How to Care for Aging Parents, 3rd Edition: A One-Stop Resource for All Your Medical, Financial, Housing, and Emotional Issues

The new, greatly revised and expanded edition of a hefty guidebook to eldercare originally published in 1995 is easy to read because Morris divides it into manageable sections. Worried about people taking advantage of your parents? Turn to a chapter titled, “What You Need to Know about Fraud.” Confused by legal issues, such as estate-tax rules? Morris gives easy-to-understand explanations of complicated-sounding terms, such as irrevocable life insurance trust. She also clearly and concisely spells out Medicare Part A and Part B—really! And she explains the stages of Alzheimer’s in less than two pages. Charts help convey such essential information as housing options. A funeral checklist is full of reminders, such as, “Find out if your parent owns a plot.” The chapter “You’re Next” nudges caregivers to manage their own affairs, too. Twenty-five pages listing useful organizations (offering help with everything from driving to pension rights) and 18 pages of forms (for medical contacts, medications, end-of-life wishes, caregiver contacts) conclude this thorough and invaluable how-to. --Karen Springen