THE GUIDE LIBRARY

Find a useful next step.

Home safety, everyday arrangements, and useful records for caring for a parent.

40 guides

Daily living

Going to an appointment with a parent: what to bring

Put the appointment details, the papers the clinic asks for, and your parent’s questions in one place. A little preparation leaves more of the visit for listening.

Guide + printable worksheet

Checking a medicine list with a family member

Daily living

Keep a clear medication list and a simple reminder record

This is a record of instructions already given by a clinician. Keep the current list readable, take it to appointments, and use reminders only for the schedule that has been confirmed.

Guide + printable worksheet

An older woman speaking with family by phone

Family help

A contact plan for a parent who lives alone

Agree when you will be in touch, who else can help, and what to do if you cannot reach each other. A plan should respect ordinary time out as well as make uncertainty easier to handle.

Guide + printable worksheet

Family members handing over a care notebook

Family help

When relatives take turns helping: a clear handover

The next person needs to know what happened, what is still outstanding, and where to find the current information. A short factual note is more useful than scrolling through a long group chat.

Guide + printable worksheet

Checking a flashlight and backup supplies

Getting prepared

Help a parent prepare for a power outage

Keep lighting, contact details, and the essentials easy to find. Make the plan before an outage, especially when your parent relies on a lift, a powered door, or equipment that needs electricity.

Guide + printable worksheet

Daily living

A regular home review: check what changed and what needs repair

After the first home safety walk-through, focus on what has changed: a broken light, a new item blocking a route, or a repair that is still waiting. Keep a short dated record.

Guide + printable worksheet

Daily living

Set up a parent’s phone around the things they actually use

Start with one task your parent finds awkward. Adjust it together, let them try it, and leave a short instruction card. More features are not always more helpful.

Guide + printable worksheet

Services and budget

Plan a home change before comparing prices

Start with the everyday problem, then ask for comparable written quotes. A product price alone does not tell you what assessment, installation, permissions, or follow-up will cost.

Guide + printable worksheet

Family help

Helping a parent when you live far away

You can help with calls, bookings, paperwork, and expenses from another town. Start by agreeing what your parent wants, then confirm who can actually help nearby.

Guide + printable worksheet

Family help

A daily help checklist that starts with your parent’s choices

List the everyday things your parent wants help with, from shopping to getting out. Keep independent choices visible and agree what someone has actually offered to do.

Guide + printable worksheet

Getting prepared

Make an emergency contact card your family can find

Keep a short paper list of the people and services you may need to reach. Check the numbers and sharing permissions rather than relying on an old group chat.

Guide + printable worksheet

Getting prepared

Plan a temporary place to stay before you need to leave home

Agree a possible destination, transport, and a person to contact on arrival. Follow local emergency instructions if an evacuation is ordered; a family plan is preparation, not permission to delay.

Guide + printable worksheet

Preparing an overnight bag with a parent

Daily living

A hospital bag checklist: ask the ward before you pack

Hospital rules differ. Confirm what the ward wants you to bring, then pack documents and practical belongings in a way that is easy to find and take home.

Guide + printable worksheet

Family help

Questions to ask before hiring help at home

Compare the exact tasks, hours, costs, replacement arrangements, and ways to raise a concern. Household help and clinical care are different services.

Guide + printable worksheet

Services and budget

A household care budget: regular costs and one-off changes

Use real bills and written quotes to understand the household’s costs. Keep recurring help separate from a one-off repair, and leave unconfirmed funding clearly marked.

Guide + printable worksheet

Talking about future living arrangements

Services and budget

Staying at home or considering a move: questions for the family

Compare your parent’s wishes, the help actually available, everyday access, and full costs. The worksheet organizes a conversation; it does not score someone into a housing or care decision.

Guide + printable worksheet

Looking at a doorway with a wheelchair user

Services and budget

Wheelchair access at home: what to record for an assessment

Record the routes and everyday tasks that are difficult, without testing unsafe movements. Bring those observations to a qualified assessment instead of relying on generic dimensions.

