williams: The pieces together Myechia Minter-Jordan: Pieces together. Angela Williams: There will be a time ...
[00:03:11] Myechia Minter-Jordan: Mm-hmm … Angela Williams: Where each of us will be called ... Myechia Minter-Jordan: That’s right … Angela Williams: To do some form of caregiving. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Or we will need it for ourselves.
[00:03:17] Angela Williams: Or need it for ourselves. Myechia Minter-Jordan: There are 63 million caregivers that need to hear ... Angela Williams: Mm-hmm Myechia Minter-Jordan: Your story, that need to understand that they’re not alone.
[00:03:25] Angela Williams: Yes. Myechia Minter-Jordan: You know, one of the things that we’re highlighting here is just you need help wherever you can get it.
[00:03:31] Angela Williams: And there are really wonderful organizations, AARP being one of them. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Mm-hmm. Angela Williams: When I was at United Way Worldwide, we struck up a partnership
[00:03:39] with you all through our ... Myechia Minter-Jordan: Yes. Angela Williams: 211 ... Myechia Minter-Jordan: Yes, let’s talk about that Angela Williams: Call centers. Myechia Minter-Jordan: I was gonna, I was gonna bring that up. Angela Williams: Um, people call 911 for emergencies.
[00:03:46] But for their health and human services needs, they can either call 211 or go on 211.org.
[00:03:52] The call center operators are from the communities in which they serve. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Yes. They will give you real time … via text or email … the resources.
[00:04:01] Myechia Minter-Jordan: It is a great partnership, and we’re incredibly proud of the fact that we’re providing local resources, to your
[00:04:07] point, to caregivers in need in so many states around the country. That’s part of your legacy. I appreciate you, Angela.
[00:04:14] Thank you so much. Angela Williams: And I appreciate you. Thank you so much. Myechia Minter-Jordan: Oh, thank you. This is terrific.
