Practical Guides for Families
These guides are written for adult children navigating elder care for the first time. No jargon, no assumptions about what you already know. Each guide answers a specific question families actually ask.
Getting started
How to start the conversation with an ageing parent about needing more help — The conversation most families delay too long. How to raise it, what to say, and how to handle resistance.
How to assess whether an elderly parent is safe living alone — A practical framework for evaluating what's actually happening at home when you're not there.
What happens when an elderly parent refuses help — What you can and cannot do when a parent says no — and how to keep the door open.
How to coordinate care for a parent when you live in a different town — Building a support system from a distance and managing the practical and emotional challenges.
Housing options
The difference between a retirement village and a rest home in NZ — The most commonly confused distinction in elder care. What each actually is and who each is suited for.
What to look for when visiting a retirement village — a practical checklist — What to ask and observe beyond the brochure, including the financial questions villages don't volunteer.
Understanding retirement village occupation right agreements — A plain-language explanation of the most important document your parent will sign.
The real cost of keeping a parent at home vs residential care — An honest comparison that accounts for all the costs families often overlook.
Home care vs moving to a retirement village — how to think through it — A framework for the decision most families face at some point.
Legal and financial
What enduring power of attorney means — and why you need it before a crisis — The most important legal document for ageing parents, and why timing matters more than most families realise.
How the Residential Care Subsidy works in NZ — Plain-language explanation of government funding for rest home care, including the asset thresholds and gifting rules.
Practical decisions
How to choose a home care provider — questions to ask — What separates good providers from poor ones, and how to find out before you commit.
Driving and dementia — when to have the conversation about car keys — One of the hardest conversations families face. How to approach it and what options exist.
Advanced Care Planning - making your wishes known.
More guides are added regularly. If you can't find a guide on the topic you need, suggest a guide topic and we'll prioritise adding it.