The Perpetual Caregiver: Burnout, Boundaries, and Getting Your Affairs in Order (with Shelly Grimm)

In this episode of Going Rogue, Angie sits down with Shelly Grimm — Financial Consultant, Author, and Founder of The Perpetual Caregiver — for an honest, surprising conversation about what caregiving really looks like when it starts young, gets messy, and becomes your entire life.

Shelly shares the powerful origin of her work: becoming her mother’s caregiver at five years old, navigating impossible family dynamics, and learning critical life skills out of sheer survival. Together, Angie and Shelly break down why caregivers are often the last to take care of themselves, why “paralysis by analysis” keeps people stuck, and how accountability (and the right support system) can help families prepare for life’s uninvited challenges.

They also explore Shelly’s signature tool, the Family Love Letter — a practical way to organize essential information (passwords, policies, documents, storage units, and more) so families can avoid chaos when crisis hits. If you’re a caregiver, a business owner, a parent, or someone who feels responsible for everyone else… this episode will feel like a deep exhale and a roadmap forward.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why caregiving often becomes default, not a choice — and how that shapes identity
• The hidden cost of caregiver burnout (and why it affects everyone)
• How to break through overwhelm with small steps + accountability
• Why most people don’t need more info — they need help sorting what matters
• The real-world importance of having your essentials organized (passwords, benefits, policies, directives)
• How Shelly is building a nationwide caregiver support ecosystem: tools, retreats, content, and concierge-style help

Timestamps 

• 00:00 Intro + Angie welcomes Shelly
• 03:00 Caregiving by default: starting at age five
• 09:00 Family dynamics, survival skills, and role reversal
• 15:00 Community support: “do one small thing” mentality
• 22:00 Why one-size-fits-all advice doesn’t work (and why people get overwhelmed)
• 30:00 The vision: concierge-level caregiver support + subscription help
• 38:00 The Family Love Letter: what it is and why it matters
• 48:00 Accountability, habit-building, and getting unstuck
• 56:00 Where to find Shelly + her book + what’s coming next

Shelly Grimm is a Financial Consultant, Author, and Founder of The Perpetual Caregiver, where she empowers families facing chronic illness and life disruptions with tools, education, and real-world support. Recognized as a “Ladypreneur” by the Worldwide Women’s Association, Shelly brings 27 years of financial expertise and a deep personal history as a lifelong caregiver.

Her journey began caring for her mother — the first woman diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in the U.S. in 1956 — and includes legal emancipation at 13 and a turning point at 17 that forced her to flee her hometown. Today, Shelly helps families transform their “broken bricks” into a foundation for resilience, dignity, and peace of mind through resources like the Family Love Letter and caregiver-focused retreats.

Links & Resources

• Website: https://www.theperpetualcaregiver.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perpetualcaregiver/
• Book: “Some Asses Just Need Wiping” (available on Amazon)

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who carries the weight for everybody else. And if you’re the one holding it all together—let this be your reminder: you deserve support too.

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