Complete Eldercare Planner:
Where To Start, Questions To Ask, and How To Find Help
(2nd ed.) New York, NY: Hyperion. 2000. 273 p. Available from local and online book dealers. PRICE: $19.95. ISBN: 0812932781.

This handbook is intended to help family members provide better care for their aging parents and other older relatives through effective planning.

It offers guidance on:

• getting organized and locating resources,
• determining when an older relative needs help,
• talking about sensitive subjects,
• sharing the care,
• preparing for emergencies,
• handling financial and legal matters,
• ensuring that the older relative has adequate insurance,
• determining the best housing option,
• ensuring the older relative's safety and security from a distance,
• encouraging a more healthy lifestyle,
• communicating with doctors,
• and getting an impaired older person to stop driving.

It also includes suggestions for handling caregiver stress and preventing burnout, maintaining a high quality of life, and planning for the loved one's death. Each chapter includes a step-by-step planning guide, a list of low-cost and free resources, and an action checklist to help chart progress. A documents locator is included, which is a fill-in-the-blank list of legal documents, property titles, family medical histories, financial records, and other important papers. This book includes lists of organizations and Web sites for additional information.