For Family Caregivers

Guides and Checklists

As a first step, you can learn about the unique features of this website in our guide How to Get the Most from the Next Step in Care Website.

 

Guides for All Caregivers

The First Step in Care: Becoming a Family Caregiver — 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. is a family caregiver.  Are you 1?...More

HIPAA: Questions and Answers for Family Caregivers — Federal privacy rules and your rights as a caregiver... More

Your Family Member's Personal Health Record — A easy way to keep track of your family member's medical history... More

Medication Management (pdf, 175KB) — A guide to understanding medications and preventing mistakes... More

Medication Management Form — An easy-to-use form to keep track of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications... More

Emergency Room (ER) Visits — When you should take your family member to the ER and what happens when you get there... More

Advance Directives — Making sure you know your family member's treatment preferences and have the legal right to honor them... More

Hospice and Palliative Care —What does this mean for you, the family caregiver?... More


Hospital Stay and Discharge Planning Options

Hospital Admission: How to Plan and What to Expect During the Stay — Who provides care and what happens when your family member is admitted to the hospital... More

What Do I Need as a Family Caregiver? — A quick, practical self-assessment of what you can do, can't do, and want to learn... More

Hospital-to-Home Discharge Guide — What should happen before your family member leaves the hospital... More

Going Home: What You Need to Know — A discharge checklist to make sure all the plans are in place.... More

A Brief Guide to Home Care and Home Care: A Family Caregiver's Guide [detailed version] — What you can (and can't) expect from home care... More

Planning for Inpatient Rehabilitation (Rehab) Services — A guide to rehab options and what it will mean for you and your family member... More


Rehabilitation

Admission to Inpatient Rehabilitation (Rehab) Services — How rehab differs from hospital care, and what to expect when your family member goes to rehab... More

Going Home after Rehab — Preparing for discharge and what you need to know... More

When Short-Term Rehab Turns into a Long-Term Stay — Why going home may not be possible, and how to help your family member adjust to a long stay...More

What Do I Need as a Family Caregiver? — A quick, practical self-assessment of what you can do, can't do, and want to learn... More

 

Home Care

A Brief Guide to Home Care and Home Care: A Family Caregiver's Guide [detailed version] — What you can (and can't) expect from home care... More

A Family Caregiver's Planner for Care at Home — An easy-to-use organizer for care at home - who is coming, and what will they do?... More

When Home Care Ends — Putting services and help in place when home care ends.... More

What Do I Need as a Family Caregiver? — A quick, practical self-assessment of what you can do, can't do, and want to learn... More