As loved ones age, they need help with everyday tasks like preparing meals, cleaning the house, managing medications, and making health care decisions. When a person begins to need help in their old age, it is often family members (if applicable) who step in and assist. This can be a spouse, adult children, siblings, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and so on. Family members are consistently the top source of long-term care and support for senior citizens.

In some cases, providing support to a senior family member can be relatively uncomplicated. For instance, your loved one may have a doctor’s appointment, but they have no transportation to and from the medical office. In this case, you know you can give them a ride to the doctor’s office and stay with them through the duration of the appointment, dropping them off home afterwards. However, not all cases are this simple.

Oftentimes, family members will overfill their plate, taking on too many responsibilities. This is typically due to health issues that impact your loved one’s ability to remain independent and govern various facets of their life.