Guides
Guides, by topic
Every guide on the site, grouped by care area.
Assisted Living
Assisted Living Community Fees and Move-In ChargesAssisted living community fees and move-in charges in plain words: what fee types to expect, what to ask, and how to get every charge in writing first.Assisted Living Tours: What to Watch at MealtimesA mealtime tour shows how assisted living really works. Learn what to watch in the dining room, what to ask about food and diets, and when to visit.Assisted Living Versus Memory Care When Memory Is the NeedAssisted living versus memory care when memory is the need, comparing safety, staffing, daily help and fit so families can choose the right setting well.Assisted Living for a Parent With Parkinson's: Questions That MatterChoosing assisted living for a parent with Parkinson's takes specific questions. Ask about falls, medication timing, mobility help, training, and therapy.Assisted living for couples with different care needsCompare shared rooms, individual assistance, memory support, two-person fees, and future changes when partners need different levels of care.Does Medicare or Medicaid pay for assisted livingA person in assisted living can have some medical care paid for and still owe the full cost of housing. This guide shows why.HCBS Waiver Waitlists for Assisted Living, ExplainedLearn how HCBS waiver waitlists for assisted living work, why waits happen, what federal Medicaid figures mean, and what to do while you wait for a spot.How to build an assisted living budget beyond the advertised rateSeparate housing, care, optional services, and future increases in an ALF budget.How to compare assisted living facilities before choosing oneMatch care, daily life, fees, and entry rules at each home before you sign.Preparing for a move into assisted livingOrganize agreements, care information, daily routines, and follow-up for an assisted living move.Questions to ask about assisted living staffing and overnight helpAsk specific questions about staff availability, outside clinicians, and help during the night.When Assisted Living Says Care Needs Are Too HighIf assisted living says care needs are too high, slow down and get the reasons in writing. Learn the next steps, from care conferences to the ombudsman.
Hospice
Does Medicare Pay for Hospice Care at Home?Yes, Medicare pays for hospice care at home when a person qualifies. Learn what the benefit covers, the small costs a patient pays, and what it leaves out.Hospice Room and Board in a Nursing Home: Who Pays?Who pays for room and board when hospice care is given in a nursing home, what Medicare hospice covers, and the paths families use for room costs.Hospice Volunteers: What They Do and How to AskHospice volunteers explained in plain words: what they do, what they do not do, how they are trained and how to ask your hospice team for volunteer help.Plan daily help when hospice is provided at homeBuild a realistic daily support schedule around hospice visits, family availability, paid help, and respite arrangements.Questions to ask when choosing a hospice providerAsk hospice providers about acceptance, visits, after-hours response, coordination, and expenses that remain with the household.Receive hospice while living in a care home or ALFClarify the separate responsibilities and charges of a residential care setting and a visiting hospice team.Talking With Children About a Grandparent's Hospice CareLearn how to talk with children about a grandparent hospice care, with honest plain words for each age, help for visits, and support for school and routine.The Levels of Hospice Care and What Each CoversThe four levels of hospice care in plain words: routine home care, continuous home care, inpatient respite, and general inpatient care, and what each covers.What Hospice Care Looks Like Day by Day at HomeWhat hospice care looks like day by day at home, with regular team visits, comfort care, family roles, night help and what changes as time goes on at home each day.What Medicare hospice covers and what you may still payUnderstand Medicare hospice eligibility, related services, room-and-board exclusions, and possible drug or respite cost sharing.What to clarify before signing a hospice election statementReview eligibility, treatment questions, the attending clinician, financial responsibilities, and later choices before a hospice election.When to Call the Hospice Team at NightLearn when to call the hospice team at night, what changes to watch for, what to note before you call, and how to follow the plan your team gave you.
