Resources we actually recommend
Caring for a parent comes with questions — about daily routines, safety, emotional support, and planning for what's ahead. Tap any topic below to open it. Start with what feels most relevant today.
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When you don't know where to start
You just realized your parent needs more help than they're letting on. Start here.
Read these first
- Signs Your Parent Needs More Help Than You Think — Her Parents Help
- Caring for an Aging Parent at Home — Where to Start — Her Parents Help
- How to Talk to Your Parents About Needing Help — Her Parents Help
Ready to go deeper?
The Confident Caregiver Course
Everything in one place — legal documents, medical coordination, family dynamics, finances, and your own wellbeing. Step by step, with lifetime access. (Prefer Spanish? La Cuidadora Segura is the full course in Spanish — a separate purchase, so you land in the right language.)
Getting organized before the crisis hits
The most loving thing you can do is get organized before everything becomes an emergency.
Read these first
- How to Organize Your Parent's Important Documents — Her Parents Help
- Power of Attorney for Aging Parents: What Families Need to Know First — Her Parents Help
Trusted resources
- USA.gov Benefits for Seniors — A complete government guide to benefits and programs for seniors and their families.
- Medicare.gov — Understand Medicare coverage, costs, and enrollment, from the source.
- Social Security Administration — Benefits, eligibility, and planning resources from the SSA.
Helpful tools
My tool for this
The Complete Organizer for Aging Parent Care
The organizer every family needs — before a health emergency, not during one. Twelve sections covering medical history, medications, legal documents, financial information, final requests, and confirmation of wills and trusts. Choose your format: an instant printable PDF, or the physical book Before the Crisis on Amazon.
When memory becomes a concern
Resources to understand what's happening and respond with patience and love.
Read these first
- Early Signs of Cognitive Decline — What Families Need to Know — Her Parents Help
- When Your Parent Has Dementia — What Families Need to Know — Her Parents Help
Trusted resources
- Alzheimer's Association — The gold standard for dementia education and support. 24/7 helpline: 800-272-3900.
- National Institute on Aging — Dementia Resources — Clear, compassionate information about all forms of dementia.
- Teepa Snow's Positive Approach to Care — One of the most respected dementia care educators in the world. Her videos are free.
Helpful tools
Keeping your parent safe at home
Assess the risks and make practical changes — falls and home safety are the biggest concerns.
Read these first
- When to Worry About an Aging Parent Living Alone — Her Parents Help
- Tools and Apps to Stay Organized as a Caregiver — Her Parents Help
Trusted resources
- AARP Home Safety Checklist — A free room-by-room checklist to identify and address safety risks.
- National Council on Aging — Resources on falls prevention, home safety, and senior wellness.
- CDC Falls Prevention Resources — Research-backed guidance on preventing falls.
Helpful tools
- TAILI Suction Grab Bars for Bathtub & Shower (2-Pack)
- Medline Shower Chair with Padded Arms & Back
- Five Gait Belt with Handles — Transfer Belt
- FitPlus PowerGrip Grabber Reacher Tool
- Sukuos Large Weekly Pill Organizer — AM/PM, 7-Day
- CallToU Wireless Caregiver Pager & Nurse Call Button
- Simple Houseware 3-Tier Rolling Utility Cart
- Chucks Disposable Underpads (100-Pack)
The hard conversations
Money, final arrangements, what happens when things get worse — having them now is a gift.
Read these first
- How to Talk to Your Parent About Their Final Wishes Without It Being Devastating — Her Parents Help
- What is a Power of Attorney and Why Your Parent Needs One Now — Her Parents Help
- The Difference Between a Will, a Trust, and Nothing — Her Parents Help
Trusted resources
- The Conversation Project — A free starter guide that walks families through end-of-life conversations with grace.
- Five Wishes — A simple, legal advance directive in plain language.
- AARP End of Life Planning Guide — Practical guidance on wills, trusts, and final arrangements.
