Question 1

What is Crisis Navigations?

Accepted Answer

Crisis Navigations is a practical resource designed to help individuals and families navigate some of life's most overwhelming transitions.
When you're suddenly facing a diagnosis, hospitalization, caregiving responsibility, dementia, cancer, divorce, the death of a loved one, estate responsibilities, or another major life change, it's hard to know what you don't know.
Crisis Navigations helps you figure out what to do now, what may come next, what questions to ask, and what you may not have thought about yet.

Question 2

What is Side by Side™?

Accepted Answer

Side by Side is our collection of practical guides, planners, checklists, worksheets, scripts, trackers, and resources available through Crisis Navigations.
Each guide focuses on a specific life situation and is designed to feel less like an instruction manual and more like having a knowledgeable person sitting beside you saying:
“Here's what I'd do next. Here's what people often don't realize. And here's what you don't need to worry about yet.”

Question 3

What makes Side by Side™ different from other planners and checklists?

Accepted Answer

Most planners help you record information.
Side by Side helps you anticipate what you may need before you know you need it.
Our resources go beyond basic checklists to include:
What to do first
What can wait
Questions you may not know to ask
Things families often wish they had done sooner
Commonly overlooked tasks
Difficult-conversation scripts
Warning signs and situations that may require professional help
Decision worksheets
Trackers
Family coordination tools
Practical “No One Told Me…” insights
Our goal isn't to give you more information.
It's to give you the right information at the moment you need it.

Question 4

Who is Crisis Navigations for?

Accepted Answer

Crisis Navigations is for anyone who suddenly finds themselves thinking:
“I have no idea what I'm supposed to do next.”
That may be an adult child caring for an aging parent, a spouse navigating cancer treatment, a family preparing for a hospital stay, someone going through divorce, a new caregiver, an executor handling an estate, or someone simply trying to prepare their family before a crisis happens.
You don't have to already be in crisis to use Side by Side.
In fact, some of the most valuable preparation happens before you need it.

Question 5

Do I really need this if nothing is wrong right now?

Accepted Answer

That may actually be one of the best times to use it.
It's much easier to locate documents, discuss wishes, organize medications, identify emergency contacts, understand finances, and make plans before everyone is frightened, exhausted, or standing in an emergency room.
Preparation doesn't mean you're expecting something bad to happen.
It means your family won't have to start from zero if something does.

Question 6

What should every family organize before an emergency?

Accepted Answer

At minimum, consider knowing where to find:
Emergency contacts
Current medication information
Insurance information
Doctors and specialists
Important legal documents
Healthcare decision-maker information
Key financial and household information
Care instructions for children, pets, or dependent adults
Important-document locations
You don't need to organize your entire life this weekend.
Start with the information someone would need if you couldn't answer the questions yourself.

Question 7

Which Side by Side™ guide should I start with?

Accepted Answer

Start with the situation creating the most immediate pressure.
If a parent has recently been diagnosed with dementia, begin with the Dementia Companion.
If you're becoming responsible for someone's day-to-day care, start with the Caregiver Planner.
If someone is heading to the hospital or preparing for surgery, start with the Hospital Go Bag Guide.
If you're navigating cancer treatment, use the Cancer Care Binder.
If you've been named executor or are handling affairs after a death, begin with the Executor's Guide.
If you're trying to organize important information before a crisis occurs, start with the Estate Organizer or broader crisis-planning resources.
If several situations overlap, that's normal. Life rarely fits neatly into one category.

Question 8

Can I use more than one guide?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely.
The Side by Side Collection is intentionally designed to work together.
A family navigating dementia, for example, may eventually use the Dementia Companion, Caregiver Planner, Hospital Go Bag Guide, Estate Organizer, and Executor's Guide at different stages.
Use what helps now.
The rest can wait until you need it.

Question 9

Do I have to complete an entire guide?

Accepted Answer

No.
In fact, we don't recommend trying to complete everything at once.
Open the section that matches what's happening right now.
Complete what you need.
Come back when something changes.
These guides are meant to reduce overwhelm—not create another assignment.

Question 10

What if I don't know the answer to something in my guide?

Accepted Answer

Leave it blank.
Sometimes discovering “I don't know this” is valuable information.
It may reveal a conversation you need to have, a document you need to locate, or a question you need to ask.
You do not need to have every answer today.

Question 11

Should I print my guide or use it digitally?

Accepted Answer

Use whichever format makes your life easier.
Some people prefer a printed binder they can bring to appointments or family meetings.
Others prefer keeping information digitally accessible.
Many families use both.
For important information, consider maintaining an appropriate backup so you aren't dependent on a single device or physical copy.

Question 12

Can I bring my guide to a doctor's appointment, hospital, attorney meeting, or other professional appointment?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
That's exactly how many of the worksheets and question pages are intended to be used.
You can use your guide to organize your thoughts, keep notes, remember questions, and communicate important information.
Your professional can then provide advice based on your individual circumstances.

Question 13

Can I share my guide with family members?

Accepted Answer

Side by Side products are generally intended for personal and household use.
You may reasonably share relevant information with members of your household and professionals assisting you.
Please don't upload, publicly distribute, reproduce for others, resell, or commercially redistribute our guides.

