Questions to Ask Your Aging Parents: A Free Printable Checklist
Free, immediately downloadable, no email or account required. These are starting points for a conversation, not a script, use whichever ones actually fit your family.
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Health & medical
Start here if a recent fall or diagnosis is what prompted this conversation. The goal isn't a full medical history in one sitting. It's knowing who to call and what to tell them if you have to act fast.
- Who are your doctors, and how do I reach them?
- What medications do you take, and where's the list kept?
- Do you have a healthcare directive or living will?
- Is there anything about your health you haven't mentioned?
Finances
This is the section people put off longest, and the one that causes the most scrambling later. You're not asking for account numbers. You're asking whether the paperwork exists and who else knows about it.
- Do you have a will and a power of attorney?
- Who's your financial advisor or accountant, if you have one?
- Which banks and accounts do you use?
- Is there long-term-care insurance?
Legal & documents
A will or power of attorney that nobody can find works the same as not having one. This section is about location, not content. Where it's kept matters more than what's in it right now.
- Where are your important documents kept?
- Who's your attorney, if you have one?
- Do you have a safe deposit box? Where, and who else has access?
Living situation & safety
These questions get harder to ask after an incident, not easier. Raising them while things are stable gives your parent more say in the answer, not less.
- Where would you want to live if living alone stopped being safe?
- Are there any safety concerns around the house (stairs, the bathroom, driving)?
- Who else should be part of these decisions?
Wishes & the future
This section isn't about logistics. It's about not guessing later. A clear answer here saves a hard decision from also being an uncertain one.
- What matters most to you if your health changes?
- Who do you want making decisions if you're not able to?
- Is there anything you want to make sure I know?
Once you have answers, Keystone Binder helps you turn them into an organized binder your family can actually find and use later, not just a conversation you both remember differently.
Build your free binder previewNot sure how to bring this up in the first place? See 8 Things Not to Say to Your Aging Parents and How to Talk to Your Aging Parents About Money.
Heading to an ER visit or checkup? Hospitals Ask the Same Six Questions Every Time.