There are many books on the subject of aging, caregiving, dementing illnesses, and the like. The local bookstore or library can provide a wealth of information. Here are two titles we found noteworthy. This book deals with caregiving for a person with Alzheimer's disease. It provides information at both a medical level and a personal level.
Some people find sharing their experiences and knowledge very useful.
Support groups provide a forum for doing this. Your local agency on the aging should be able to provide information on support groups on your area. One important note If both partners in a marraige are still alive, and one needs nursing home care, an attorney specializing in elder law and Medicaid issues can often do wonders in preserving assets for the healthier spouse. It is generally NOT necessary to put the healthy spouse in poverty in order to pay for care for the ill spouse. However, tricky legal issues can be involved.