Steady Light, Shifting Path: A Story of Two Parents, One Purpose

In this heartfelt episode of Seniors Home Zone, host Rebecca Finegan shares a deeply personal story of how two very different parents shaped her calling to help others through life’s transitions. From the steady, guiding presence of her father to the unpredictable journey of caregiving for her mother, Rebecca explores how both experiences lit the way toward her life’s purpose.

You’ll hear reflections on legacy, resilience, and the emotional turning points that led her to become a Senior Home Coach™, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, and advocate for families navigating aging and change.

Whether you’re a caregiver, adult child, or professional in the senior care space, this episode offers relatable moments, emotional insight, and a powerful reminder: our paths may shift, but our purpose can stay steady.

If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share with someone who needs encouragement today.
Connect with Rebecca Finegan at seniorshomezone.com
📩 Questions or ideas? Email: seniorshomezone@gmail.com
#SeniorsHomeZone #AgingInPlace #SeniorCareSupport

Transcript

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Welcome. You are listening to Real Talk, Real Stories, brought to you by Seniors Home Zone, where we reflect on life's transitions. Episode one is about a steady light and a shifting path. It's a story about two parents and one purpose. Sometimes there's no big event, no crash, no emergency, just a quiet knowing that something is different. A hallway that suddenly feels too tight. A misstep that makes you pause. And you find yourself asking, so now what? That's where this podcast begins. I'm Rebecca Finnegan, a senior home coach and certified Aging in Place specialist. I've seen what happens in the moment. when a loved one loses their balance, seems confused, or just feels a little off. Seniors Home Zone is both my company and this podcast. I created it for people like us trying to do the right thing for someone we care about while also holding everything down. This space is for the adult child juggling responsibilities, for the caregiver doing their best without clear direction, for the person who hopes to stay in their home, and for the one who's worried it may no longer be safe. Every episode, you'll hear stories, insights, and tools to help you take the next step forward with confidence and support. Let me take you back to a chapter I'll never forget. I was a caregiver for my mom for 12 years. When winters in Connecticut became too harsh on her health, we moved to South Carolina, thinking the warmth would help. In some ways, it did. The new location made some things easier. Still, the overwhelm of caregiving only grew more challenging. I was trying to run a business, manage our household, stay on top of work, and in between all that, make sure she was safe cared for and not slipping through the cracks. One night I was cooking dinner. I was also adjusting a lamp so she could see better and trying to track her medications. Well, I burned the rice. I looked down at the throw rug I kept meaning to remove. She looked at me and said, you're doing too much. I walked away out of frustration. I just wanted to cry. She was right. and I didn't know what to do next. I didn't know who to call, what questions to ask, or even how to explain what I was feeling. When someone depends on you, that weight can feel very heavy. That experience shaped me. It's where this journey began. Not with a title or a plan, just one exhausted daughter doing her best and wondering if it was enough. As I reflect on those years of caregiving, I think about something that helped steady me, even when the day-to-day felt overwhelming. There was someone I could always call, someone who didn't offer solutions. He offered presence. His name was Reverend Robert Dobson. He was my dad. Today, August 11th, marks eight years since he's passed. He was the steady heart of our family. His laugh filled the room. His voice had both weight and warmth. He didn't speak to be heard. He spoke to connect. He loved lighthouses, photographed them, collected them, visited them whenever he could. To me, they weren't just a passion. They mirrored who he was. Steady, grounded, a calm light in the storm. During those caregiving years, I'd call him. He wouldn't rush to solve anything. He just listened. Then he'd say something like, You're doing better than you think. Or, Just take one step at a time. That was all I needed. His steady voice to keep going. After he passed, dragonflies started showing up everywhere. In unexpected places at unexpected times. They became our reminder. He was still with us. Still steady. still shining. That's why the lighthouse and dragonfly are part of Senior's Home Zone logo. They represent his legacy, not as a fixer, as a steady guide. He gave me the strength and space to find my own way. Whether I'm helping a family downsize, walking someone through how to stay safely in their home they love, or exploring financial tools, it always comes back to being a light that offers direction, and a rock that quietly supports. I know what it means to have that kind of steady presence because I had it in him. A year after he passed, my sister Deborah and I wanted to honor him, something that would let us feel close to him again. So we hit the road. No itinerary, no schedule, just a mission to visit as many lighthouses as we could. They called us the Lighthouse Gypsies. We laughed, we cried, we ate great food. At every lighthouse, it felt like we were visiting him. That trip reminded me, you don't have to be perfect to shine for someone. You just have to stand strong, reflect light, and offer steady guidance when it's needed most. Dad did that for us. My goal is to do that for the people I help every day. Maybe the lighthouse reminds us that we can be a beacon for our families, our neighbors, our communities. My dad's presence lives on in every moment I show up for someone, in every call where I listen before advising, in every family who feels less alone because I've walked that road myself. Where in your life can you shine a little light? Where can you help someone feel steady? The beacon remains lit. Even though my dad's voice is gone, his presence stays. And so does his light in me and maybe in you too. You don't have to do this alone. In our next episode on August 20th, we're talking about how your home can do more than just give you a place to live. It can actually help support the life you want. to bring help at home, make safety updates, or even take that long overdue vacation. Whether you're figuring things out for yourself or someone you love, this one's packed with ideas to help you move forward. Thank you for being here today. Thank you for honoring the story with me. Let's take the next step together. I'm Rebecca Finnegan, and this is Senior's Home Zone. where we reflect on life's transitions one conversation at a time. If you found this episode helpful, please follow and share with someone who would enjoy. A brand new episode arrives August 20, 2025. Join me for more insights you won't want to miss.