It’s a conversation many families put off, but few regret having: long-term care planning. It often begins with a small moment of concern. A fall. A hospital stay. A passing comment about slowing down.

A diagnosis of chronic illness can shake a family to its core. It often begins quietly. A routine appointment. A test result. A conversation that changes what “normal” looks like going forward.

The journey after surgery doesn’t end when your loved one leaves the hospital. In many ways, that’s when the most demanding phase of caregiving begins.