Days 1–3: immediate safety
- Ask what is most difficult and what help your parent wants.
- Check for falls, new confusion, breathing problems, missed essential medication, lack of food, unsafe driving, wandering, or abuse concerns.
- Confirm working alarms, lighting, clear walkways, bathroom safety, and emergency contacts.
- Call 911 for immediate danger or a medical emergency.
Important
New confusion, weakness, speech changes, severe pain, breathing difficulty, or a significant fall may require urgent evaluation.
Week 1: one accurate information set
- Medication list, allergies, diagnoses, clinicians, pharmacy, and insurance.
- Emergency contacts and one preferred family contact.
- Daily routines, mobility and communication needs, food preferences, and calming strategies.
- Locations or copies of advance directives, health care proxy, power of attorney, identification, and important records.
- Home, pet, utility, and transportation information needed during an emergency.
Week 2: understand daily needs
Review bathing, dressing, toileting, meals, medications, mobility, housekeeping, transportation, finances, appointments, hearing, vision, memory, and social connection. Seek a professional assessment when needs are unclear or changing.
- Write a realistic weekly schedule.
- Assign named responsibilities.
- Include respite and time off.
- List services to explore, such as meals, transportation, home care, adult day services, or care management.
Week 3: organize communication
- Choose one privacy-conscious method for family updates.
- Prepare questions before appointments and record the plan afterward.
- Bring a current medication list and relevant legal authorization.
- Ask who to contact after hours and which symptoms require urgent help.
- Keep clinical records in the appropriate system; use a family organizer for reference.
Week 4: create a backup plan
- Name at least two people or services who can step in.
- Plan for a missed visit, hospitalization, power outage, severe weather, evacuation, or caregiver illness.
- Confirm access to keys, pets, equipment, transportation, and supplies.
- Schedule the next family review date.
Important
Store information securely. Do not leave Social Security numbers, financial passwords, or complete sensitive records in an exposed binder.
If a hospital stay is possible and your parent lives with dementia, review the hospital packing list. If the load is becoming unsustainable, see caregiver burnout symptoms and what to do today.