Finding Light in the Hardest Moments of Caregiving with Carlos Olivas, Advocate & Caregiver

Caregiving is one of the most profound acts of love—but it can also feel isolating, overwhelming, and uncharted. My guest today is Carlos L. Olivas III, an advocate for Alzheimer’s caregivers and mental health awareness. His journey is deeply personal—rooted in the love and care he provides for his father, who is living with Alzheimer’s. In this episode, we talk about the meaningful layers of caregiving—the mental toll, the lessons in resilience, and the unexpected ways it changes us. We talk about what it means to find strength in community, navigate this journey as a male caregiver, and how art has given both him and his father a way to process, express, and hold onto something real. Carlos has transformed his experience into a mission, serving on California’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee, working with organizations like Caring Across Generations and the Alzheimer’s Association, and using art as a way to foster connection and healing. As a docent at Artbeat Gallery in Sacramento, he proudly shares his father’s artwork. Carlos is also an esteemed member of We Are HFC’s Care Squad, bringing raw honesty, empowerment, and deep empathy to the caregiving community. Carlos’s story is being shared far and wide—he is featured in Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s, premiering on PBS Independent Lens on May 5, offering an intimate look at the emotional and physical toll of caregiving while highlighting the resilience and love that define this experience. He is also featured in Well Beings Caregiving, a powerful series produced by Bradley Cooper, that brings attention to the lived realities of caregivers. Through storytelling, advocacy, and art, Carlos is making sure that caregivers everywhere feel seen, heard, and supported.   Thank you to our Sponsors HeroGeneration empowers caregivers and families by providing innovative resources, education, and support to navigate the challenges of aging and caregiving with confidence and connection. It's free to start. Join now HERE.   Zinnia TV is a therapeutic dementia care platform that supports caregivers. creates engaging, dementia-friendly video content to reduce anxiety, spark memories, and provide meaningful moments of connection for individuals living with cognitive challenges and their caregivers. We invite you to use the code GATHER20 for 20% off an annual subscription HERE.   Connect with Carlos via social media, interviews, podcasts and resources:   https://linktr.ee/charlierobot     We are not medical professionals and are not providing any medical advice. If you have any medical questions, we recommend that you talk with a medical professional of your choice. willGather has taken care in selecting its speakers but the opinions of our speakers are theirs alone. Thank you for your continued interest in our podcasts. Please follow for updates, rate & review! For more information about our guest, podcast & sponsorship opportunities, visit www.willgatherpodcast.com