Meet the Hosts of ‘The Exceptional Caregivers Life’

MARCH 17, 2025

You can listen to “The Exceptional Caregivers Life” on:

Surrey Place and our Family Advisory Council (FAC) are excited to bring to you a new podcast titled, “The Exceptional Caregivers Life”! Meet our exceptional hosts, Wendy and Liz, who are both members of the FAC.

Wendy is a dedicated mother of twin daughters, including Bridget, who is Autistic as well as developmentally and intellectually disabled. With 15 years of experience navigating the autism journey, she has become deeply involved in the community, serving on multiple special needs councils and actively participating and organizing fundraisers.

Liz is a passionate autism advocate, dedicated to creating inclusive environments for individuals on the autism spectrum. With 15 years of experience in advocacy, outreach and public speaking, Liz has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about autism and dismantle misconceptions surrounding neurodiversity. Liz’s son, Jack, and his diagnosis inspired her to pursue not-for-profit work, developing and implementing programs that promote understanding, acceptance, and support for individuals with autism and their families.

The pair took time to share their experience about hosting a podcast for the first time and what they hope listeners will get from it. “Surrey Place’s Family Advisory Council (FAC) is a group of caregivers of children and/or adults living with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD) or autism,” says Liz.

“We come together monthly to share experiences, advocate, make recommendations and prioritize important
matters to and with Surrey Place so that together, we can make positive changes. This includes – prioritizing
concerns for Surrey Place, expressing family and caregiver perspectives to inform clinical practices, identifying gaps
in services and suggesting concrete solutions, guiding Surrey Place staff on service enhancement and building
community amongst Surrey Place caregivers and family members.”

The FAC had long discussed hosting a podcast, stemming from the idea that the council wanted other families to know they are not alone in their journeys. “After your loved one is diagnosed, the process and the idea of a new ‘normal’ family life with restrictions can be so isolating,” shares Wendy. “We hoped if families could hear honest conversations from guests on their highs and lows, that they would realize that they are not the only ones.”

From the start, Liz and Wendy both had an interest in hosting, but the interest in creating a community was shared amongst all the members of the FAC. “All the members wanted to be a part of the podcast, whether that was a guest, hosting or working behind the scenes. It was all about teamwork,” says Liz.

“We hoped if families could hear honest conversations from guests on their highs and lows, that they
would realize that they are not the only ones.” – Wendy

For the FAC, the podcast also helped members learn from each other and expand their perspectives on caregiving. “Hearing all the different conversations and stories from our members has given all of us a wider perspective on what being a caregiver can mean,” explains Wendy. “Our conversations were so natural, and we also had some laughs along the way. A big shout out to our members, who were all guests, for speaking to their honesty and vulnerability!”

Starting a podcast is not an easy thing and it has taken almost a year to bring “The Exceptional Caregivers Life” to reality. But for Liz, Wendy and the Family Advisory Council, they say it was well worth it. “This has truly been an amazing experience for everyone in the FAC, both personally and professionally,” shares Wendy.

“We have gained a sense of community and really leaned into our roles in this experience. Prepping for our interviews, recording and working together virtually was a huge undertaking and we are so proud of all of our accomplishments. It was a truly collaborative and supportive effort amongst the FAC, our producer, Lead Podcasting, and Surrey Place.”

“Hearing all the different conversations and stories from our members has given all of us a wider
perspective on what being a caregiver can mean.” – Wendy

The motto of the “Exceptional Caregivers Life” is connecting with a community that just gets it. As caregivers of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, this podcast is made by and for caregivers. “We hope that our listeners really take away that caregivers are exceptional!” exclaims Liz. “Life is hard, but also so full of joy. These families are warriors, and everyone needs to know that!”

Join Liz and Wendy as they welcome guests and dive into topics such as community, advocacy, caring for the caregiver, and gratitude. Episodes will be released every other Wednesday, so follow our channels to stay up to date!

You can listen to “The Exceptional Caregivers Life” on:

Special thanks to the Family Advisory Council for making “The Exceptional Caregivers Life” podcast possible. Foundational support was provided by the Arthur and Audrey Cutten Foundation and the Harry E. Foster Foundation. All episodes are produced by LeadPodcasting.

Learn more about “The Exceptional Caregivers Life”!

