Disclaimer
The articles on Family Caregiver Practical Guide are general information for adult children and other family members caring for an aging parent in the United States. They are not medical advice, not legal advice, and not financial advice.
Reading this site does not create a doctor-patient relationship, an attorney-client relationship, or a financial-planning relationship. Last updated .
Health and safety
Care needs are individual. Talk with your parent's clinician, or with your own clinician, about medical decisions. Warning signs and the self-check in the caregiver burnout guide are not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your health or your mood, talk with a doctor or a mental health professional.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself or someone else, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 if there is immediate danger.
Legal information
Powers of attorney, advance directives, Medicaid rules, guardianship, and job-protected leave depend on the state and on the facts. Laws change. For a document or a dispute, talk with a licensed attorney, such as an elder law attorney, in the state where your parent lives.
Money and benefits
Costs in the guides include national medians and examples from the sources each guide cites. Local prices differ, and benefit programs have their own eligibility rules. Before you move money, change a home's title, or plan around Medicaid or taxes, talk with a qualified financial professional, a tax professional, or an elder law attorney. This site does not sell insurance or investments and does not take payment.
Sources and other websites
Guides name and link to public sources. Naming Medicare, AARP, the National Institute on Aging, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any other organization does not mean that organization runs or endorses this site. A link is not a promise that every page on that other site is current. Confirm important details at the source and with a local professional.
No guarantee
We aim to keep the guides clear and to show where a figure or a rule came from. A guide can still contain an error or an outdated number. Use the linked sources, and get advice about your parent's own situation, before you act.
Publisher
This site is published by Family Caregiver Practical Guide.