If you’ve reached a certain age, chances are you have some caregiving responsibilities for an older relative, often an aging parent. And if you’ve taken on that role, there are moments, some common and others more serious, for which it’s valuable to be prepared ahead of time. So, for example, as a caregiver, it’s likely you will at some point receive “the call,” i.e. when your loved one has had an emergency and been taken to a hospital. While everyone dreads that phone call, it’s better to be prepared than be in denial. For some essential tips on how to respond when the call comes, take a look at this recent post on Aging Care. And if preparation is something you embrace, then you need to know about a brand new book about all aspects of caregiving: My Parent’s Keeper: The Guilt, Grief, Guesswork, and Unexpected Gifts of Caregiving by Jody Gastfriend. A social worker for over 30 years and a senior executive at Care.com, Gastfriend combines her decades of caregiving expertise with anecdotes and practical wisdom so that you can be in the best possible position to undertake this essential, and often underappreciated, role

Another good thing to prepare for is a change in medications, be it for yourself or your older loved one. If a new medication is prescribed, there are important questions to consider, to make sure everyone understands the situation and its implications. Over at Daily Caring, a recent post highlighted the range of questions to ask regarding new medications for seniors- everything from dosage regimens to side effects- in order to ensure that no important details fall through the cracks. And for a broader look at medications and seniors, take a look at the National Institute of Aging guide on medications in older adults Here.