At home – Whether the elderly move in with your or stay in their home, help’s available. Many services of skilled or certified nurses or therapists are covered partly by Medicare. Other options include around-the-clock or part-time assistance by personal care assistants for daily activities such as bathing, cooking and dressing. In-home care typically begins at $12 to $18 an hour for personal assistance but costs much more for professional services. Community programs like Meals on Wheels deliver food to the elderly who cannot cook.

Adult day care – These are places at public senior centers and private facilities where you can drop mom in the morning to enjoy activities with others her age, then pick her up later in the day. The social interaction combats isolation and depression, while providing a respite for the caregiver.

Independent living – These centers typically are nonprofit, private community-based organizations serving the disabled. They are designed to reduce institutional care.

Assisted living – These facilities usually provide help managing daily activities, but don’t provide the intensive 24/7 attention of a nursing home.

Alzheimer’s facilities – When cognitive impairments make living alone impractical, these facilities provide special programs and trained staff to minimize confusion and anger. This care is expensive due to smaller staffing ratios and around-the-clock attention.

Nursing homes – Recovering medical patients who require nursing, rehabilitation and health care are moved to nursing homes to convalesce, but sometimes later transferred to less intensive facilities or sent home. They share nursing homes with longer-term patients in need of continuous medical attention.

Hospices – When it’s clear medical care won’t reverse imminent death, many families find hospices appropriate. Physical care and comfort are provided by teams of nurses, physicians, therapists, chaplains and social workers. Family members are involved, including bereavement groups once the elderly relative has died.