The First 90 Days Dementia Checklist (Free Printable PDF)

When a parent is diagnosed with dementia, the to-do list in your head is instantly a mile long — and most of it is the wrong list. This is the short one: the handful of things that actually matter in the first three months, in the order they matter, so you can do the next right thing instead of all the things at once.

Want the one-page printable? Download the First 90 Days checklist — free PDF → — or get the free companion guide The First 7 Calls After a Parent’s Diagnosis by email. Get it free →

From the Care90 team, for organizing and preparing — not medical advice. Bring clinical questions to your parent’s care team.

The “park it for later” rule

The most effective first-90-days strategy is triage: gather information, get organized, and keep appointments — while deliberately parking the big decisions. Finances, housing, and long-term care feel urgent, but they’re decisions you’ll make far better in month three with a baseline than in week one with adrenaline. If a task is loud but not due this week, it goes on the “later” list.

You are not alone in this. An estimated 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s in 2026 (Alzheimer’s Association) — and the most common feeling in month one is simply being overwhelmed.

Days 1–7: triage and breathe

The only three jobs in week one are: confirm the next appointment, create one central place for paperwork, and shortlist your essential calls. No financial or housing decisions this week — just stabilize.

Confirm the next appointment — date, time, and exactly what records or questions to bring.
Make ONE folder — physical or digital. Every summary, EOB, and prescription goes here. No filing system yet.
List your top three calls — likely the clinic, the insurer, and one key family member. Park the rest.
Start a questions page — keep a running list for the next visit. Note what you observe; don’t try to diagnose it.
Sleep. It’s a task. Put it on the list.

Weeks 2–4: the observation phase

Weeks two through four are for gathering what already exists and noticing how a normal day actually goes — not overhauling anyone’s life.

Locate important documents — Power of Attorney, advance directive, insurance cards, ID. Find them; don’t execute anything yet.
Make a medication record — exactly what’s on each bottle (name, dose, frequency), as a record to show the clinical team. Any changes to medications are a conversation for the care team — not something to adjust on your own.
Note daily friction — missed bills, unread mail, expired food, a near-fall. Plain facts.
Graduate to a binder — when the one folder is full, give it structure. See How to Make a Caregiver Binder.

Months 2–3: build the support system

By now you have a baseline — so the decisions you parked become manageable.

Hold a family meeting — share the binder; decide who owns what.
Consult an elder-law attorney if paperwork is missing or outdated (planning and organization; the attorney gives legal advice).
Ask the care team for referrals — social workers, support groups, community services.
Check in on yourself — this is a marathon; book the dentist appointment you’ve been skipping.

How to use the printable

Download and print the one-page checklist (PDF) and tape it inside your folder or on the fridge. Tick boxes as you go — not to “win,” but to see, on the hard days, that you’ve already done more than it feels like. Re-print it monthly; the phases repeat as new situations come up.

→ Living through week one right now? Start with the full walkthrough: My Parent Was Just Diagnosed. What Do I Do First?

By Care90 Editorial. We’re not clinicians — Care90 builds the organizing systems families need after a parent’s diagnosis. Always consult your parent’s medical team for clinical advice.

Want the whole 90-day system, not just the checklist? My Parent Was Just Diagnosed. What Do I Do First? — a 90-day system to get organized, ask better questions, and move forward with calm and clarity. Get it on Amazon — $9.99 Kindle / $19.99 Paperback →