Health

Caring for an older relative can be complicated-but these conversational scripts (plus expert advice) will help you do the right thing and put your anxieties to rest. Should my mom move into a retirement home? Does my dad have dementia? And how on earth can I get my stepmom to give up her car keys?

Worries like these can plague people with older relatives. Author Laura Tamblyn Watts understands: Her own parents are in their eighties, and she's spent her career informing others about aging people's needs.


Tamblyn Watts outfits readers with 27 prompts and roadmaps for informed, honest conversations with their aging parent-or family members, health care providers, and other professionals. She covers questions like:


Does my parent need help around the house?
What kind of medical issues should we look out for?
Do I really need to help my parent if they're toxic?
How can my family share the caregiving load?


How to have the discussion is just as important as what needs to be discussed, so each chapter has tips for navigating complicated emotions and reaching an agreement when everyone has different ideas. Readers will get informed, have a productive conversation, and make a plan-then focus on making the most of their time with their aging relative.