Managing Care

• Article - Managing Congestive Heart Failure

  A parent with congestive heart failure can lead an active life, especially if he knows how to manage the early-stage symptoms. Here's how to help.

• Article - How to Provide Alzheimer's Support From a Distance

  Ten great ideas to help you care for your parent with Alzheimer's disease when you can't be there in person.

• Article - How to Tell if Your Parent With Alzheimer's Needs Assisted Living

  How to tell if your parent with Alzheimer's needs assisted living. These questions will help you decide whether your parent needs more assistance.

• Article - Medicaid: A Beginner's Guide

  Medicaid: A Beginner's Guide. What is Medicaid? Who qualifies for Medicaid? What does Medicaid cover?

• Checklist - 8 Essentials for Bathing Your Parent

  Having these items on hand will make bathtime safer...

• Article - Is a Home Share Right for Your Parents?

  How to help your parents determine whether sharing their home with a tenant who can help with the housework (and the cash flow) is the right housing alternative for them.

• Article - Cancer and Mouth Sores

  Mouth sores are one of the most common side effects of cancer and chemotherapy. Learn how to prevent, treat and reduce the pain of chemo mouth sores.

• Article - What to Do If Your Parents Refuse to Stop Driving

  How to keep a dangerous driver off the roads and out of harm's way -- what to do if your parents refuse to stop driving.

• Article - How to Hire an At-Home Caregiver

  How to Hire a Caregiver. Hiring a home care aide or caregiver can help parents remain at home -- and take some pressure off the rest of the family.

• Article - Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance): A Beginner's Guide

  Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance): A Beginner's Guide. Who's eligible for Medicare Part A and what hospital care is covered by Medicare Part A?

• Article - How to Care for a Parent With Fecal Incontinence

  Fecal or bowel incontinence can be caused by Alzheimer's, stroke, Parkinson's and other diseases that strike the elderly. Learn how you can help.

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

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

• Checklist - 10 Ways You Can Help Your Parents Prevent a Stroke

  Stroke prevention: 10 ways you can help prevent a stroke. These stroke prevention strategies will help your parents reduce their risk of a stroke.

• Article - How to Care for a Parent With Urinary Incontinence

  Caring for a parent with urinary incontinence is a difficult issue. Here are some basics to help.

• Article - Medicare: A Beginner's Guide

  Medicare: A Beginner's Guide. What is Medicare? Who's eligible for Medicare? What's covered by Medicare? How much does Medicare cost?

• Checklist - 6 Ways to Make Bathing Your Parent More Comfortable

  There's no getting around the inherent awkwardness...

• Checklist - 8 Life Issues You're Bound to Face When Caring for an Aging Parent

  You'll deal with a range of challenges when caring for your elderly parents. The way you approach these tough issues is as important as what you say.

• Article - Giving Your Parent a Bed Bath: A Step-by-Step Guide

  Giving Your Parent a Bed Bath: A Step-by-Step Guide. When getting to the shower or tub is impossible, a bed bath is the only option.

• Article - Bathing Your Dad: A Beginner's Guide

  Strategies for tackling one of the trickiest and most intimate parts of caring for your father when he's unable to care for himself.

• Checklist - 8 Questions to Ask an Occupational Therapist After Your Parent Breaks a Hip

  Once your parent is back at home after suffering a...

• Checklist - 8 Things to Do When You First Learn Your Parent Has Alzheimer's

  Practical steps you can take when you're wondering...

• Article - Medigap: A Beginner's Guide

  Medigap: A Beginner's Guide. What is medigap? What are the medigap insurance plans and what do they cover? Are my parents eligible for medigap?

• Checklist - 10 Ways You Can Help Your Parents Prevent a Heart Attack

  Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. Reduce the risks by following these 10 ways to prevent a heart attack.

• Article - What to Expect After a Heart Attack

  What to expect after a heart attack. A caregiver's guide to common physical and emotional concerns. Find out what to expect and how you can help.

• Checklist - 7 Questions to Ask the Physical Therapist After Your Parent Has Fractured Her Hip

  Recovery from a broken hip requires physical therapy and specific exercises. Here are 7 questions to ask the physical therapist after breaking a hip.

• Article - How to Communicate Better When Your Parent Has Early-Stage Alzheimer's or Dementia

  How to better communicate when your parent has early stage Alzheimer's or dementia. Keep these simple Alzheimer's communication techniques in mind.

• Article - What to Do When Your Parent Shows Signs of Sundown Syndrome at Home

  Sundown Syndrome affects people with dementia and strikes around sunset. Learn how to minimize sun down syndrome agitation for your loved ones.

