It’s a sad reality that we all must be on guard every day to protect ourselves from fraud and scams. Frauds and scams come in a wide variety of flavors and trends, and can be very creative in how they draw us in. In most cases these scams prey on our fears and try to prompt us to pay out of fear.  Here’s how to protect yourself.

Here is a list of common ruses that attempt to cheat you out of private information and financial assets.

If your loved one is at a point in their disease’s progression that they can no longer live on their own, you need to choose a facility to provide what is called “residential” care. There are several types of such facilities, and knowing the options for each kind of facility will help as you consider your loved one’s needs. Here’s an overview.

Many family caregivers identify taking on the role of medical decision maker for a loved one as one of their greatest challenges. Here are some steps that a family caregiver can take to confidently support their loved one’s wishes for end-of-life medical decisions.

As the primary advocate for your loved one, you need to feel confident and comfortable adding your voice to the conversations about their care. Here’s how to communicate with your healthcare providers.

It is never too early to get organized with your finances and get ready to file your taxes. For many people this can seem to be a complicated, confusing, and daunting topic. Fortunately there are several services available for you to help you get through the maze. Here’s how to start.

Planning a move is stressful. It can be overwhelming when thinking of all the entities that need to be notified. However, being proactive and utilizing checklists can help minimize that stress and ensure the various services and systems your loved one has come to rely on remain smoothly operating. Here is a list to help guide you.

“Adult Day” centers are intended to help provide care and companionship for your loved one who needs assistance or supervision throughout the day. Adult Day can provide valuable respite to caregivers while encouraging socialization and engagement for your loved one. Here is a list of local adult day centers that might be useful in your caregiving journey.

“Private Duty Care” and “Companion Care” are services intended to help your loved one to safely get through day-to-day activities such as personal care, preparing meals, housecleaning, and offering companionship. These services can also offer a break for caregivers, who can use the time to be on their own. Here is a list of recommended local private duty and companion care companies that might be useful in your caregiving journey.

No family caregiver wants to think they wouldn't be able to help their loved one, but the chance that something could happen to you that would make it impossible for you to provide the care support you do now makes it critical you identify an individual who is the best “Plan B” caregiver, able to quickly take over as advocate and guardian for your Loved One in the event that is needed.

Depending on your loved one’s illness and the financial and family resources they have, caregiving can have a significant impact on the financial stability of both the patient and the family members. Here’s how to prepare and plan.

The unfortunate end-result of the decline from Alzheimer’s comes when your loved one is no longer capable of independently making decisions about their care or personal possessions. This incompetence requires someone else to be assigned to advocate, speak, and make decisions on their behalf. Here’s how to set that up.

Even in the most loving families, money is often a taboo subject of conversation, especially between parents and their adult children. Unfortunately, when Alzheimer’s disease is progressing there are many ways financial affairs can become problematic. Here are some strategies for beginning that important but often difficult conversation.

In situations where your loved one cannot speak for themselves, medical personnel will turn to the next of kin to get help in making important health decisions. It is important to have your loved one’s wishes of how to respond in a serious medical situation be known in advance, through several documents such as an Advanced Directive and Living Will.

Sometimes having legal or financial expertise can be helpful in making important decisions. Here’s how to find and choose an Elder Law or Financial Expert.

Here’s an overview of the basic categories of care most often needed by elders and payment options available, including what Social Security and Medicare covers for elderly care — and what it doesn’t cover.