Hiring

• Article - How to Hire Urgent In-Home Care for Your Parent

  When your parent needs help at home right now, the ideal solution may be to hire an in-home caregiver. Follow these steps to find a good caregiver who can start right away.

• Article - Making the Most of Your Parent's Stroke Rehabilitation Team

  When your parent has a stroke, you can aid in his recovery...

Blog Posts

• Blog Post - Are Your Parents Driving Their Caregivers to Quit?

  It's a more common problem than you might think. Here's why it happens--and what to do.

• Blog Post - My mother, who suffers from dementia and alcoholism, wants my sister and me to be her caregivers, so she keeps sending away the one we've hired.

  My sister and I hired a caregiver to come into our...

• Blog Post - I constantly feel guilty because no matter how much I do for my parents, I know it's never enough.

  My mom has advanced Alzheimer's and my dad is 92 and...

• Blog Post - My sister's refusal to communicate with me about our father's care has brought back to mind years of mistreatment by her. What can I do?

  My sister is 14 years older than I am and has full...

• Blog Post - My father is in failing health and financial ruin, living with a woman who is bipolar, and refuses my help. What can I do?

  My father is 69 years old and in failing health...

• Blog Post - My mother says she's lonely, and it's heartbreaking for me to hear her crying at night. What can I do to help her?

  My father died seven years ago, and for quite some...

Questions & Answers

• Question - What are my responsibilities if I hire a home health aide?

  What are my responsibilities when hiring a home health aide? I'm confused about payroll tax, Social Security tax and other benefits.

• Question - If I hire an aide for my father should I be responsible for payments?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I overcome my father's resistance to hiring a home health aide to bathe my mother?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Are there listings, generated geographically, for in-home healthcare workers that include basic scope of services and budget figures?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I find agencies or companies that provide in-home care in my area?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What can I do if my mom's nursing home is mistreating her and I live out of state?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I set up a real estate trust?

  You may be able to set up a simple living trust on your own; other types of trusts may require some guidance from a legal expert.

• Question - Do I need to take legal steps to take over my sister's finances?

  You must follow some types of formalities before taking over another person’s finances; the law keeps a close eye on such arrangements.

• Question - Can you offer any tips for bathing an overweight parent?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does self-help software produce legal documents?

  Some self-help law products produce perfectly legal documents. The key is to shop wisely -- and you can always use a lawyer as a backup.

• Question - What can I do if I think the trustees are acting illegally?

  When a trustee is acting illegally, you may have no choice but to hire legal help to right the wrong.

• Question - How do I pick an attorney and what should I expect to pay?

  How do I pick an estate planning attorney for my parents? When I'm picking an attorney, should I go to a large firm, and how much should I pay?

• Question - What if I'm worried about my dad's Alzheimer's but he and my mom aren't?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - Will my current wife still be able to collect survivor benefits after I die if my ex-wife holds a lien against my finances?

  It’s sometimes hard to predict the legal future without first seeing the fine print on the documents involved.

• Question - How can I prescreen assisted-living facilities so I don't have to tour every one?

  When you're looking for assisted living, how do you narrow down the choices? Here are tips for screening assisted living facilities ahead of time.

• Question - How do I determine "reasonable" trustee fees?

  What is a reasonable trustee fee to charge my parents' estate? I'm the trustee, and I need to be able to show that my fee is reasonable and customary.

• Question - What short-term in-house care options when caregivers need to go out of town?

  Some guidance for those seeking temporary in-house care for their aging parent.

• Question - Should I bring my four-year-old to my father's funeral?

  Is it OK to bring a child to a funeral or memorial? It depends on the child's temperament -- some kids do better at funeral services than others.

• Question - Is there a resource to find a nurse who will travel to rural areas?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is there anything I can do if I've been excluded from a trust?

  Children can be excluded from their parents' estate plans, but it usually must be verified as an intentional move.

• Question - How do I handle my elderly mother who doesn't want me to travel at all?

  An elderly parent may worry or get upset when you travel; she may even claim she'll die while you're away. Should you give up travel to ease her mind?

• Question - What should I do if my parent resists bathing?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should I put my mom in a nursing home as her care has gotten too much for me?

  Should I put my mom in a nursing home? Putting your parent in a nursing home could be the best thing for her, physically and mentally.

• Question - Can you transfer power of attorney in late-stage Alzheimer's?

  A power of attorney generally cannot be transferred once the principal is incapacitated.

• Question - How can we find out if my mother-in-law had a will?

  If a search in the obvious places doesn't turn up a will, try a few less obvious ones.

• Question - My mother, who has breast cancer, asks me to visit her every time she thinks there's a crisis. What should I do?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What legal rights to do grandchildren have in determining whether grandma is fit to live alone?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What rights do I have as a healthcare agent?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I become my adult child's legal guardian?

  Once a child becomes a legal adult, a parent needs to secure a guardianship or conservatorship to be authorized to continue making decisions about care and finances.

• Question - How can I carve out time for myself without feeling guilty?

  I"m my mother's caregiver, and I feel guilty when I take time for myself.

• Question - How can you divide up household and personal items when there is no will?

  When a person dies without a will, a probate court will get involved in overseeing how remaining property is divided.

• Question - What can I do to get my money from a trust fund?

  You may have to take legal action to get a stubborn trustee to live up to his or her duties.

Tips & Reflections

• Tip - Plan an employment exit strategy with a caregiver

  Plan an employment exit strategy with a caregiver