AskAlder

Are you a caregiver leaving someone behind for your summer travels?
Before you leave for vacation, the most useful thing you can do takes about 20 minutes.

Write down, and actually print out, the contacts, medications, and provider information that anyone covering for you would need in an emergency. Most families have this scattered across phones and emails. Getting it onto one laminated sheet, somewhere visible, is worth more than any app.

Summer travel looks different when there's an aging parent in the picture.

Whether you're planning a trip while someone you love stays home, figuring out how to travel alongside them, or navigating your own summer adventure as an older adult — there's a lot to think through.

All July, we'll be sharing practical tips and ideas for all of it. Follow along.

93% of older adults want to age in place. Far fewer have a plan for what that actually requires.

Alder's Kate Granigan spoke with The Guardian recently about the decisions families need to make before a crisis forces the issue. These range from home modifications to healthcare directives to knowing when staying home is no longer the right choice.

"You want to make sure that those things are lined up, articulated early, and reviewed often. This is about letting your wishes be known, because then people can follow through."

Read the full article > https://www.theguardian.com/global/2026/jun/24/ageing-at-home-cost-renovations-tips

Want to continue living at home as you age? Here’s what to consider Safety concerns, caregiving needs, and, of course, finances all come into play when considering aging-in-place at home

To everyone who spent this month caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, not because it’s awareness month, but because it’s Tuesday, and Wednesday, and every day:

We see you.

This work is hard in ways that are difficult to explain to people who haven’t done it. We are grateful for everyone who shows up for it anyway.

We're excited to announce that Alder is expanding to New York!

Honora Care Management & Consulting, a trusted presence in Westchester County since 2015, is joining the Alder family. Founder Susan Keating and her team bring deep local expertise and the same strong, enduring presence to support you through everything aging may bring.

If you have family in the New York area, or know someone who could use expert aging care support close to home, we're now there for them too.

Follow the New York team at or visit AskAlder.com/NY.

One of the most common calls we get goes something like this:

My mom was just diagnosed. I don’t know where to start.”

There’s no script for that moment. But there is a path through it, and it’s clearer than most families realize when they’re in the middle of it.

A care manager can help you understand what the diagnosis means day to day, what questions to ask the care team, what support exists, and how to plan for what comes next — without having to figure all of it out alone.

If you’re in that moment right now, we’re here. ► askalder.com

Alzheimer’s is not just a memory disease.

It affects judgment, mood, behavior, and the ability to manage daily life. It changes relationships. It changes who a person feels like — to themselves and to the people who love them.

Understanding what’s actually happening, not just the memory piece, but the whole picture, makes a real difference in how families navigate it. And it starts with having the right information early enough to use it.

Aging care is complicated enough without having to figure it out alone.

Alder now has local Life Care Managers in the Springfield, MA and Hartford, CT areas!
If you're navigating aging care in either area, or know someone who is, we'd love to connect. Our Care Managers help families make care decisions, coordinate providers, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

👉 askalder.com

"If you are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, this one is for you.

You are probably exhausted. You may be grieving someone who is still here. You are making decisions you never expected to make, often without enough information, often without enough support.

That is not a failure of preparation. It is just an honest description of one of the hardest things a person can do.

You deserve support too — not just the person you’re caring for. If you’re not sure where to start, we’d be happy to have a conversation.

"

"There’s a question families ask us more than almost any other: “Is this normal?”

Some memory changes are a normal part of aging:
- Forgetting where you put your keys.
- Taking longer to recall a name.
- Moving more slowly through a familiar task.

Other changes are worth paying attention to:
- Getting lost in a familiar place.
- Struggling to follow a conversation.
- Withdrawing from things that used to bring joy.

The distinction matters, because early awareness opens doors that a later crisis closes. If you’re noticing changes in someone you love and aren’t sure what to make of them, trust your instincts. A conversation with their doctor is always the right first step.


"