Planning for your future is important for everyone. For solo agers, documenting what matters to you is even more important to make sure your wishes are honored. Your goals and preferences matter and you are valuable.

What are some ways that people can support those they care about through illness and dementia, including from a distance? A health care provider offers stories and advice about the importance of sharing seemingly simple information.

Allison Royal writes about the bond she shared with her Nana. She shares their routines as she took on more caretaking tasks and some of the ways she was able to answer questions and provide comfort.

Elizabeth Emmett writes about the joys of raising her son, the challenges of navigating his illness, and the ways her role is changing as her son gets older and begins to advocate for himself.

Both of Joy Johnston’s parents preferred to avoid conversations about death, and she hesitated to press them. As time went on, she found, “What remained unsaid came with its own set of consequences.”