What is Parent Projects?

[00:00:00] Speaker A: You know, when it comes to helping our aging parents, the word overwhelmed, well, it doesn't quite cut it, does it? [00:00:08] Speaker B: It really doesn't. [00:00:09] Speaker A: Between trying to understand all the medical stuff, looking at care options and then trying to get your siblings on board. Right. It's a lot. [00:00:16] Speaker B: Yeah. A lot of folks I talk to say they just feel stuck, like they don't even know where to start. [00:00:20] Speaker A: Exactly. And that's why I think this website, parent projects, might actually be onto something. They seem to get that it's not just about having information, it's about the right information. [00:00:32] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:00:32] Speaker A: At the right time and knowing what to do with it. [00:00:35] Speaker B: It's true. And what's interesting to me is that they're not just offering a website here, they're offering a framework for taking action. Their tagline is taking that first step is everything. And that really connects with people because often the hardest part, just knowing where to begin, it is. [00:00:50] Speaker A: And they offer some pretty compelling stuff to back that up. Did you see they offer free expert help from gerontologists? [00:00:58] Speaker B: I did, yeah. [00:00:59] Speaker A: That's not easy to find. [00:01:00] Speaker B: No. It's usually a luxury. Right. But most families just can't afford that kind of personalized guidance. But to have access to someone who really knows the ins and outs of aging, who can answer your specific questions. [00:01:13] Speaker A: Right. [00:01:13] Speaker B: And really help you put together a plan that's tailored to your parents unique needs, I think that's huge. [00:01:19] Speaker A: Absolutely. And it is a confusing world. It's like having a guide in this really weird territory. And speaking of guidance, their care planner tool is very interesting to me. It's not just a to do list. It seems to be much more than that. [00:01:32] Speaker B: It's way more than a checklist. Think of it more like a gps for your parents care. You put in your parents needs and the care planner helps you break down these big decisions into smaller steps you can actually take. It recommends resources and it can even connect you with local providers. [00:01:46] Speaker A: Okay. Now that you mentioned it, I do remember seeing something on there about a verified business network. Is that what you're talking about? [00:01:54] Speaker B: Exactly. So they're really big on trust and transparency at parent projects. So they've created this network of businesses that are vetted by them every year and they specialize in senior care. So it's not just some random list of providers. These are people who have been vetted and they meet certain standards of quality and ethics. [00:02:13] Speaker A: That's huge. You know how vulnerable seniors can be to scams and exploitation. [00:02:19] Speaker B: Absolutely. [00:02:20] Speaker A: And just knowing that there's this extra layer of security there for families. [00:02:24] Speaker B: It's peace of mind. Right. And this whole focus on individualized support, it really sets them apart. There's a quote on the site that I thought was interesting. It says, if you've seen one parent project, you've seen one parent project. [00:02:38] Speaker A: Yeah, it's so true. [00:02:39] Speaker B: And it just speaks to the fact that there's no one size fits all approach to this. [00:02:44] Speaker A: Every family is different. Every aging parent has their own needs. [00:02:48] Speaker B: Absolutely. [00:02:48] Speaker A: And the challenges are always changing. [00:02:50] Speaker B: That's right. And that's where I think this emphasis on personalized content and recommendations is so important. You can't just have generic advice. [00:02:58] Speaker A: Right. [00:02:58] Speaker B: You need something that fits your particular situation. [00:03:01] Speaker A: So it's more about giving families the tools to make their own plan, rather than saying, here's the plan. [00:03:06] Speaker B: Exactly. They're giving you the tools and the guidance to figure it out, because it is figure out available. [00:03:11] Speaker A: Right. [00:03:11] Speaker B: And to make it even easier to get started, they offer a free trial. Oh, okay. [00:03:15] Speaker A: You can try out the care planner, see all the resources, check out the verified businesses, all without having to pay anything. [00:03:21] Speaker B: That's great, because you can really get a sense of what they offer. And if it's right for you before you commit. [00:03:26] Speaker A: Exactly. [00:03:27] Speaker