• Article - Bathing Your Mom: A Beginner's Guide

  Strategies for tackling one of the trickiest and most intimate parts of caring for your mother when she's unable to care for herself.

• Article - How to Get the Help You'll Need to Care for Your Parent With Cancer

  Comprehensive information on getting help when caring for a parent with cancer. Related information is available in the cancer section of Caring.com.

• Article - How Much Care Will Your Parent Need After a Stroke?

  How to assess how much care and help your parent will need after a stroke.

• Article - Making Your Parent's Kitchen Safer After a Stroke

  Practical tips and resources to make your elderly parent's kitchen safe after a stroke. Plus, how to modify the kitchen for someone in a wheelchair.

• Checklist - 10 Questions to Ask After a Stroke

  10 Questions to Ask After a Stroke. Is there is a stroke recovery timeline? What is the prognosis after a stroke? Get answers to aide in recovery.

• Article - How to Tell if Your Parent Is Having a Stroke

  How to Tell if Your Parent Is Having a Stroke. 5 stroke symptoms to watch for and what to do if your parent shows symptoms of a stroke.

• Article - Physical Therapy to Help Your Parent With Incontinence

  Physical therapy for incontinence -- including exercises, biofeedback, and "bladder retraining" -- can help your parent improve control over urination.

• Article - Nausea and Cancer Treatment: What You Can Do

  Chemotherapy is the number one cause of nausea in cancer patients. The first step to preventing nausea is to take the threat of nausea seriously.

• Checklist - 11 Questions to Ask When Selecting Incontinence Products

  Before you dive into the ever-expanding world of incontinence...

• Article - Neuropathy and Chemotherapy: What You Can Do

  Chemotherapy can cause neuropathy, the medical term for nerve damage. Here's what you can do to prevent and minimize neuropathy and nerve damage.

• Article - TIA: What You Should Know if Your Parent Is at Risk for a Stroke

  Understanding your parent's risk of a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or ministroke, including the symptoms of a TIA and what you should do if your parent has a stroke or a ministroke.

• Article - Nausea: Helping Your Parent Keep Up His Appetite

  An action plan for helping your parent with cancer boost his appetite so he can get the nutrition he needs.

• Article - What to Do When Your Parent Experiences Depression After a Heart Attack

  Understanding the emotional aftermath of your parent's heart attack, including the warning signs of depression and what you can do to help.

Questions & Answers

• Question - If I have a Medicare Advantage (Plan C) managed care plan, can I switch back to regular Medicare Parts A and B?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What's the difference between a guardianship and a conservatorship?

  What's the difference between a guardianship and a conservatorship? I want to know because my elderly parent refuses to sign a power of attorney.

• Question - How can I get my mother, who has dementia, to calm down in her nursing home?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I overcome my father's refusal to ask for help with his cancer care?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is a Medicaid annuity a scam?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is there an alternative to washing my father's private areas?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does stress affect Alzheimer's?

  Does stress cause Alzheimer's symptoms or make them worse? Here's expert advice on dealing with Alzheimer's and dementia behaviors affected by stress.

• Question - How can I keep my father, who has dementia, from losing things?

  Does your parent with dementia keep losing things? If your parent loses things often, a few simple tricks will help keep track of his items.

• Question - do alzheimers patients sometimes scream for absolutely...

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What are some budget-friendly ways to keep my mom safe during bathing?

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

• Question - How can I help my elderly father use a bedpan?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I encourage my mother to be more independent after her stroke?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my dad, who has Alzheimer's, communicate?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Could my mother's sleeping pills be causing her sundown syndrome?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• 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 - Is my father's discomfort a week after his angioplasty normal?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

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

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My mother has been depressed since her cancer diagnosis; how can I persuade her to see a therapist?

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

• Question - What can I do to encourage my father to work on recovering from his stroke?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should I continue to encourage my mom to be social, even as her Alzheimer's worsens?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should my mom's house remain unchanged even though she has memory problems?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I make sure my father with Alzheimer's remembers to take his medicines?

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

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

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What financial help is available for caregivers who had to quit their jobs?

  Does financial help for caregivers exist when they give up a job to help? Not from the government, but other kinds of financial help are available.

• Question - How can I persuade my mother, who has stomach cancer, to quit smoking?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I tell whether my father's incontinence after his stroke is temporary?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can a parent revise or revoke a durable power of attorney for healthcare or finances?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is it safe to leave a parent with Alzheimer's home alone?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Doctor recommends quitting chemo. Is this common?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should I take cigarettes away from my mother, who has Alzheimer's, for fear she'll start a fire?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Could my father's loud snoring be caused by a medical problem?

