Adult Special Needs Caregiving | Find Adult Special Needs Resources, Caregiver Community Support, Disabilities Care, Special Needs Parenting, Life-long Carer, Special Needs Advocates
About Adult Special Needs Caregiving | Find Adult Special Needs Resources, Caregiver Community Support, Disabilities Care, Special Needs Parenting, Life-long Carer, Special Needs Advocates
Welcome to Special Needs Adult Caregiving, a podcast for parents and family caregivers of adults with disabilities. If you are raising or caring for an adult child or loved one with special needs, you are in the right place.
Host Jenny Olson is a mom of five. Her son is a young adult with autism and an intellectual disability, and he will need care for life. Jenny is not just talking about this topic. She is living it too.
This show gives you real answers and resources about adult disability care. We talk about the things other shows skip. Whether your child just turned 18 and is facing that “special needs cliff”, or you have been a caregiver for years, this podcast is for you.
Each week, you will hear about topics like:
SSI and SSDI benefits for adults with disabilities
Medicaid waivers and how to apply
Special needs trusts and ABLE accounts
Guardianship versus power of attorney
Finding disability-friendly doctors
What to do when a waiver application gets denied
How caregiving affects marriage and family
Talking to siblings about future care plans
Avoiding caregiver burnout without the guilt
You will hear real stories from other caregivers who understand this life. You will hear expert interviews from people who work in these systems every day. And you will walk away with tools you can use right away.
Have you ever searched "how to apply for SSI" late at night? Have you felt alone trying to find help for your adult child with special needs? This podcast is for you. Caregiving for a special needs adult is hard. But you do not have to figure it out by yourself.
This is more than a podcast. It is a community of parents and family caregivers who understand this life. You are not alone, and you are doing better than you think. Let’s figure this out together!
Subscribe now and join a growing community of caregivers, parents, and disability advocates. New episodes come out every week.
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/special.needs.adult.caregiving (https://www.instagram.com/special.needs.adult.caregiving)
22 | I Thought It Was Just Me: Honest Thoughts Special Needs Parents Never Say Out Loud
This episode is a solo one, and host Jenny Olson is saying out loud some of the things she thought for years that she believed were just her. If you are a special needs parent or caregiver who has ever felt alone, misunderstood, or like no one else gets it, this episode is for you. We talk about grieving the future you once pictured for your child, even while loving them exactly as they are. Jenny opens up about getting tired of hearing it will get easier, and what it is really like when there is no empty nest coming for families like ours. We also cover feeling resentment and guilt at the same time, watching friendships fade as life gets busier with caregiving, and lying awake at night wondering who will care for your child when you are gone. She shares thoughts on how the world seems built for families with young kids with special needs, but offers very little for adults with special needs, along with the complicated feelings that come from watching other people’s kids hit typical milestones. Lastly, we talk about losing touch with your own hobbies and identity outside of being a caregiver, and why it is okay to still take up space as your own person. If you are a special needs parent or caregiver of an adult with disabilities looking for connection, community, and honest conversation about guardianship, caregiving, and adult disability life, she hope this episode reminds you that you are not alone.
30 Sept 2026
21 | Preparing for Adulthood: Top Things Not to Do for Special Needs Teens
On today’s episode, host Jenny Olson is sharing the things she would never do as she planned for her special needs son’s 18th birthday. If you have a special needs teenager who is 16, 17, or about to turn 18, this episode is packed with practical tips to help you avoid common mistakes. We talk about why you should never wait to look into guardianship, power of attorney, conservatorship, or supported decision making, and why it is best to start that process at least a year before your child turns 18. She also shares why you should never open a regular bank account in your special needs child’s name with a lot of money in it, and why an ABLE account or special needs trust is a much safer option. We also cover why you should never forget to apply for Medicaid and SSI right after your child turns 18, since those benefits are the gateway to things like Medicaid waivers and paid caregiving. And finally, Jenny reminds you why you should never forget why you are doing all of this in the first place. If you are a special needs parent or caregiver trying to make sense of guardianship, Medicaid, Social Security, or SSI as your child approaches adulthood, this episode will help you feel more prepared and less alone.
23 Sept 2026
20 | Unlocking Communication with Non-Speaking Autism, Speller Programs, and Medical Advocacy with Haley Bennett
Today we’re talking with Haley Bennett, a mom of 4 whose younger two kids, ages 18 and 17, have profound autism, apraxia, mitochondrial issues, and several other complex health conditions. Haley shares how she found the Speller program after hearing about the book Underestimated, and how spelling to communicate opened up a whole new world for her non speaking children. We talk about apraxia, presuming competence, and why a child who cannot reliably communicate may know so much more than anyone realizes.
Haley also opens up about medical advocacy, diagnostic overshadowing, and how getting the right doctor finally uncovered serious health issues that had been dismissed as just autism for years. We dig into MedMAPS, a directory of clinicians who specialize in caring for kids and adults with complex special needs, along with their conferences for both clinicians and parents.
Haley also shares practical advice on getting benefits and services when you move states, why you have to be the squeaky wheel, and why trusting your gut as a parent matters more than you think. If you are a special needs parent or caregiver looking for real resources on communication devices, medical advocacy, or navigating benefits, this conversation is meant for you.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
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