Advice to Adult Children

Valuable Advice to Help You Support Your Loved One

• Get on the same page as our siblings.
  
  
• Be an advocate for your loved one.
  
  
• Learn to have “difficult conversations” and be firm.
  
  
• Be respectful.
  
  
• Know your loved one’s finances.
  
  
• Get to know, work with, and support your loved one’s medical team.
  
  
• Make sure your doctors do not become complacent.
  
  
• Make sure you are listed on all medical files.
  
  
• Keep a record of your loved one’s medications. (Know what, when, how, and where filled. Ensure that are safe to be taken together, and that all doctors are aware of all medications.)
  
  
• Keep a record of your loved one’s medical information. (i.e. all diagnoses, surgeries, OTC and prescribed medications, allergies, etc.)
  
  
• Know your community resources. (Area Agency on Aging has a directory)
  
  
• Are your loved one’s social and nutritional needs being met?
  
  
• Acknowledge that your elder needs help and determine if he or she might benefit from living in a senior community.
  

This is a handy checklist based on our publication “Advice to Adult Children”. For the complete copy of “Advice to Adult Children”, please call us at 805.884.0095 or email us at info@gardencourt.org.