  Loud snoring may indicate a medical problem like sleep apnea. Loud snoring could also be caused by obesity, alcohol, smoking, and medications.

• Question - What's an assisted-living community fee and how much is it?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why are my father's heart palpitations getting more frequent?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Since her cancer diagnosis, my mother has seemed very depressed. Does she need professional help?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why are my father's abilities improving and then regressing since his stroke?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What can I do to help my dad stay comfortable during bath time?

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

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

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why do Alzheimer's patients remember certain things and forget others?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I ease my father's discomfort when I have to help him with physically intimate tasks?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I set up a conservatorship for my mother?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I be sure that my mother's headaches aren't really ministrokes, or TIAs?

  If a parent often has a headache after a stroke, what does it mean? Is it a TIA (transient ischemic attack), or are headaches after a stroke common?

• Question - What's the best way to respond when my parent with memory problems keeps repeating himself?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is there an alternative to washing my mom's private areas?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What could be causing my 80-year-old father's repeated falls?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• 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 often do I need to bathe my parent?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my parent control nausea while he's on chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What's the best way to ask for a second opinion on my mother's breast cancer?

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

• Question - Is there anything that will help relieve my dad's pain after his stroke?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I encourage my listless mom to bathe?

  Elderly people sometimes refuse to bathe out of modesty or fear of falling. What can you do to help when when a parent refuses to bathe or shower?

• Question - Can you offer any advice on bathing a modest parent?

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

• Question - How can I convince my dying mother to write a "goodbye" letter to her grandchildren?

  How can I convince my dying mother to write a goodbye letter to her grandchildren? A goodbye letter would create sustaining memories for the children.

• Question - Are hallucinations common in people with Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Do hip protectors really work to prevent fractures?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• 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 - Am I responsible for my parent's debt?

  Am I responsible for my parent's debt? I recently discovered that my father has several thousand of dollars of debt. Are parent debts transferable?

• Question - What's the emergency procedure for obtaining durable power of attorney for finance or health care?

  What's the emergency procedure for obtaining durable power of attorney for finance or health care? Get answers on obtaining durable power of attorney.

• Question - What help is available to pay for prescription drugs?

  Can your parent get financial help to pay for prescription drugs? Does Medicare cover drugs, or are there other ways to get help paying for prescriptions?

• Question - How can I get my brother to help with Alzheimer's care?

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - do drug companies help pay for chemotherapy

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What's the best way to help my 250-pound father walk?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - When a person with Alzheimer's repeatedly makes mistakes, is it OK to correct her?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my kids understand their grandfather's aphasia after his stroke?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I get my parent's doctor to give us complete and honest information?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What if my dad's doctor doesn't think it's Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why doesn't my mother's doctor want to perform a red blood cell transfusion, just because she's never had one before?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Could herbal supplements affect my mother's ability to drive?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I get my father, who has prostate cancer, to accept help from others?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does Medicare cover adult day care for Alzheimer’s...

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What happens to patients on chemo if they catch a cold or the flu?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is there any program that offers free or low-cost dental care for seniors?

  Can seniors get low-cost or free dental care from Medicare, Medigap, or Medicaid? Or are there other resources for senior dental assistance?

Tips & Reflections

• Tip - When TV Commotion Frustrates an Alzheimer's Patient

  If you notice your parent losing interest in TV shows...

• Tip - Pamper Your Parent With a Pedicure

  If your parent has had a stroke, it might be difficult...

• Tip - Use a Child-Size Spoon for Swallowing Problems

  People with cancer often have problems swallowing,...

• Tip - Ear Tubes Can Relieve Earache After Brain Radiation

  One of the common side effects of radiation treatment...

• Tip - Monitoring Fluid Retention for Heart Failure

  If your parent has heart failure, one of the important...

• Tip - Help Your Parent Find the Bathroom

  If your parent with dementia can't remember where the...

• Tip - Art Projects Help With Alzheimer's

  Coloring is a relaxing activity for a parent with early...

• Tip - Power Lunch, Nursing Home Style

  The best time to visit a nursing home is at lunch,...

• Tip - Bathing Is a Great Time for a Gentle Mini-Workout

  Whether your parent is bed-bound or up and around a...

• Tip - Resources for Tuning Up Driving Skills

  Elderly drivers can assess and brush up on their driving...

• Tip - Balance Your Parent's B Vitamins to Prevent and Treat Neuropathy

  Doctors typically suggest taking vitamin B6 -- sometimes...

• Tip - Communicating With a Parent Who Has Alzheimer's

  Can't figure out what your parent with Alzheimer's...

• Tip - Treat Radiation Burns With Healing Gel

  How to treat radiation burns. A radiation burn can cause red, raw skin. Heal the pain of burns with cooling gel sheets like Radiacare and RadiaDres.