Paying for Care
Checking Medicare Savings Programs and Extra HelpSome people have a hard time paying Medicare costs. They may qualify for help.Comparing a Medicare Summary Notice with a home health billMatch a Medicare Summary Notice to home health invoices, read the payment columns, check receipts, and prepare focused questions about differences.Does Medicare Pay for a Hospital Bed at Home?Learn when Medicare covers a hospital bed at home as durable medical equipment, what you pay, and what to ask the supplier before delivery for your family.Getting Medicare Notices in SpanishLearn how to request Medicare notices and the handbook in Spanish, change your language choice, and get free interpreter help on Medicare calls.Long-Term Care Insurance Waiting Periods, ExplainedLearn how long-term care insurance waiting periods work, when the clock starts, calendar days vs service days, and the steps to file a claim with confidence.Medicaid Spend-Down in Plain LanguageLearn how Medicaid spend-down works for income and savings, spousal protections, and records to keep, in plain language with clear steps you can use today.Medicare Medicaid insurance and private pay: separating the billsOne care plan can have more than one payer.Medicare Open Enrollment: A Care-Needs Checklist (Oct 15 – Dec 7)Use this plain care-needs checklist during Medicare Open Enrollment, Oct 15 to Dec 7, to compare plans against real care, drug, and provider needs at home.Preparing a care budget that includes more than the monthly rateA useful care budget includes the regular bill, occasional expenses, and a plan for changes.Veterans Benefits That Can Help Pay for Care at HomeLearn how VA pension, Aid and Attendance, and Housebound benefits can help veterans and spouses pay for care at home, and how to check if you qualify.What a Caregiver Contract Can and Cannot DoLearn what a family caregiver contract should cover, what it cannot promise, and why clear records and advice matter before care and payment begin at home.What to do when a care claim or coverage request is deniedA denial can concern eligibility, a requested service, a bill, or an authorization.Who Pays When Medicare Home Health Coverage Ends?Learn who pays when Medicare home health coverage ends, what costs may remain, and what steps to take next to plan care and protect your budget at home.
Home Care
After a Fall at Home: Building a Safer RoutineAfter a fall at home, build a safer routine step by step: check for injury, learn why it happened, fix home risks, rebuild strength, and restore confidence.Build a home care budget that includes the gapsBuild a home care budget with dated local quotes. Use the same plan for each quote. Add set payer help, home costs, and back up costs.Caregiver transportation charges: questions to ask before a tripCheck caregiver time, mileage, waiting, vehicle permission and cancellation terms before paying for an accompanied trip. Use a clear written estimate and invoice record.Compare overnight help with live-in home careCompare awake overnight help, sleeping overnight help, and live-in help. Look at staff terms, privacy, and the full cost.Coordinate paid home care with family helpPlan how relatives and paid helpers work together. Use a shared schedule, clear tasks, private notes, and fair limits.Home Care Rates: Hourly, Weekly and Monthly, ExplainedHome care rates explained in plain words: how hourly, weekly, and monthly costs work, what the national median is, and how to plan a home care budget.Home Care Versus Adult Day: Cost and Coverage Side by SideCompare home care and adult day health care side by side, with median costs, what each one covers, and plain questions to ask before you choose either one.Home Care for a Parent Who Refuses Help: Starting the ConversationA parent who refuses help is common and hard. Learn calm ways to start the talk, listen well, offer first steps, and keep trust while safety grows at home.How to decide what help you need at homeFind what help is needed each day. Keep personal care apart from medical care. Turn gaps into a home plan that can work.Overnight Safety Checklist for Dementia at HomeUse this print-friendly overnight safety checklist for dementia at home: lighting, doors, bathroom trips, wandering risks, and calm steps for a safer night.Questions to ask before hiring a home care agencyCompare agency staffing, licensing records, worker screening, backup coverage, and written charges before hiring help at home.
