Photo: Elinor Carucci/Ricco/Maresca Gallery

AARP Resources: Caregiving The odds are good that some day you will give care to older relatives, most likely your parents.

In a recent study, the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP found that caregiving had occurred in about one in four households in the previous year, with somebody over age 18 caring for someone over age 50. Whether you're already a caregiver or are looking to the future, these resources should help.

OVERVIEW

Caregiving: What You Should Know
An overview of caregiving, this page touches on the work-caregiving balance, finances, and caring for yourself. It also stresses the importance of planning ahead to assume caregiving duties.

ASSESSING THE SITUATION

Knowing if Your Relative Needs Help
While an older person's need for assistance usually evolves slowly, it can appear suddenly. Here's how to know when somebody needs help and what to do if a crisis strikes.

Helping Older Parents Assess Their Situation
Are mom and dad okay to keep living on their own, or not? You can get a professional assessment—and hints on what to do next—from a medical/social work team or geriatric care manager. Assessments address, among other things, your parents' health, behavior, medications, environmental safety, finances, and personal interests.

Talking About Independent Living
There's no doubt about it: talking to your parents about their future living arrangements can be tricky. This page tells you how to negotiate a potential familial minefield, giving a plan for what to ask and how to ask it.

Research Center: Independent Living
Need more information on how to help your relative stay independent as long as possible? Here, you can find out about options such as consumer-directed services, where you can hire your own home-care workers under publicly funded programs, and assisted living. Another recent report shows how other boomers cope with caregiving, especially "sandwich boomers" who care for aging parents and young children.

Evaluating Driving Safety
Is your older relative still safe on the roads? This page suggests subtle ways to find out—and tactful ways to broach the subject.

TAKING CARE OF YOUR PARENTS

Finding Help
Not sure where to turn for help? Read on. This section tells you how to get in touch with area agencies on aging, geriatric care managers, and support services.

Long-Distance Caregiving
Telepathy doesn't help much with long-distance caregiving, but having a list of people who can check on your parents does. Here, discover ways to help from afar, from locating community services to making the most of occasional visits.

Providing Care at Home
Because many people prefer to stay at home as long as possible, you may want to browse this link. Here, you can learn how to find and use community services such as meals programs and transportation. The article also tells about health care, such as adult day services and hospice, and caregiver support.

Giving Hands-On Care
Caring for a parent who needs help with the basics—eating, bathing, dressing, and the like—can be a rewarding but difficult job. This article raises issues you should consider before deciding to care for an ailing parent at home, such as whether you are physically able to help with walking and bathing, whether you can afford to stop working and whether your spouse and kids are on board.

Communicating with Health Professionals
Do you know what the doctor really told your mom at her last visit? Does your mom know? Communications barriers may keep your parents from getting the best medical care. This page explains how to ask questions, do research, and share information that may improve your parents' health.

Legal Issues
Along with caregiving comes a host of legal issues. This article tells which ones are important, such as banking access, durable power of attorney, and living wills, and explains how you can help your parents take action.

Knowing Public Benefits Programs
Many federal programs that can help your relative exist. Here's an overview of the big ones, like Social Security and Medicare, and links to many others.

Modifying a Home
You can renovate a home so that it's safe for people of all ages. Take this interactive tour to find out how. Suggestions include raising a dishwasher to avoid stooping, and installing door levers instead of slippery round knobs.

TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

Balancing Work and Caregiving
Trying to mix full-time caregiving and a full-time job can be challenging. This page provides creative ways to balance work and home, keeping your boss and co-workers satisfied.

Involving Others
You might not want to ask for help with caregiving, but a broad base of support is good for your parents and enables you to stay energized for the long haul. This page offers tips on asking friends or neighbors to help with small tasks and on discussing caregiving with your spouse. It also reminds you who should always be involved in decisions—your parents themselves.

Managing Stress
More than half the people who care for their parents experience stress. How can you manage it best? In addition to the usual advice on eating right and sleeping enough, this page offers suggestions on holding air-clearing family meetings, setting limits, and recognizing the anger-guilt-anger cycle.

Caregivers' Circle
Need somebody to talk to? Click here, then scroll down to the Caregivers' Circle, where you can chat with and learn from other caregivers. Recent posts involved getting a mom to accept her caregiver and getting a father-in-law to stop driving, as well as a message about believing in yourself.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Other Resources
Still have questions? Check out this list of caregiving resources, which covers topics from end-of-life issues to bed rails.