• Tip - Rest Easier With a Medical Emergency Alert System

  If your parent lives alone, an emergency alert system...

• Tip - Increase Bathroom Privacy

  If your parent needs help to and from the toilet, buy...

• Tip - Use a Personal Fan to Combat Nausea

  Nausea, which affects about half of those who undergo...

• Tip - A Timely Reminder for Stroke Survivors

  If your parent has had a stroke, is he neglecting his...

• Tip - Managing Zippers After a Stroke

  Simple daily tasks like zipping and unzipping your...

• Tip - A Photo Album Full of Memories

  If your parents are claiming that every last item in...

• Tip - Why Older Drivers Should Keep Fit

  Research has shown that keeping fit can help older...

• Tip - Cut the Pain of Mouth Sores With Antacid Solutions

  Antacids can help reduce mouth sore pain as a result of chemotherapy or radiation. Learn how to alleviate mouth sore pain by using common antacids.

• Tip - Eliminate Shadows to Avoid Confusion

  Replace lightbulbs in rooms that your parent with Alzheimer...

• Tip - Serve Small Portions on Large Plates to Control Nausea

  If dealing with nausea is a daily battle for your parent...

• Tip - Alleviate the Pain of Claw Toe

  One of the more painful complications of stroke is...

• Tip - Medicine Dispensers: The Right Pills at the Right Time

  If your parent has trouble keeping track of medications...

• Tip - Where to Look for Missing Household Items

  If your parent has a tendency to lose things, get in...

• Tip - Wheelchair Reality Check

  If you're working on making your parents' home more...

• Tip - Be Prepared for Accidents Away From Home

  If your parent is incontinent, remember to keep an...

• Tip - Caregiver Cooperatives

  Just as parents in babysitting co-ops trade childcare...

• Tip - Listen to the Doctor's Advice

  Do you ever feel like you're being bombarded with information...

• Tip - Double up on Help

  If you're hiring an in-home health aide for your parents...

• Tip - Protect Floors and Carpets From Food Spills

  Mealtimes can be frustrating for both stroke survivors...

• Tip - A Dark Bath Mat Makes Tub Less Scary for Some Alzheimer's Patients

  Some people with Alzheimer's or dementia have trouble...

• Tip - Reduce Tingling and Numbness from Neuropathy With Powdered L-Glutamine

  The drugs used for chemotherapy have the unfortunate...

• Tip - Limit Clothing Choices for a Parent With Dementia

  Does your parent's Alzheimer's cause her to sometimes...

• Tip - Give Liquids Before Meals to Prevent Nausea

  Cancer patients battling nausea often find they start...

• Tip - Keep a Notebook to Help Manage Heart Failure

  Careful, accurate records are vital when your parent...

• Tip - Saving Space by Storing Clothes

  To save precious space in your parents' itty-bitty...

• Tip - Know When You're Needed at Night

  If your parent tends to need your help in the middle...

• Tip - React FAST to a Possible Stroke

  If you think your parent may have had a stroke, act F...

• Tip - A Word You Should Forget in Alzheimer's Conversations

  Consider losing the word why from your vocabulary. Why...

• Tip - Curly Elastic Shoelaces Make "Tying" Shoes a Snap

  If your parent has had a stroke, tying her own shoes...

• Tip - Easier Dressing for Someone With Alzheimer's

  Tiny buttons, zippers, snaps, and hook-and-eye closures...

• Tip - Getting Around When Driving Isn't Possible

  For advice on how to help your elderly parents cope...

• Tip - Make Floors Less Confusing to the Alzheimer's Brain

  Take a closer look at your parent's floors if she has...

• Tip - Be Wary of Consuming Too Much Ginger to Combat Nausea

  Ginger is often recommended for nausea. Too much ginger may raise the risk of internal bleeding in chemotherapy patients with low platelet counts.

• Tip - Suck on Zinc Lozenges to Combat a Bad Taste in the Mouth

  It's common among cancer patients to complain of a...

• Tip - Baby Soaps and No-Rinse Soaps Make Bathing Easier

  If your parent resists bathing, consider using baby...

• Tip - Reduce the Embarrassment of Incontinence

  To minimize embarrassment from accidents, encourage...

• Tip - Talk to Your Parent's Doctors About CHF Meds

  People with congestive heart failure (CHF) often take...

• Tip - Map the Move

  When organizing for a move, label anything that's going...

• Tip - Participation Makes Bath Time More Positive

  When your parent can no longer bathe without help,...

• Tip - Heart-Healthy Chocolate?

  How can you help lower your parent's blood pressure...