Care Conversations

(It’s much each easier to talk about these things before you have to.)

The big stuff. The practical stuff. The slightly awkward stuff. And the stuff you never think to ask until suddenly everyone is looking at each other like, “Wait, do YOU know?”

Our Care Convo Cards give you questions to get the important stuff out of everyone’s heads and into an actual conversation.

Because “We should probably talk about that sometime” can become  “Ummm, Does anyone know what Mom actually wants?” pretty damn fast.

Two women hold hands and look affectionately at one another, one of them a caregiver who uses their resources to support the other

Care Conversations

(It’s much each easier to talk about these things before you have to.)

The big stuff. The practical stuff. The slightly awkward stuff. And the stuff you never think to ask until suddenly everyone is looking at each other like, “Wait, do YOU know?”

Our Care Convo Cards give you questions to get the important stuff out of everyone’s heads and into an actual conversation.

Because “We should probably talk about that sometime” can become  “Ummm, Does anyone know what Mom actually wants?” pretty damn fast.

Two women hold hands and look affectionately at one another, one of them a caregiver who uses their resources to support the other

How this works:

Skip anything that doesn’t fit. Go wildly off topic. Pull another card. And caregivers, answer for yourself, too. Your wants matter here.

You do not need to solve everything in one conversation.

The goal is getting to know each a little better now, so there’s less guessing later.

1

Pick a card.

2

Ask the question.

3

See where it goes.

Ready to talk care?

Pick whatever feels relevant right now. We’ll pull the cards that fit.

Pick one or more:

The Practical Stuff

Medications. Doctors. Paperwork. Who knows what. Who’s doing what. And the backup plans Future You will be very glad exists.

The Big Stuff

Where you’d want to live. How you’d want to be cared for. Who you trust to make decisions. Basically: the things you really don’t want everyone guessing about later.

You, Me & Caregiving

How caregiving is changing things between you. What’s working. What’s not. What’s driving each other a tiny bit nuts. And what you don’t want to lose along the way.

Just for Fun

For when you need a break from the heavy stuff. Funny hypotheticals, inside jokes, and questions that are mostly here to break the ice.

Who's reading your eulogy if Morgan Freeman's busy?

Care Convos
Just for Fun

Which TV doctor do you want on your case? Dr. McDreamy? Dr. House? Doc Martin? Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman?

Care Convos
Just for Fun

If someone made a movie about this whole caregiving situation, who would play us?

And, importantly: comedy, drama, horror, or documentary?
Care Convos
Just for Fun

If you got to design your dream assisted-living community with one completely unreasonable amenity, what are you adding?

Swim-up bar? Room-service sundae cart? On-site spa? George Clooney running bingo?
Care Convos
Just for Fun

What’s one thing you’ve learned about me through caregiving that you really could have lived without knowing?

Care Convos
Just for Fun

If our family had official caregiving job titles, what would everyone’s be?

Chief Appointment Scheduler? Director of Unsolicited Opinions? VP of Actually Showing Up? Head of the Family Group Text?
Care Convos
Just for Fun

If we made bingo cards for your next appointment, what square absolutely has to be on there?

“Doctor is running 45 minutes late”? “Nobody has the medication list we already sent”? “Have you tried drinking more water”?
Care Convos
Just for Fun

If you ever had to downsize, what’s the one completely unreasonable thing you’re insisting comes with you?

Care Convos
Just for Fun

What’s the caregiving story that was absolutely NOT funny at the time…but is pretty funny now?

Care Convos
Just for Fun

If we had entrance music every time we walked into an appointment, what song are we choosing?

Care Convos
Just for Fun

Which Friends character would you want most as your live-in caregiver?

Care Convos
Just for Fun

If you ever need a walker, are we keeping it gray or bedazzling it?

Care Convos
Just for Fun

What’s something about you that you don’t want to get lost in all this?

Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

Do you ever worry you’re a burden?

Let’s talk about that. Then let’s talk about all the years you took care of me.
Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What’s one thing I do that genuinely makes this easier for you?

(Then switch.)
Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What’s something we used to do together that we need to bring back?

Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What do we butt heads about most when it comes to your care?

Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What haven’t you told me because you didn’t want me to worry?

(Okay, now my turn.)
Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What decisions do you always want the final say on?

Even if I think you’re wrong?
Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What do you wish I’d just do without you having to ask?

And what do you wish I’d stop offering?
Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

When does helping start to feel like hovering?

Give me a signal. A look. A code word. Something.
Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What’s keeping you up at night that I don’t know about?

Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What do I worry about way more than I need to?

Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What’s something I do for you that low-key drives you nuts?

Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What do you still want to do yourself, even if it takes forever?

Care Convos
You, Me & Caregiving

What do you want to make sure gets passed down?

Recipes, stories, grandma’s ring, that thing you’ve never told anyone,…?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

Is any of this actually written down—or is it all living in your head?

Advance directive? Living will? Does your doctor have a copy? Does the person calling the shots?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

Funeral, memorial, or full-on party?