Home Health
Choose a home health agency using care needs and coverageCompare home health firms by staff and start times. Compare how they take a case and stay in touch. Compare public facts and what your plan pays for.Coordinate home health and palliative care at homeCoordinate skilled home health and palliative care with distinct team roles, contacts, visit schedules, and payment checks.Does Medicare pay for an in-home caregiver?Learn when Medicare covers home health and aide visits, what it excludes, and how to plan for personal care and out-of-pocket costs.Home Health Under Medicare Advantage: Prior AuthorizationHow prior authorization works for home health in a Medicare Advantage plan, what to ask the plan and agency, and how to avoid delays in care at home.Home Health Wound Care: What the Visits Look LikeSee what home health wound care visits look like step by step: who comes, what the nurse checks, how dressings are changed, and what families should watch for.Open Enrollment Myths About Switching Home Health or HospiceOpen Enrollment changes plans, not providers. This guide clears up myths about switching home health agencies and hospice providers, and what each change takes.Physical Therapy at Home: Goals and Progress NotesPhysical therapy at home explained in plain words, with clear goals, simple progress notes, safety tips and signs that show strength is coming back daily.Plan for the days after home health endsPrepare for home health discharge by confirming follow-up, continuing supplies, remaining assistance, and coverage notices.Questions to Ask at the First Home Health VisitQuestions to ask at the first home health visit, including who to call, visit times, care goals, safety steps and what to note after each visit at home.Respond to a missed home health visitClarify a missed home health visit, get a revised plan, document contacts, and separate care concerns from coverage and payment questions.What you may pay for home health servicesSeparate covered home health visits, equipment cost sharing, and privately paid assistance before agreeing to services.
Palliative Care
Ask about palliative care at homeAsk about palliative visits at home. Ask about daily help, how the team stays in touch, when help is there, and the cost of needs that are still left.Choose a living arrangement while receiving palliative careCompare home and group homes while you get palliative care, by the help each gives, access, and the full cost.Palliative Care During Cancer Treatment: What ChangesPalliative care can run alongside cancer treatment. Learn what the team does, how referrals happen, and what to ask your oncologist in plain words.Palliative Care for Heart Failure: Managing BreathlessnessLearn how palliative care can help with breathlessness in heart failure, how to track triggers, comfort steps to discuss, and when to call the care team.Palliative care and hospice: questions that clarify the differenceCompare palliative care and hospice through treatment goals, eligibility, practical support, living arrangements, and coverage.Prepare for your first palliative care appointmentPrepare your priorities, records, questions, and support needs for a first palliative care appointment.Understand the costs of palliative careCheck the specific services, bills, network rules, and household expenses involved in a palliative care arrangement.Writing Down Symptom Goals for Your Care PlanLearn how to write down symptom goals for your care plan, name symptoms in plain words, rate how much they bother you, and set good day goals with your team.
Adult Day & Respite
Building a realistic budget for day services and respiteCompare day services and respite by the hours of real help they give, not just by the price in the ad.Checking accessibility at an adult day centerPlan an adult-day center visit around entrances, rooms, toilets, communication and agreed assistance. Record barriers, follow-up answers and payment questions.Choosing an adult day program that fits the householdCompare adult day programs by the person's likes, agreed personal help, travel, rules for missed days, and firm pay terms. Settle intake steps before you start.Comparing transportation arrangements for adult day attendanceCompare adult-day rides using assistance needs, pickup and return handoffs, shared routes, charges, coverage questions and backup arrangements.Holiday Respite Planning: Book Before the Calendar FillsPlan holiday respite early for Thanksgiving and Christmas, compare home, center, and short stay options, and pack and schedule with calm steps.PACE Versus Staying With Traditional Medicare at HomeCompare PACE with staying on traditional Medicare at home, including how care teams, centers, and known Medicare costs differ for daily life.PACE as an option for coordinated care in the communityPACE brings medical and social support together for eligible participants in its service area.Planning respite before a family caregiver needs a breakRespite means arranging temporary care so an unpaid caregiver can step away.
