Resources / Helping a parent
Becoming a caregiver: your first two weeks
If you have just become responsible for someone almost overnight, this is where to start. Do the urgent things first; the rest can wait a little.
The first few days
- Understand the medical situation and needs
- Make sure they are safe day to day
- Locate medications and a list of doctors
- Find the insurance and Medicare cards
- Gather emergency contacts
The legal basics
- Durable power of attorney
- Healthcare proxy and directive
- HIPAA authorization to speak with doctors
- Locate the will, if there is one
Money and bills
- Find the accounts and how bills get paid
- Set up autopay so nothing lapses
- List income (Social Security, pension)
- Note any debts or obligations
Set up for the long run
- A shared way to track appointments and meds
- Divide tasks with other family
- Look into local care and respite options
- One place to keep it all organized
Get the authority in place early. A durable power of attorney and a healthcare proxy are what let you actually act with banks and doctors. Sort these as soon as you can, while it is still possible to sign them.
You do not have to do it alone. Ask other family to take named tasks, and look up local resources early. Caregiving is lighter when it is shared.
Printed and kept where you will see it, this does its job. If you would rather it live somewhere your whole family can reach, that is what MyLifePapers is for.
Common questions
What is the single most important first step?
Getting legal authority in place: a durable power of attorney for finances and a healthcare proxy for medical decisions. Without them, banks and doctors may not be able to work with you, and they can only be signed while your parent is still able to. Everything else gets easier once these exist.