As an only child, the care of an ageing parent falls to you — completely. No sibling to share hospital vigils, no second memory to check against yours, no one to argue with over what Mum would have wanted. Yet this unique position also gives you clarity, speed, and a bond with your parent that no team of siblings can replicate. This book is a steady companion through every stage, from opening the first honest conversation about wishes and documents, to building a practical care team of professionals, friends, and technology, to navigating hospital discharge, dementia, care homes, and the grief that follows. You will learn how to manage your parent’s affairs without overstepping, how to protect your marriage, children, and job while shouldering the load, and how to ask for the support you need without seeing it as failure. Throughout, the guidance is general, mainstream, and clear about when to call a solicitor, a local authority, or the clinical team. Part of The Caring for a Parent Library.