Medicare vs. Medicaid for long-term care
The two names sound alike, but they cover very different things. Here's the difference that matters when a parent needs ongoing care.
For adult children of aging parents
Helping you help your parents.
When a parent needs more help, the questions come fast: what Medicare covers, which papers you need, who to call. We put the answers in plain English, with a link to the official source for every fact.
Where to start
Short guides on the questions families tend to ask after a hospital stay or a fall.
Before your parent leaves the hospital
A short list of things to ask and gather before discharge, taken from Medicare's own discharge planning checklist.
The legal papers families ask about most
Power of attorney, health care proxy, living will and HIPAA permission: what each one does, in plain English.
Can you get paid to care for a parent?
Sometimes. These are the official programs to ask about, and the rules vary by state.
Helping manage a parent's money
Where to start if your parent needs help with benefits, bills or scams, and the official help that exists.
Home safety: a room-by-room checklist
Simple changes that can help prevent falls at home, from the National Institute on Aging.
The Parent Crisis Binder (free printable)
What you'll be asked for in an ER, at a hospital discharge, or on a benefits form, all in one place. Fill it in with your parent before you need it.
Videos
Our YouTube channel is live, with plain-English videos on the same topics as our guides.
How we keep it honest
- Every fact links to the official source we checked, like Medicare.gov, SSA.gov or the National Institute on Aging.
- We don't sell anything on this site right now, and there are no ads or affiliate links.
- We explain how things work. We don't tell you what to decide for your family.