Guide + printable worksheet

Discussing bathroom changes before work begins

Services and budget

Preparing for a bathroom renovation: scope, access, and follow-up

Turn everyday difficulties into a brief for an on-site professional. Confirm the work, full costs, and how your parent will manage while the bathroom is unavailable.

Guide + printable worksheet

Checking supplies before grocery shopping

Daily living

A grocery and household supply list that avoids duplicate buying

Check existing supplies, ask what your parent wants, and agree substitutions and delivery. This is a shopping organizer, not a nutrition or medical diet plan.

Guide + printable worksheet

Daily living

Getting out without driving: compare the whole trip

Compare booking, pickup, access, waiting, cost, and the journey home for one actual trip. Confirm local services instead of assuming availability.

Guide + printable worksheet

Family help

When one family helper has too much to do

Name the task, time, and help you need, then ask what another person can realistically take on. This is a practical conversation guide, not a burnout or mental health assessment.

Guide + printable worksheet

Start here

Fall prevention at home: where to start

Start with your parent's everyday routes, agree on practical changes, and turn a home safety check into a family plan with clear owners and follow-up dates.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Bathroom safety for older adults: what to check

Look beyond the bath mat. Review how your parent enters, uses, and leaves the bathroom, then record the changes that need family or professional help.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Nighttime fall prevention: make the bathroom route easier

A daytime visit can miss nighttime problems. Review the route from bed to bathroom, check lighting in use, and agree on practical changes with your parent.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Stair safety for older adults: what to look for

Walk through your parent's stair routes, record hazards, and make a repair plan. Check handrails, lighting, floor surfaces, and everyday carrying routines.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Rugs and clutter: keep everyday paths clear

Clear everyday walking routes with your parent. Check loose rugs, cords, clutter, and furniture, then create storage habits that keep every pathway usable.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Home lighting for older adults: switches, shadows and glare

Check your parent's lighting along their daily walking routes. Find awkward switches, shadows, and glare, then plan changes and an accessible backup light.

9 min read

Buying thoughtfully

Fall prevention equipment: what to ask before buying

Choose equipment for a specific task in your parent's home. Compare fitting, installation, and upkeep, and understand bed rail risks and alert limitations.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Kitchen safety for older adults: make daily tasks easier

Help your parent keep the kitchen useful. Check one familiar meal routine, organize reachable supplies, and give recurring household problems clear next steps.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Entrance safety for older adults: keys, bags and shoes

A safer entrance needs more than an empty doormat. Review keys, deliveries, door movement, and the route inside with your parent, then assign follow-up tasks.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Outdoor walkways: check the routes your parent uses

Check the outdoor routes your parent uses, from the door to the mailbox or car. Assign seasonal maintenance, track repairs, and plan for changing conditions.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Bedroom safety for older adults: start beside the bed

Make bedroom changes around the routines your parent values. Review clothing storage, reachable essentials, and how helpers restore the room after a visit.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Living room safety: keep everyday things within reach

Keep the living room welcoming and useful. Check the everyday route, agree where essentials belong, and plan how visitors restore the arrangement afterward.

9 min read

Room-by-room

Home safety in a rental: how to ask for repairs

Keep rental-home changes organized. Separate movable belongings from property repairs, write specific requests, and track who is responsible for the next step.

9 min read

Start here

How to talk to aging parents about fall prevention

Talk with your parent about home safety using concrete observations and shared priorities. Agree on one useful change, who will help, and when to review it.

9 min read

Start here

Home safety assessment: how to arrange and prepare for a visit

Prepare for a home safety assessment by recording daily routines, concerns, and room details. Learn what to ask and how to turn recommendations into action.

9 min read

Start here

A family fall prevention plan: who will do what?

Build a family fall prevention plan around real routines. Assign home changes, professional questions, and follow-up dates without making one person do it all.

