Most families don't confront caregiving issues until there's a crisis. But there are some things you can do now to ease the transition when the time comes:

Talk about the various contingencies with your parent and other family members now, before there's an emergency. It may take several conversations. If your parent is resistant, a geriatric-care manager, clergy member, or other well-informed third party may be able to help.

Become familiar with the elder-care resources in the community. Make a list of contacts— neighbors, caregivers, your parent's physician, and friends— whom you can call in an emergency.

If you live far away, or have any reason to think you might eventually need the help of a geriatric-care manager, start interviewing them now. That way, you'll have fewer phone calls to make in the midst of a crisis.

Talk to your parent and other family members about how to pay for long-term care. Medicare and Medicaid have strict rules about which home-care or nursing-home expenses they'll cover— and usually, neither will pay for independent-living arrangements. Talk to a financial adviser to see if long-term care insurance is a viable option.

Finally, have your loved one draw up durable powers of attorney allowing a trusted friend or relative to make financial and health-care decisions should she become incapacitated and unable to decide for herself.