Senior care guides
Plain-language guides to help Kansas City metro families navigate caring for an older loved one — what to do first, how to decide, and how to plan ahead. Written for our metro, on both the Kansas and Missouri sides.
Caregiving & navigating care (7)
Caring for an aging parent: where to start
A calm, practical first-steps guide — starting the conversation, assessing needs, and finding free local help.
Read the guide →Home care vs. assisted living: how to decide
A clear comparison — needs, safety, isolation, and the cost reality — to help you choose between staying home and moving.
Read the guide →When a parent refuses help
Why they resist, the approaches that actually work, and what to do when safety is genuinely at risk.
Read the guide →Signs it may be time for memory care
The key safety, behavior, and caregiver signs that dementia care at home may no longer be enough.
Read the guide →Handling a senior care crisis
A fall or sudden hospitalization? What to ask the hospital, the Medicare trap to watch for, and how to find care fast.
Read the guide →Caregiver burnout: signs and support
How to recognize burnout and find real relief — respite, support groups, and free KC caregiver-support programs.
Read the guide →Choosing a senior living community
The questions to ask on a tour — about care, costs, daily life, and safety — plus red flags to watch for.
Read the guide →Legal & planning (4)
Essential legal documents every senior needs
The short list — power of attorney, health care directive, living will, TPOPP, and a will — plus where to get free KS/MO forms.
Read the guide →Medicare vs. Medicaid: who pays for long-term care
The costliest misunderstanding in senior care, explained — coverage, the 5-year look-back, spousal protections, and estate recovery.
Read the guide →Power of attorney & advance directives (KS & MO)
Durable vs. springing, choosing an agent, advance directives, and how good documents keep you out of court.
Read the guide →VA Aid & Attendance: help paying for care
An underused benefit that helps wartime veterans and surviving spouses pay for care — who qualifies and how to apply free.
Read the guide →Home, safety & accessibility (2)
Home modifications for aging in place
Typical modifications, approximate costs, and how to pay for them — VA grants, Medicaid, AAA programs, USDA, and nonprofits.
Read the guide →The ADA & your accessibility rights
What the ADA covers, why home and apartment access falls under the Fair Housing Act, and how to get a KS or MO disabled parking placard.
Read the guide →Scam & fraud protection (5)
Common scams that target seniors
The scams older adults see most — and the universal red flags that give them all away.
Read the guide →Stopping phone, text & robocall scams
Why caller ID lies, the rules that keep you safe, and how to cut down the calls.
Read the guide →Protecting a loved one from fraud & financial abuse
Warning signs, simple safeguards, and the exact Kansas and Missouri hotlines to call.
Read the guide →Protecting your home & money from fraud
Deed and title theft, mortgage and home-equity fraud, and bank-account scams — and how to lock them down.
Read the guide →Scammed? Steps to take right now
A fast, clear plan — stop the bleeding, report it, and protect your credit and accounts.
Read the guide →These guides are general information, not medical, legal, or financial advice. Laws and programs change and vary by situation — please confirm details and consult the appropriate licensed professional.