9 min read

Buying thoughtfully

Footwear for fall prevention: fit, comfort and daily use

Help your parent review shoes for daily use. Check fit, fastening, and worn soles, prepare for a fitting, and ask for professional advice about foot concerns.

9 min read

Buying thoughtfully

Bathroom grab bars: what to check before installation

Plan bathroom grab bars before buying. Discuss the task, placement, wall structure, and qualified installation, then keep instructions and check the result.

9 min read

Buying thoughtfully

Shower chairs for older adults: what to ask before buying

Compare bathing seats around your parent's actual routine. Ask about fit, bathroom space, access, installation, and professional help before choosing a chair.

9 min read

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A practical companion to every guide in this library.

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Find a useful next step.

Going to an appointment with a parent: what to bringGet ready for your appointment

Keep a clear medication list and a simple reminder recordKeep your current medicine instructions together

A contact plan for a parent who lives aloneAgree how to stay in touch

When relatives take turns helping: a clear handoverTell the next helper what they need to know

Help a parent prepare for a power outageKeep a light and a contact card nearby

A regular home review: check what changed and what needs repairCheck what needs attention at home

Set up a parent’s phone around the things they actually useMake your phone easier to use

Plan a home change before comparing pricesBefore buying or building, ask what is included

Helping a parent when you live far awayGet help when family lives far away

A daily help checklist that starts with your parent’s choicesChoose the help you want each day

Make an emergency contact card your family can findKeep important numbers on paper

Plan a temporary place to stay before you need to leave homeAgree where you could stay for a while

A hospital bag checklist: ask the ward before you packPack for hospital with the ward’s list

Questions to ask before hiring help at homeAsk what the helper will do

A household care budget: regular costs and one-off changesWrite down what help will cost

Staying at home or considering a move: questions for the familyTalk about where you want to live

Wheelchair access at home: what to record for an assessmentPoint out places that are hard to use

Preparing for a bathroom renovation: scope, access, and follow-upPlan before changing the bathroom

A grocery and household supply list that avoids duplicate buyingMake a shopping list together

Getting out without driving: compare the whole tripPlan the way there and back

When one family helper has too much to doAsk for help with one clear task

Fall prevention at home: where to start

Bathroom safety for older adults: what to check

Nighttime fall prevention: make the bathroom route easier

Stair safety for older adults: what to look for

Rugs and clutter: keep everyday paths clear

Home lighting for older adults: switches, shadows and glare

Fall prevention equipment: what to ask before buying

Kitchen safety for older adults: make daily tasks easier

Entrance safety for older adults: keys, bags and shoes

Outdoor walkways: check the routes your parent uses

Bedroom safety for older adults: start beside the bed

Living room safety: keep everyday things within reach

Home safety in a rental: how to ask for repairs

How to talk to aging parents about fall prevention

Home safety assessment: how to arrange and prepare for a visit

A family fall prevention plan: who will do what?

Footwear for fall prevention: fit, comfort and daily use

Bathroom grab bars: what to check before installation

Shower chairs for older adults: what to ask before buying

No matching guides yet.

Take the checklist from room to room.

Going to an appointment with a parent: what to bring

Keep a clear medication list and a simple reminder record

A contact plan for a parent who lives alone

When relatives take turns helping: a clear handover

Help a parent prepare for a power outage

A regular home review: check what changed and what needs repair

Set up a parent’s phone around the things they actually use

Plan a home change before comparing prices

Helping a parent when you live far away

A daily help checklist that starts with your parent’s choices

Make an emergency contact card your family can find

Plan a temporary place to stay before you need to leave home

A hospital bag checklist: ask the ward before you pack

Questions to ask before hiring help at home

A household care budget: regular costs and one-off changes

Staying at home or considering a move: questions for the family

Wheelchair access at home: what to record for an assessment

Preparing for a bathroom renovation: scope, access, and follow-up

A grocery and household supply list that avoids duplicate buying

Getting out without driving: compare the whole trip

When one family helper has too much to do