Josh Dean presents So Your Parents Are Old, a new podcast from Campside Media hosted by his co-founder Vanessa Gregoriadis. The show addresses the often-taboo topic of caring for aging parents through honest, sometimes humorous conversations. Gregoriadis shares her personal experience as the primary caregiver for her mother who has dementia, describing how this responsibility has become the center of her life even as she continues working, parenting, and managing everyday expenses. She acknowledges the profound disorientation of the parent-child role reversal that occurs when adult children must care for their aging parents. The podcast features diverse guests including talk show host Liza Gibbons, comedians Louis Black and Kathleen Madigan, someone whose father was in the mob, real estate agents, and filmmakers. These guests share their own stories of navigating the complex emotional and practical challenges of elder care. The show tackles difficult subjects that many people avoid discussing, from the overwhelming bureaucracy of Medicaid and healthcare systems to the emotional toll of watching parents decline. Gregoriadis emphasizes how isolating this experience can feel and positions the podcast as a form of group therapy for listeners going through similar situations. The format includes practical advice segments, such as explanations of financial concepts like step-up basis that become relevant when dealing with aging parents' affairs. The show also addresses uncomfortable truths, including the complex emotions that arise when parents die, including feelings of relief that people often feel guilty about experiencing. Gregoriadis describes the target audience as the sandwich generation - adults caught between caring for their children and their parents simultaneously. The podcast aims to provide both catharsis and practical guidance for this challenging life stage. The tone balances gallows humor with genuine emotional support, creating a space where difficult conversations can happen openly. Dean positions this as essential listening for anyone currently serving as a parent to their parents, offering community and understanding during one of life's most disorienting transitions.
