Family Caregiving
Supporting an Older Person With Poor Appetite
Caring ways to help an older relative eat and drink more, with a food and fluid chart, small meals and a weight check log.
$16.99Buy
Family caregiving courses for the people who hold it all together
Practical help for family caregivers: a clear care plan everyone can follow, ideas for a poor appetite, and ways to look after yourself along the way.
- 3 courses
- Tools in every course
- Certificate included
Millions of Americans help a parent, partner or relative with everyday life, often alongside a job and their own family. Caregiving can be meaningful, and it can also be exhausting, especially when the tasks are spread across siblings, appointments are hard to track and nobody has written anything down.
Help is available, though it varies by state and by program. The Eldercare Locator, run by the federal Administration for Community Living, connects families with their local Area Agency on Aging and community services, including meal programs for older adults; call or text 1-800-677-1116. The National Family Caregiver Support Program is also delivered through Area Agencies on Aging, so your local agency is the place to ask what support is available where you live.
Our caregiving courses are general education, not care management. They help you organize the practical side (contacts, medicines lists, rotas and emergency information) and look after your own health while you care for someone else.
All family caregiving courses
Family Caregiving
Managing Caregiver Stress
For family caregivers running on empty: track the pressure, plan real breaks, map your support and build a self-care plan that fits.
$19.99Buy
Family Caregiving
Building a Family Care Plan
One clear plan for family caregiving: who does what and when, key contacts, an emergency information sheet and a schedule everyone can see.
$19.99Buy
Choosing a caregiving course
- Building a Family Care Plan: turn scattered notes into one clear plan with roles, a rota, key contacts and an emergency information sheet.
- Supporting an Older Person With Poor Appetite: practical ways to help someone eat and drink well again, and when to involve their doctor.
- Managing Caregiver Stress: spot the signs early, plan breaks and build a support map so you are not doing it all alone.
Keep a copy of the emergency information sheet by the phone or on the fridge, and share it with everyone on the rota. It saves time if paramedics or a hospital need details quickly.
What the caregiving tools do
- Family care plan and roles rota: who does what and when, in one shared document.
- Key contacts and emergency information sheets: doctors, pharmacy, medicines, allergies and insurance details in one place.
- Food and fluid chart and weight check log: a simple record to show the person's doctor.
- Appetite ideas list and small-meals planner: little and often, with easy, familiar foods.
- Caregiver stress tracker, breaks planner and support map: notice when you are running on empty and plan time off.
When to get help
Contact the person's doctor if they:
- are eating or drinking much less than usual for more than a few days
- are losing weight without trying
- become suddenly more confused, drowsy or unsteady
- have a fall, even without obvious injury
Call 911 if the person has chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, or cannot be woken. Caregiving can push anyone to the edge; if you feel you cannot go on or think about suicide, call or text 988.
Family caregiving courses: your questions
Am I a family caregiver if I do not live with the person?
Yes. Caring from a distance, by phone, regular visits, managing appointments or handling bills, still counts. Many of the tools are designed for families who share care across different homes.
Where can I find caregiver support near me?
Call or text the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. It connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging, which can tell you about services such as meals, respite care and caregiver support programs in your area.
Can a parent's Medicare checkup help with care planning?
The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit includes a review of functional ability, fall risk and cognition and a personalized prevention plan. Going with your parent, if they agree, and bringing the care plan can make the visit more useful.
Do the courses cover dementia care?
They teach general caregiving skills that apply to many situations, including dementia, but they are not specialist dementia training. The person's doctor can point you to local memory care services.
Can the whole family use the care plan?
Yes. The plan, rota and contact sheets download as PDFs, so you can share them by email or print a copy for the fridge.
Is this legal or financial advice?
No. Rules on medical decision-making, power of attorney and paying for care vary by state, so speak to an elder law attorney or your local Area Agency on Aging for advice on those questions.
Official sources
Get the plan out of your head
Open Building a Family Care Plan and fill in the key contacts sheet today.