Startle in response to loud noises?	YES NO
Turn to where a sound is coming from?	YES NO
Make different cries for different needs (hungry, tired)?	YES NO
Watch your face as you talk?	YES NO
Smile/laugh in response to your smiles and laughs?	YES NO
Imitate coughs or other sounds such as ah, eh, buh	YES NO

Respond to their name?	YES NO
Respond to the telephone ringing or a knock at the door?	YES NO
Understand being told no?	YES NO
Get what they want through using gestures (reaching to be picked up)?	YES NO
Play social games with you (Peek-a-Boo)?	YES NO
Enjoy being around people?	YES NO
Babble and repeat sounds such as babababa or duhduhduh?	YES NO

Follow simple one-step directions (sit down)?	YES NO
Look across the room to a toy when adult points at it?	YES NO
Consistently use three to five words?	YES NO
Use gestures to communicate (waves hi/bye, shakes head for no)?	YES NO
Get your attention using sounds, gestures and pointing while looking at your eyes?	YES NO
Bring you toys to show you?	YES NO
Perform for social attention and praise?	YES NO
Combine lots of sounds together as though talking (abada baduh abee)?	YES NO
Show an interest in simple picture books?	YES NO

Understand the meaning of in and out, off and on?	YES NO
Point to more than 2 body parts when asked?	YES NO
Use at least 20 words consistently?	YES NO
Respond with words or gestures to simple questions (Where's teddy? What's that?)?	YES NO
Demonstrate some pretend play with toys (gives teddy bear a drink, pretends a bowl is a hat)?	YES NO
Make at least four different consonant sounds (p ,b, m, n, d, g, w, h)?	YES NO
Enjoy being read to and sharing simple books with you?	YES NO
Point to pictures using one finger?	YES NO

Follow two-step directions (Go find your teddy bear and show it to Grandma.)?	YES NO
Use 100 to 150 words?	YES NO
Use at least two pronouns (you, me, mine)?	YES NO
Consistently combine two to four words in short phrases (Daddy hat. Truck go down.)?	YES NO
Enjoy being around other children?	YES NO
Begin to offer toys to other children and imitate other children's actions and words?	YES NO
Use words that are understood by others 50 to 60 per cent of the time?	YES NO
Form words or sounds easily and without effort?	YES NO
Hold books the right way up and turn the pages?	YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys?	YES NO
Scribble with crayons?	YES NO

Meet the Hosts of ‘The Exceptional Caregivers Life’

You can listen to “The Exceptional Caregivers Life” on:

You can listen to “The Exceptional Caregivers Life” on:

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Understand the concepts of size (big/little) and quantity (a little/a lot, more)?	YES NO
Use some adult grammar (two cookies, bird flying, I jumped)?	YES NO
Use over 350 words?	YES NO
Use action words such as run, spill, fall?	YES NO
Participate in some turn-taking activities with peers, using both words and toys?	YES NO
Demonstrate concern when another child is hurt or sad?	YES NO
Combine several actions in play (puts blocks in the train and drives the train, drops the blocks off.)?	YES NO
Put sounds at the beginning of most words?	YES NO
Use words with two or more syllables or beats (ba-na-na, com-pu-ter, a-pple)?	YES NO
Recognize familiar logos and signs involving print (Stop sign)?	YES NO
Remember and understand familiar stories?	YES NO

Understand who, what, where and why questions?	YES NO
Create long sentences using five to eight words?	YES NO
Talk about past events (trip to grandparents house, day at child care)?	YES NO
Tell simple stories?	YES NO
Show affection for favourite playmates?	YES NO
Engage in multi-step pretend play (pretending to cook a meal, repair a car)?	YES NO
Talk in a way that most people outside of the family understand what she/he is saying most of the time?	YES NO
Have an understanding of the function of print (menus, lists, signs)?	YES NO
Show interest in, and awareness of, rhyming words?	YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys?	YES NO
Scribble with crayons?	YES NO

Follow directions involving three or more steps (First get some paper, then draw a picture and give it to Mommy)?	YES NO
Use adult type grammar?	YES NO
Tell stories with a beginning, middle and end?	YES NO
Talk to try and solve problems with adults and with other children?	YES NO
Show increasingly complex imaginary play?	YES NO
Talk in a way that is understood by strangers almost all the time?	YES NO
Generate simple rhymes (cat-bat)?	YES NO
Match some letters with their sounds (letter b says buh, letter t says tuh)?	YES NO

Meet the Hosts of ‘The Exceptional Caregivers Life’

You can listen to “The Exceptional Caregivers Life” on:

You can listen to “The Exceptional Caregivers Life” on:

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