FREE GUIDE · FOR ADULT CHILDREN
Talk with your parents now, before an emergency does it for you.
A free, practical guide for adult children in Texas who are starting to help a mom or dad.
- Start the conversation with respect, so your parent stays in charge and your siblings stay on the same page.
- Learn, in plain English, the documents a parent can sign while they still can, and what can happen in court without them.
- Understand the basics of paying for long-term care, and keep an organized family inventory in one place.
General information only, not legal advice. Downloading this guide does not create an attorney-client relationship.
ALERS LAW
Caring for Aging Parents in Texas
What your family needs to have ready.
Attorney Beverly Alers
Updated November 2026
What’s inside
The signs
How to notice when a parent needs more help, with a simple observation log.
The conversation
Ways to begin, what to do if your parent says no, and questions to ask.
The documents
Durable and medical powers of attorney, HIPAA, directive to physicians and more, explained.
Paying for care
What Medicare may cover, Medicaid basics and Medicaid estate recovery in Texas.
The family inventory
Contacts, care team, accounts and bills, organized in fill-in worksheets.
Siblings and scams
Sharing the load, caring from a distance, and protecting a parent from exploitation.