CHECKLISTS
Printable caregiver checklists
Concrete, kind, and made to print — 25 of them, for the moments that catch families off guard. Start wherever you are.
Your first week as a caregiver
The handful of things that actually matter in the first seven days — and what can wait.
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Choosing in-home care: questions to ask
What to ask an agency or caregiver before anyone starts, so you choose with confidence.
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Documents to gather (before you need them)
The paperwork that unlocks help — collected calmly now, not scrambled for in a crisis.
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Bringing a parent home from the hospital
The discharge-week checklist — what to pin down before you leave, so the first days home go smoothly.
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Organizing a parent's medications safely
A calm system for pills, refills, and side effects — so nothing gets missed or doubled.
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Fall-proofing a parent's home
A room-by-room walk-through to remove the hazards that cause most falls — most fixes are small and cheap.
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Touring an assisted living or care community
What to look for, ask, and notice on a visit — beyond the polished lobby and the sales pitch.
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Talking with a parent about needing help
How to raise driving, safety, money, and care without it becoming a fight — one calm conversation at a time.
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Caring for a parent from far away
How to stay genuinely helpful from another city — build a local circle, a routine, and a plan for emergencies.
Open →Building a calm daily routine for dementia
This checklist helps you create a steady, predictable day that can ease confusion and reduce stress for both your loved one and you.
Open →Choosing a memory-care community: what to look for
This checklist helps you evaluate memory-care communities so you can find a supportive environment that fits your loved one's needs and your family's peace of mind.
Open →Power of attorney & advance directives: what to set up
This checklist helps you understand key legal documents that let someone make decisions on your loved one's behalf if they can't.
Open →Finding respite so you can rest
This checklist helps you identify and arrange breaks from caregiving so you can recharge.
Open →Paying for care: where the money can come from
This checklist helps you explore the different sources and programs that may help cover caregiving costs.
Open →Hospice and palliative care: understanding the difference
This checklist helps you learn the key differences between hospice and palliative care so you can have informed conversations with doctors about your loved one's options.
Open →Hiring and vetting in-home help
This checklist helps you find and evaluate an in-home caregiver who is trustworthy, qualified, and a good fit for your loved one's needs.
Open →Keeping a parent who wanders safe
This checklist helps you create a secure environment and a plan so your parent can move about with greater peace of mind.
Open →Easing late-day confusion (sundowning)
This checklist offers practical, steady steps to create calm evenings and reduce confusion when it tends to rise.
Open →Protecting yourself from caregiver burnout
This checklist helps you recognize when you need a break and take small, steady steps to care for yourself while caring for someone else.
Open →Setting up the home for walkers, wheelchairs & falls
This checklist helps you make the home safer and easier to navigate for someone using a walker or wheelchair, or who is at risk of falls.
Open →Care benefits for veterans and their spouses
This checklist helps you explore care and support options available to veterans and their spouses.
Open →When a parent is suddenly hospitalized
This checklist helps you handle the immediate tasks and decisions that come up when a parent enters the hospital unexpectedly.
Open →The hard conversation about giving up driving
This checklist helps you prepare for and navigate a thoughtful conversation with a loved one about when it might be time to stop driving.
Open →Mealtime, appetite & nutrition as needs change
This checklist helps you recognize changes in appetite and nutrition, and make practical adjustments to keep mealtimes comfortable and nourishing.
Open →The first steps after a parent dies
This checklist helps you navigate the immediate tasks and decisions after losing a parent, without expecting you to handle everything at once.
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