No card to steal — once the card is in the iPhone, your parent can leave the physical card safely at home instead of carrying it in a purse or wallet. Every payment needs Face ID — a stolen phone is u…
This one trips people up: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is not the same as your Social Security check. Social Security is based on the work you did over your life. SSI is a separate, need-based p…
SSI in 2026 — What It Is and Who Qualifies
A daughter helps her elderly mother use Qustodio on an iPad to stay safer online 1. Qustodio Web Filtering — Blocks phishing websites, gambling sites, adult content, and scam pages automatically. Work…
Your Parents iPad Is a Hackers Dream Qustodio
Mom called me sounding a little flattered and a little unsure all at once. “Kim, there’s a gentleman from the book club group online. He started sending me private messages a few weeks ago. He’s very …
Mom’s Book Club Friend — the Sweetheart Scam
When a parent wants to stay in the home they love, the worries that come to mind are usually falls, stairs, and driving. The kitchen rarely makes the list. But an unreliable refrigerator quietly creat…
If Your Parents Want to Age at Home Start With the Refrigerator
The Global Entry lane (left) saves older travelers from the long customs line — as long as the passport on file is current. You are flying home from a wonderful family trip with your 80-year-old mom. …
If Your Parent Has Global Entry Read This Before the Next Trip
Signing a HIPAA authorization together is the quiet first step of caregiving. Most families think the hard part of caregiving is the doctor visits, the pillboxes, or the insurance calls. But there is …
From Doctor Visits to Antarctica The Caregiver HIPAA Form
Mom asked me something one afternoon that I’ve thought about ever since. “Kim, how do you always know it’s a scam so fast? You barely let them finish.” And I told her the honest truth: half the time, …
If They Ask for a Gift Card, It’s a Scam — the One Question That Catches Them All
Some of the most relieved people I ever counseled were those who learned they could have both Medicare and Medicaid at the same time. It even has a name — being “ dual-eligible ” — and it’s genuinely …
Dual Eligible — When You Have Both Medicare and Medicaid
Mom mentioned it in passing. “Kim, I saw an ad — an easy work-from-home job, good pay, just processing payments and reshipping a few packages. They even want to send me a check to get started. A littl…