Helpful tools
My tool for this
The Hard Conversations Guide
Gentle scripts and a step-by-step path for the conversations most families avoid — final wishes, money, care decisions — so you can start them with love instead of dread.
My Wishes, Written Down
The gentle workbook that captures your family's final wishes — medical, funeral, belongings, document locations, and the words to open the conversation — so no one is ever left guessing in the hardest 48 hours. Pairs with Five Wishes to make it legal.
Taking care of yourself too
You cannot pour from an empty cup. Your wellbeing matters just as much as your parent's.
Read these first
- Signs of Caregiver Burnout — And What to Do About It — Her Parents Help
- The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide — Her Parents Help
Support that helps
- Family Caregiver Alliance — Taking Care of You — A free self-assessment and practical guide to caregiver wellness.
- AARP Caregiver Stress Resources — Tools and articles for the emotional toll of caregiving.
- BetterHelp — Online therapy from licensed therapists. Affiliate link — small commission at no cost to you.
- Talkspace — Text, audio, or video therapy sessions on your schedule.
My tool for this
The Sandwich Generation Organizer
Tracks your parent's medical info, medications and appointments, your own symptoms, and your family's schedule — plus a journaling section. Everything in one place, finally.
Caregiver relief essentials — for your body & mind
Lumbar Support Pillow for Chair & Car
Caregivers spend hours hunched over. This mesh lumbar pillow was a game changer for my lower back. Your back is holding up a lot right now.
Copper Compression Arthritis & Carpal Tunnel Gloves
All that gripping, lifting, and assisting takes a toll. Fingerless compression gloves give support without getting in your way.
BYRIVER Acupressure Foot Massage Mat & Slippers
You are on your feet all day. Five minutes targets tired feet, heel pain, and lower-back tension. You deserve five minutes.
Nekteck Shiatsu Neck & Back Massager with Heat
Caregiving tension lives in your neck and shoulders. A real massage without leaving your chair — one of the best investments in yourself you can make.
Ancient Minerals Magnesium Bath Flakes
Magnesium through the skin eases muscle tension, reduces stress, and improves sleep — and caregivers are chronically depleted. The simplest self-care you can give yourself tonight.
Sukeen Cooling Towels 4-Pack
Caregiving is demanding — and if you're also in perimenopause, overheating is constant. Activates with water, stays cool for hours. One for your bag, car, house, and a spare.
Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate
Caregivers are chronically stressed and under-slept — magnesium glycinate addresses both. Calms the nervous system and supports deep sleep. Third-party tested, no fillers.
The Five Minute Journal
Five minutes morning and night — a simple gratitude practice that's one of the most effective antidotes to burnout. You cannot pour from an empty cup.
Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Bands — Set of 5
Staying strong makes the physical demands safer and more sustainable. Ten minutes a day, zero space needed. Movement is medicine.
Free resources every caregiver should know
The resources most families never find until it's too late. Bookmark this one.
- Eldercare Locator — A free government service connecting older adults and caregivers to local resources. Call 800-677-1116. This one is gold.
- Benefits.gov — Search every federal benefit your parent may qualify for in one place.
- National Alliance for Caregiving — Research, advocacy, and resources for family caregivers.
- Medicare.gov — Coverage, costs, plans, and enrollment all in one place.
- Medicaid.gov — Eligibility and how to apply for financial assistance with care costs.
- Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline — 800-272-3900. Free support any time, plus free care consultations.
- The Conversation Project Free Starter Guide — Download it free. Fill it out together.
You are doing something extraordinary.
Caregiving is one of the most demanding and most invisible jobs there is. The fact that you're here — looking for ways to take better care of your parent and yourself — says everything about who you are. This page is updated regularly. Her Parents Help is part of Her Midlife Wellness Help — one woman, two of life's biggest challenges, one trusted resource.
This page contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, Her Midlife Wellness LLC may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you — we only recommend products and services we genuinely believe in. The information on this page is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or medical advice. Please consult a licensed professional before making any legal, financial, or medical decisions.