Living Arrangements

Living Arrangements

When family provides the care — the informal caregiver reality

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. It started small. A missed doctor's appointment because Dad didn't remember to call for a ride, so I started driving

Living Arrangements

Managing home care agencies — expectations, quality, and turnover

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. The phone call came on a Tuesday. The agency was calling to say that the caregiver I'd hired three weeks earlier wasn&

Living Arrangements

Live-in care — what it costs and how it works

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. There comes a point when your parent might need someone there twenty-four hours a day. Not because they're declining that fast, but

Living Arrangements

Hiring a home care aide — what to look for and what to ask

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. Hiring a home care aide is like matchmaking. You're trying to find someone who will be trustworthy, skilled, kind, and compatible with

Living Arrangements

Home care vs. home health care — the distinction that confuses everyone

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. You're on the phone with your parent's doctor and someone says your parent might need home care. You think that

Living Arrangements

Smart home technology for elderly parents — what actually helps

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. Every technology conference you attend, every article you read about aging in place, every ad that pops up on your phone seems to suggest

Living Arrangements

Medical alert systems — comparing options and what to look for

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. You're lying awake thinking about what happens if your parent falls when you're not there. You're picturing them

Living Arrangements

Stair solutions — lifts, ramps, and single-floor living

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. Stairs are the crisis point. That moment when your parent hauls themselves up the bannister to get to the bedroom, or they're

Living Arrangements

Kitchen modifications for elderly parents — safety and accessibility

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. Your parent's kitchen is their territory. It's where they've cooked thousands of meals. It's where coffee

Living Arrangements

Bathroom modifications — the most important room in the house

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. The bathroom is where your parent's independence meets the laws of physics, and right now the bathroom is winning. They're

Living Arrangements

What aging in place actually means — and what it requires

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. When your parent first mentions staying home instead of moving, something in your chest tightens. You're picturing falls and medications forgotten and

Living Arrangements

Home safety assessment — a room-by-room guide

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. The first time you really look at your parent's home through the lens of safety, everything changes. You walk in and suddenly