First 10 steps after a parent passes
A calm, ordered list of the first ten practical steps after a parent dies, from death certificates to Social Security, with links to official sources.
Resources
Guides for every stage
Practical, sourced articles for families helping an aging loved one or another loved one.
Making a parent's home safer room by room
Practical, low-cost changes to make an aging parent's home safer in every room, based on CDC STEADI and National Institute on Aging guidance.
Signs it may be time to talk about care options
Everyday signs that a parent may need more help at home or a different living arrangement, and how to start a respectful family conversation about care.
Home fall prevention for a loved one
Practical, low-cost ways to lower fall risk in a loved one's home, from lighting and rugs to bathrooms and stairs, based on CDC and NIA guidance.
How to compare care options for a loved one
A step-by-step way to compare in-home care, assisted living, memory care, and nursing homes for a loved one, with the questions to ask each provider.
Organizing a loved one's important paperwork
How to gather and organize a loved one's important documents, from legal and medical papers to accounts and insurance, so family can find them when needed.
Family guides and printables
- Is this discharge safe? A hospital discharge checklist
- Where is everything? A family binder
- Legal papers starter: power of attorney, health care proxy, and HIPAA release
- Who pays for care? Medicare, Medicaid, VA, and private pay
- Emergency information sheet for the fridge
- Medication list
- Caregiver burnout self-check
- Conversation scripts: refusing help, giving up driving, and a family meeting
- Caring for a loved one from another state
- Hospice basics for families
- Phones, passwords, and digital accounts after a death
- Selling a loved one's home: Medicaid, Medicare, and money questions
- A pet plan for your loved one
Kinhaven vs free placement services vs care managers: who pays whom
Scam protection
- Protecting a loved one from scams
- Phone scams and how to protect a loved one
- Think it was a scam? What to do right now
Stage guides
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