Religious service? Small gathering? Absolutely nothing? Who’s giving the eulogy? What’s on the playlist?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

Burial, cremation, or something else entirely?

Donation to science? Scattered somewhere meaningful? (If so, please tell us where. Specifically.)
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

At the end, who do you want in the room?

Family, friends, kids, grandkids, clergy,…? (And who, frankly, can wait in the hallway?)
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

If you had a say in where you spent your last days, where would it be?

At home, hospice facility, hospital, somewhere else entirely?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

If you probably weren’t going to get better, what would you want us to fight for?

Every possible treatment, clinical trials, more time (even if it’s hard), comfort (even if it’s less time)?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

When you say “quality of life,” what does that actually look like on a regular Tuesday?

Recognizing people? Talking? Eating what you want? Getting out of bed? Being at home?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

Are there any treatments you already know are a hard yes—or a hard no?

CPR, ventilator, feeding tube, tracheostomy, dialysis,…?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

When a treatment comes with tradeoffs, what matters most to you?

More time? Feeling good enough to do what you love? Staying independent? Fewer side effects? Being home?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

If driving ever becomes a concern, how are we handling it?

Honest conversation? Driving evaluation? Car mysteriously in the shop?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

If we got worried home wasn’t safe anymore, how do you want us to bring it up?

Straight talk? Family meeting? Let your doctor weigh in?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

If you ever moved, what would make a new place feel like home?

Being near family? Your neighborhood? People around? Privacy? Activities? Your own stuff?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

If you needed more help day to day, what’s the one thing that’s non-negotiable?

Privacy? Your routines? Going where you want? Making your own decisions? Seeing your people?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

And if home stopped working altogether, what’s Plan B?

Living with family? Somewhere smaller? Independent or assisted living? Something else?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

If living on your own got harder, what’s Plan A?

More help at home? Family pitching in more? Someone moving in? Moving closer to family?
Care Convos
The Big Stuff

If you ended up in the hospital, who’s handling everything at home?

Pets, plants, mail, bills, the car, the fridge full of leftovers,…?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

Who’s doing what around here—and is everyone pulling their weight?

Who’s on appointments? Money? Groceries? The group text? Who could do more? Who needs a gentle (or not-so-gentle) nudge?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

If you needed care, how would we actually pay for it?

Medicare? Long-term care insurance? Savings? Does anyone know what’s really covered? (Spoiler: probably less than we think.)
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

What bills would someone need to know about to keep the lights on?

Autopay or paper? Insurance premiums? Property taxes? That one account nobody knows exists?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

What’s the one thing we keep saying we’ll get organized and…haven’t?

Paperwork, passwords, medication list, calendar, emergency contacts,…? (Let’s pick one and do it this week.)
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

What are we white-knuckling right now that could be easier with a little help?

Rides, meals, meds, paperwork, the stairs,…?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

Is there anything you'd rather have a professional caregiver help with (instead of family)?

Showering, the bathroom, getting dressed? (No judgment. Some things are just less awkward with someone who isn’t your kid.)
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

If I couldn’t be here, who’s your backup?

Family, friend, neighbor, paid caregiver, different people for different things?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

Who would you want getting updates from your doctor?

And do you already have a signed HIPAA form?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

If someone needed to step in, would they know where to find the important stuff?

Insurance cards, legal documents, account passwords? (Or are we digging through the junk drawer and hoping for the best?)
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

Who gets the first call if something happens? And the second?

Family, friend, boss, the neighbor with your spare key?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

If we landed in the ER tonight, what would I need to tell them?

Allergies, past surgeries, conditions, that thing you ‘forgot’ to mention at your last checkup?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

Do you have a list of your doctors and their contact info?

Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

Is your medication list written down anywhere we could grab it?

Dose, timing, that supplement you swear by?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

If you couldn’t handle your money for a while, who’s paying the bills and dealing with the bank?

Is there a financial power of attorney? Where is it, and does the bank have a copy?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

If you couldn’t make your own medical decisions, who’s calling the shots?

Is that in writing (healthcare power of attorney)? Where’s the paperwork – and does that person know they’re the one?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

Do you have a will—and is it somewhere other than “a drawer, I think”?

Does anyone besides you know where it is? Is it from this decade?
Care Convos
The Practical Stuff

Caregiving comes with a million questions. (And not enough time.)

We’ve done the research so you don’t have to.

Caregiver Cheat Sheets

The stuff you wish someone handed you sooner. Simple guides to help you get organized, remember what matters, and feel a little less scattered.

Care Conversation Cards

Caregiving comes with conversations most of us avoid until we can’t. These questions help people talk about what matters: what they want, what you need, and how to keep going together.

Two women hold hands and look affectionately at one another, one of them a caregiver who uses their resources to support the other
Caregiver on the phone holding a baby and using a computer, pursuing available resources

Vetted Resources

Free, curated picks (that we actually trust) to help you find answers and get support faster.

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Coming soon!

A newsletter for everyone juggling work and care (and a calendar that clearly thinks there are two of you).