The First Call: A 10-Minute Page When a Parent Needs Help
Free. Who to call first, five questions to ask, local help to look up and a one-page snapshot to fill in, for the first day and week.
By Whole Life HQ1 part · about 700 words · printable · read online
Who it's for
Adult children who have just heard that a parent needs help, perhaps from far away, and want to know who to call and what to ask first. Free.
What you receive
- The first call
See inside
The first 3 pages, as they print.
Look inside
The first page, word for word. 1 printable page in total.
Part 1: The first call
A fall, a diagnosis, a phone call from a neighbor. Suddenly you are the person who has to work out what happens next, and you may be hours away. You do not have to solve everything today. This page puts the first call, the first questions and the first week in order, in about ten minutes.
Take a breath. Nobody does this well the first time, and "good enough" is the goal.
Step 1: Make the first call (today)
If it is an emergency, call 911. If it is not, start with the person who knows most:
- Your parent, if they can talk. Ask: "How are you feeling? What do you need most today?" Listen before you plan.
- The doctor's office or hospital. Ask who is the right person to speak to, and whether your parent has signed a form that lets them talk to you. If not, ask how to set that up.
- One nearby person (a neighbor, friend or relative) who can look in on your parent today.
Downloads included
1 printable page: see the list
- Part 1: The first call
They open in your library, and you can print them, once they are yours.
Who wrote it
Written by the Whole Life HQ team.
Not yet reviewed by an outside expert. It is general information, not professional advice.
General information, not professional advice.
How you get it
- Opens nowOpens straight away, no card needed.
- Any devicePhone, tablet or computer. Print it if you like paper.
- Yours to keepIt stays in your account, and you can come back any time.