B: Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, I do want to go back to the care planner tool for a minute, because I think for $8 a month, this might be the deal of the century. [00:03:35] Speaker A: Could be. [00:03:37] Speaker B: They say that it can bring clarity, simplified communication, and it connects you with those verified businesses all in one place. [00:03:45] Speaker A: All in one place for $8 a month. It does sound almost too good to be true. [00:03:51] Speaker B: It does. [00:03:51] Speaker A: Which is why I think we need to break it down a bit more. [00:03:54] Speaker B: Yes. [00:03:54] Speaker A: What does clarity mean in reality? What does simplified actually look like in practice? [00:04:00] Speaker B: And how easy is the platform to use? How well does it actually connect families to the resources they need when they need them? These are all things we need to look at. [00:04:10] Speaker A: Let's do it. Let's unpack these promises a little and see how they hold up against what it's really like to deal with elder care. [00:04:17] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:04:17] Speaker A: Okay, so let's talk about this clarity thing with a care planner. [00:04:21] Speaker B: Okay. [00:04:21] Speaker A: Because for families that are just, like, drowning in information about senior care, it sounds like it could really be something. [00:04:27] Speaker B: For sure. And when you really think about it, clarity means a few different things here. [00:04:32] Speaker A: Okay. [00:04:32] Speaker B: One thing is it helps you prioritize all the things you need to do. [00:04:35] Speaker A: Okay. [00:04:36] Speaker B: So say you've got this huge list of to dos, right? You've got to remind mom about her meds, and guys got a doctor's appointment. And then you need to research home care options. It's a lot. The care planner can help you break it down into smaller steps so it feels less overwhelming, which I think is. [00:04:53] Speaker A: Key, because when you're overwhelmed, you just freeze up. [00:04:56] Speaker B: Absolutely. You don't know where to start, so you end up just doing nothing. [00:05:00] Speaker A: Right. And what about this simplified communication piece? Because families really struggle with that. [00:05:04] Speaker B: Oh, big time. Yeah. Miscommunication causes so much stress in families. [00:05:09] Speaker A: So much stress. [00:05:10] Speaker B: Especially when everyone's trying to juggle their own lives on top of caregiving. [00:05:14] Speaker A: Right. [00:05:14] Speaker B: So it seems like parent projects is trying to solve that problem by giving everyone one central place to communicate. [00:05:20] Speaker A: Okay. [00:05:21] Speaker B: You can share updates. You can get on the same page with schedules. [00:05:24] Speaker A: So it's like having a family message board. [00:05:26] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:05:26] Speaker A: That's just for your parents care. [00:05:28] Speaker B: Yeah. No more endless text chains. No more trying to remember who is supposed to call the pharmacy. [00:05:33] Speaker A: Exactly. And that takes us back to the verified part, because they're saying the care planner connects you with their network of these vetted businesses. [00:05:42] Speaker B: Right. So let's say you've used the care planner and you figured out that your dad needs help with transportation. [00:05:46] Speaker A: Okay. [00:05:47] Speaker B: Well, instead of you having to spend hours searching online and vetting different providers, the care planner could give you a list of pre screened options right in your area. [00:05:57] Speaker A: That's huge. [00:05:58] Speaker B: It saves you so much time and energy. [00:05:59] Speaker A: It's like having a personal assistant for eldercare. [00:06:02] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:06:03] Speaker A: And I know we touched on the video library earlier, but I wanted to come back to that for a minute because I think that's so valuable. [00:06:08] Speaker B: It's a treasure trove of information and it's free. I know. It's amazing. [00:06:13] Speaker A: Which is unheard of. [00:06:14] Speaker B: It really is. Think about it. You're sitting there worried about how to talk to your mom about assisted living. [00:06:19] Speaker A: It's a tough conversation. [00:06:21] Speaker B: So you could spend all this time on Google searching for advice and reading. [00:06:25] Speaker A: All these articles, getting more and more overwhelmed. [00:06:27] Speaker B: Or you go to the parent projects library and you watch a video that's specifically designed to help you have that conversation. [00:06:34] Speaker A: It's like a cheat sheet for