Some women raise three daughters on their own in 1972, work their way from executive secretary to Fortune 500 purchasing agent, and shape every daughter who watces them do it. Some keep showing up to water aerobics at 91 and balancing the church books until the week they pass. Kay McDonald and her cousin Debbie Howard had two of those mothers: sisters-in-law who became career women in eras that didn't exactly hand that out.

In this Mother's Day episode of the Power of Charms, Kay and Debbie share stories about Sydna and Maryanne - and the lessons their mothers left behind about resilience, financial responsibility, self-care, and showing up for people you love. They also get into the practical side of caregiving: the small home modifications that keep aging parents safe, why traveling with an older mom takes more planning and more patience, and how to build new traditions that honor the moms who are no longer here.

Debbie Howard is a caregiving expert, founder of Aging Matters International, and author of The Caregiving Journey and The Caregiving Crisis. She's a returning guest on the show - and Kay's cousin.

Plus: Kay surprises Debbie with a piece of family jewelry neither of them had seen in years - a charm necklace their grandmother made to hold all 13 of her grandchildren close.

A conversation about mothers, memory, and the small things we keep.

After you listen:

• Connect with Debbie on LinkedIn
• Purchase The Caregiving Journey and The Caregiving Crisis
• Order our special Mother's Day sterling silver charm