Nursing Homes
How Much Does a Nursing Home Cost Per Month?A nursing home costs a median of $9,581 a month for a semi-private room and $10,798 for a private room. See the daily and yearly math and what drives price.How hospital status affects Medicare skilled nursing coverageCheck inpatient and observation dates, understand the three-day rule, identify notices, and clarify payment before a proposed skilled nursing facility stay.How to compare nursing homes using public records and a visitUse Medicare Care Compare, state notes, and direct questions side by side.Nursing home costs when Medicare skilled coverage endsGet ready for the shift in pay when a covered skilled stay ends.Planning a nursing home discharge back to the communityOrganize housing, assistance, services, equipment, and payment before leaving a facility.Questions to ask about Medicaid nursing home participationVerify facility participation, personal eligibility, and charges before relying on Medicaid.Short-term skilled nursing and long-term nursing home careUnderstand two different care and payment arrangements that can occur in the same building.
Health & Caregiving
Creating a family care plan with clear responsibilitiesA family care plan turns a broad promise to help into a clear schedule that can work.Hospice and Palliative Care: Words Families ConfuseLearn the difference between hospice, palliative care, comfort care, and concurrent care in plain words, so family talks about care are clearer.Organizing medicine information for a caregiver handoffA clear medicine record helps everyone talk about the same facts.Planning a home safety review without guessing what equipment to buyA home safety review should connect the living space with the person’s actual abilities and routines.Preparing for an appointment about changing care needsA medical appointment can help clarify a change in daily function, but the visit works better when the concerns are organized.Recognizing financial exploitation in a care arrangementRecognize money-related concerns in a care arrangement, organize factual observations, and find official reporting and support routes without assuming guilt.
Independent Living
Checking accessibility before choosing a new homeUse the person's routine and gear to check a home you may choose.Comparing meal plans in independent livingCompare dining hours, included meals, meal credits, access, absence terms and written charges before choosing an independent living meal plan.How to budget for independent living and outside assistanceBuild one budget for housing, daily needs, outside help, and moving expenses.Independent living housing versus assisted livingCompare the housing deal with the help a person truly needs.Planning support while living independently with a disabilityMap daily assistance, community resources, housing needs, and personal choices.What to ask before signing a continuing care community agreementReview housing, entrance fees, service access, and future-care terms in a CCRC contract.
Care Homes
Care home expenses to request in writingBuild a written care home quote that covers day-to-day charges, time away, and changes in needs.How to check a care home license and complaint historyCheck the operator and state license. Read the check findings. Learn what to ask next.How to compare a small care home with a larger ALFCompare home size, care plans, privacy, costs, and future needs.Planning a care home stay when needs may changeAsk about reassessment, outside services, and possible moves before entering a care home.What is a care home and how do state names differUnderstand care homes, adult family homes, board-and-care homes, and state licensing terms.
Disability Support
Comparing accessible living arrangements for a disabled adultA home must fit the real routines, gear, and help of the person. It must fit how they talk with others too.Finding a Center for Independent Living and local supportA Center for Independent Living can be a good place to start. It helps disabled adults who want facts or support for community living.Organizing personal assistance while protecting choice and privacyPersonal help works best when roles and limits are clear to all.Planning personal assistance for a trip away from homePlan personal assistance while traveling and at your destination, accessible lodging, handoffs, working hours, funding questions and a complete trip budget.Preparing for a Medicaid community-support assessmentA community-support assessment should describe the help a person needs in daily life.
Memory Care
Choosing memory support at home or in residential careA memory care choice should start with the person's daily life, their likes, and the help they have.Comparing memory-care fees without overlooking extra chargesA monthly memory-care quote may not include every expense.Preparing a useful memory-care tour checklistA tour is a chance to test whether a setting can explain how it would support a particular person.Understanding Medicare dementia care support and the GUIDE modelHelp with dementia can include medical assessment, care coordination, caregiver education, and hands-on assistance.When the Clocks Change: Evening Routines and Dementia (Nov 1)Help a person with dementia through the Nov 1 clock change with steady evening routines, light and activity timing, and calm safety checks at home.