caregiving. [00:06:36] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:06:37] Speaker A: They even have videos about Medicare, which. [00:06:39] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh, don't even get me started on Medicare. [00:06:41] Speaker A: Right. Like, you practically need a PhD to understand it. [00:06:44] Speaker B: You really do. [00:06:45] Speaker A: And I think by providing that level of information for free. [00:06:50] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:06:51] Speaker A: They're making this stuff accessible to everybody. [00:06:53] Speaker B: They are. [00:06:54] Speaker A: They're empowering families because not everyone can afford to hire a geriatric care manager. [00:06:59] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:07:00] Speaker A: Or an elder law attorney. [00:07:01] Speaker B: Right. [00:07:02] Speaker A: Everyone deserves to have access to good information. [00:07:05] Speaker B: I completely agree. [00:07:06] Speaker A: It's like they're saying, we know this is hard, and we're gonna give you all the tools and support we can. [00:07:11] Speaker B: And that support can make all the difference. [00:07:14] Speaker A: It really can. You know that quote about every parent project being different? It's not just about the logistics of care. It's also about the emotional part. [00:07:22] Speaker B: Oh, absolutely. [00:07:24] Speaker A: And every family's gonna have their own journey. [00:07:26] Speaker B: Every family has their own story, their own dynamics, their own baggage that they bring to this. [00:07:32] Speaker A: Yes. And what works for one family might not work for another. [00:07:35] Speaker B: Absolutely. [00:07:36] Speaker A: And what's hard for you now might be totally different later on. [00:07:39] Speaker B: That's so true. [00:07:40] Speaker A: And that's where having this network of support can make all the difference. [00:07:44] Speaker B: It really can. [00:07:45] Speaker A: Whether it's through those expert consultations or the video library, or even just knowing that there are other families out there going through the same thing. [00:07:52] Speaker B: There's something so powerful about knowing you're not alone in this. [00:07:55] Speaker A: It's huge. It's like you go from feeling isolated and overwhelmed to feeling empowered and connected. Yes. And that feeling that you're not alone, that there are resources out there to help you, it's huge. [00:08:10] Speaker B: It can change everything. [00:08:11] Speaker A: It's more than just finding the right place for mom and dad to live or getting the right help at home. [00:08:17] Speaker B: It's about all the emotional stuff too. [00:08:18] Speaker A: Right. There's so much guilt and grief and uncertainty. Yes. And it's easy to get stuck in the what ifs and should haves. [00:08:26] Speaker B: It is. You can get so bogged down that you forget to even try. [00:08:29] Speaker A: Exactly. And that brings us back to that whole taking the first step idea. [00:08:33] Speaker B: That's where it all starts. Yeah. [00:08:35] Speaker A: Like they're saying, we get it. It's a lot. But just start with one thing. [00:08:38] Speaker B: Just one thing. [00:08:39] Speaker A: And their free trial makes it easy to do that. [00:08:41] Speaker B: It does. You can poke around, see what they. [00:08:42] Speaker A: Have, check out the care planner, talk. [00:08:44] Speaker B: To a gerontologist, even. [00:08:46] Speaker A: Yeah. And it doesn't cost you anything, so you can really get a feel for if it's the right fit for you. [00:08:51] Speaker B: No pressure. [00:08:52] Speaker A: And, you know, we've talked a lot about parent projects, but at the end of the day, the big takeaway for me is that we're all in this together. [00:08:59] Speaker B: We really are. [00:09:00] Speaker A: So if you're listening and you're in the thick of it with your parents, or maybe, you know, it's coming down the road. You're not alone. [00:09:05] Speaker B: There's a whole community out there dealing with these same challenges. And places like parent projects are creating spaces for us to connect and support each other. [00:09:14] Speaker A: And that can make all the difference. Just knowing you're not alone, it really can. So for our listeners out there, I'll leave you with this. What's one tiny step you can take today to feel a little more in control? [00:09:28] Speaker B: Yeah, just one. [00:09:29] Speaker A: Maybe it is checking out the parent project's website. Maybe it's calling a friend. Or maybe it's just letting yourself feel all the feels. [00:09:37] Speaker B: Whatever that step is, just take it. [00:09:39] Speaker A: Step in the right direction.