The Journal
Plain-English guides to in-home care for families in Bergen & Passaic County, NJ.
How to find reliable home care for an aging parent
The step-by-step for choosing in-home care for an aging parent in Bergen & Passaic County: what to decide first, what to ask, and how to tell a good agency from a bad one.
Signs your parent needs more help than they're letting on
The subtle changes that signal a parent is doing more than they should, and how to have the conversation without it becoming a fight.
Questions to ask a home care agency before you hire
The vetting checklist in the order you should ask it: experience, screening, supervision, and communication, with the three questions most families forget.
Using long-term care insurance to pay for home care
You have a long-term care insurance policy. What it actually covers for in-home care, the eligibility line most families get wrong, and how to file so you get what you're owed.
Fall prevention and home safety for an older parent
The practical, room-by-room fixes that prevent the falls that end independent living, and how to bring them up with a parent who doesn't want help.
Companion care in Bergen & Passaic County: what it is and what it isn't
Companion care is the most common kind of in-home help and the least understood. What it covers in North Jersey, what it costs, and how it differs from medical home care.
Respite care: giving the family caregiver a real break
What respite care actually is, how families in North Jersey arrange it, and why taking the break is the responsible choice rather than the selfish one.