Caregiving 101

Educational guides providing an
overview on senior care

Planning

Checklists to help ensure your
loved one is taken care of

Organizing

Trackers to organize your
most critical information

Financing

Financial tools to help
maximize your budget

Caring

Worksheets to care for yourself
while you support others

Joan's Tips

Joan Lunden's tips for visiting aging
parents this holiday season

Download The Tough Conversations Guide

Meet Our Experts

Ask an Expert: Alzheimers

Dr. Ashford is a Psychiatrist and Neuroscientist with significant expertise in Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Ashford is a Senior Research Scientist at the Stanford Aging Clinical Research Center, developing better tools for detecting and measuring Alzheimer’s disease.

Ask an Expert: Geriatric Psychology

A Geriatric Psychologist, Dr. Henston works with seniors and their families as they transition into higher levels of care. As a professor at the University of Denver, she teaches doctoral students the fundamentals of geriatric psychology.

Ask an Expert: Geriatric Medical

Dr. Kernisan is a Geriatrician with a private practice in the Bay Area, as well as a Clinical Instructor in the UCSF Division of Geriatrics. Her practice is dedicated exclusively to seniors and their optimal health and well-being.

Ask an Expert: Elder Law

Furman, an estate planning eldercare attorney, got thrown into becoming a caregiver and the eldercare journey himself when his own parents began to need help.

Ask an Expert: Finance

Andy Smith is a Financial Advisor and Radio Talk Show Host of the Mutual Fund Store radio program airing in over 70 markets across the U.S. Andy works daily to help clients plan for retirement and respond to changing financial needs as they age.

Additional Resources

Our panel of experts provides the information you need to have productive conversations with your loved ones about critical aging topics such as health and wellness, financial and legal planning, and cognitive ability. Read each interview by downloading the Having Tough Conversations Guide to share with your family.

Joan's Tips

Expert Panel

Guides

Checklists

Tools

5 WAYS TO ASSESS HOME SAFETY
5 simple ways to assess the safety and well-being of aging parents

FAMILY CONVERSATION GUIDE
How to interview an aging loved one

PART 1: DISCUSSING HEALTH WITH AGING LOVED ONES
Dr. Leslie Kernisan, Geriatrician

PART 2: ASSESSING WELL-BEING
Dr. Melissa Henston, Geriatric Psychologist

PART 3: FINANCIAL PLANNING
Andy Smith, Financial Advisor

PART 4: LEGAL PLANNING
Stuart Furman, Esq., Elder Law Attorney

PART 5: ASSESSING COGNITIVE ABILITY
Dr. Wes Ashford, Psychiatrist and Neuroscientist

COMPLETE GUIDE: ALL CONVERSATION TOPICS
Inspire conversations with loved ones.

DEMENTIA CARE GUIDE
Learn about communication and coping strategies

SENIOR HOUSING
Understand different community types and costs

FINANCING SENIOR CARE
Know the best ways to pay for senior care

VETERANS BENEFITS
Take advantage of this government benefit

CAREGIVER BILL OF RIGHTS
Know your rights as a caregiver and reflect on your caregiving journey to create a personal serenity prayer

INSPIRATIONAL BOOKMARKS
Download these wallet-sized images and quotes for your fridge or for bookmarks to help you stay positive

ASSISTED LIVING
Print a copy when you tour an assisted living community

MEMORY CARE
Ask these questions when you tour a memory care community

SENIOR SAFETY
Evaluate the safety and well-being of a loved one

SENIOR CARE CALCULATOR
Compares costs of assisted living to hiring a home care agency

REVERSE MORTGAGE CALCULATOR
Find out how much a reverse mortgage can offer you

MEDICATION LIST
Record your loved one’s current medications, doses, and doctors

EMERGENCY INFO SHEET
Keep a record of the most critical information in one place to be as prepared as possible in an emergency

LEGAL TRACKER
Write down your Power of Attorney, where to find your Health Care Directive, and more

FINANCIAL TRACKER
Compile the most important accounts and contacts in one place

CAREGIVER WELL-BEING CHART
Record the highs and lows of your caregiving days and jot down a goal for tomorrow

Caregiver Well-Being Chart
Caregiver Well-Being Chart
Download these daily journal pages to help you cope with the stress of caregiving.
5 Best-Kept Secrets To Financing Senior Care
5 Best-Kept Secrets To Financing Senior Care
Download this informative guide to discover a range of options for financing senior care you may not have thought of.
Legal Tracker
Legal Tracker
Understanding Medicare, Medicaid and what public financial assistance your loved one is qualified to receive can provide a solid foundation for making key decisions.
5 Simple Ways to Assess the Safety and Well-being of Aging Parents
5 Simple Ways to Assess the Safety and Well-being of Aging Parents
Download this easy checklist to look for the warning signs that your older loved ones may need more help and support.
Guide To Senior Housing & Care
Guide To Senior Housing & Care
A comprehensive guide to senior living options in the United States.
Home Safety Checklist for Seniors
Home Safety Checklist for Seniors
Home safety checklist. Evaluate the saftey of your aging parents' home with this checklist.
Essential Document Locator Checklist
Essential Document Locator Checklist
Important documents every adult child of aging parents should have or know how to find.
Financial Tracker
Financial Tracker
Download and complete this chart to collect all of your loved one’s financial information in a single file.
Emergency Info Sheet
Emergency Info Sheet
Keep a single record of your loved one’s most critical information in one designated place to be prepared in an emergency.
How to Interview an Aging Loved One
How to Interview an Aging Loved One
Download this guide to capturing memories and the important moments in the lives of your family members for all generations.
Medication List
Medication List
Download this chart to help keep track of the details for every medication, from dosage details to prescription specifics.
Guide To VA Benefits & Long Term Care
Guide To VA Benefits & Long Term Care
Learn about paying for assisted living with veterans benefits and whether you qualify. From the service requirement to the three tiers of VA's improved pension.