Question 14

How often should I update the information?

Accepted Answer

Whenever something significant changes.
For ongoing caregiving or medical situations, you may want to periodically review:
Medications
Doctors
Emergency contacts
Insurance information
Care responsibilities
Legal documents
Important phone numbers
Living arrangements
Safety concerns
Your emergency information and medication list are especially useful when kept current.

Question 15

Does Crisis Navigations provide medical advice?

Accepted Answer

No.
Crisis Navigations and Side by Side provide educational and organizational resources, not individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Our resources can help you prepare questions, organize symptoms or information, track instructions, and communicate more effectively with healthcare professionals.
Medical decisions should be made with appropriately qualified healthcare professionals.
If you believe you or someone else may be experiencing a medical emergency, seek appropriate emergency medical care immediately.

Question 16

Does Side by Side™ provide legal advice?

Accepted Answer

No.
Our divorce, estate, executor, advance-planning, and related resources can help you organize information and identify questions you may want to discuss with an attorney.
They do not replace legal advice.
Laws and procedures vary significantly by state and individual circumstances, so important legal decisions should be discussed with an appropriately qualified attorney.

Question 17

Does Crisis Navigations provide financial or tax advice?

Accepted Answer

No.
We may help you identify financial information to organize, expenses to track, accounts to locate, or questions to consider.
We do not provide individualized financial, investment, insurance, accounting, or tax advice.
Consult an appropriately qualified professional for decisions specific to your circumstances.

Question 18

What if a Side by Side™ guide says something different from my doctor, attorney, or other professional?

Accepted Answer

Follow the guidance of the qualified professional who understands your individual circumstances and ask them to clarify anything you don't understand.
Side by Side is designed to help you prepare for the conversation—not replace it.

Question 19

How do I receive my guide?

Accepted Answer

For digital products, access or download instructions are provided after purchase according to the product description and checkout process.
Keep a copy in a secure location so you can access it when you need it.

Question 20

Can I print my Side by Side™ guide?

Accepted Answer

If your purchased product includes a printable version, yes. You may print reasonable copies for your personal or household use.
Commercial reproduction, resale, public distribution, or unauthorized sharing is not permitted.

Question 21

Can I give a Side by Side™ guide as a gift?

Accepted Answer

Yes—these resources can be especially meaningful for someone navigating a difficult transition.
Purchase a separate copy or gift option for someone outside your household rather than distributing your personal copy.

Question 22

Do you offer refunds?

Accepted Answer

Refund eligibility depends on the product purchased and the refund policy presented at checkout.
Because digital products may be accessible immediately after purchase, different refund terms may apply than they would for physical products.
Please review the applicable refund policy before purchasing.

Question 23

What is included in a Crisis Navigations membership?

Accepted Answer

Membership features may include access to Side by Side guides, checklists, planning tools, personalized resources, new content, organizational features, and other benefits described on the applicable membership page.
Available features may evolve as Crisis Navigations grows.

Question 24

Why would I need a membership if I already purchased a guide?

Accepted Answer

A guide helps you navigate a particular situation.
Crisis Navigations membership is intended to provide ongoing support as that situation changes—or when life brings the next one.
Your needs may change from hospital preparation to caregiving, from caregiving to dementia planning, or from cancer treatment to survivorship.
Membership can give you continued access to resources without requiring you to predict today what your family will need tomorrow.

Question 25

Can I cancel my membership?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
You can cancel according to the cancellation process described when you subscribe.
Cancellation stops future renewals, subject to the terms presented at checkout. You'll generally retain applicable access through the end of the period you've already paid for unless otherwise stated.
Canceling a membership ends billing only. It does not delete your saved answers, documents, contacts, tasks, or guide progress. Your content stays in your account and is restored to full access if you resubscribe.

Question 26

What happens to my data if I cancel?

Accepted Answer

Nothing is deleted.
Canceling your membership ends billing and future renewals only. Your saved answers, documents, contacts, tasks, notes, and guide progress remain in your account, tied to your email, and are restored to full access the moment you resubscribe.
Your information is only removed if you separately request account deletion, which is governed by our Privacy Policy.

Question 27

Will my membership renew automatically?

Accepted Answer

If you choose an automatically renewing subscription, the price, billing frequency, renewal terms, and cancellation information will be disclosed before purchase.
You should always know what you're paying, when you'll be charged, and how to cancel.

Question 28

What information should I keep in my guide?

Accepted Answer

Only information you're comfortable maintaining using your chosen storage method.
Depending on the guide, that might include medication information, emergency contacts, professional contact information, important-document locations, appointments, family responsibilities, or notes.
Be thoughtful about highly sensitive information.

Question 29

Should I write my passwords in my guide?

Accepted Answer

We generally recommend being cautious about storing passwords directly in a printed guide or easily accessible document.
Instead, you may choose to note where secure password information is maintained or use a reputable password-management solution.

Question 30

Can I enter information about my parent, spouse, or another family member?

Accepted Answer

Only enter, upload, or maintain another person's information when you have appropriate permission or authority to do so.
Be especially careful with sensitive medical, legal, financial, and identifying information.

Question 31

How do you decide what goes into a Side by Side™ guide?

Accepted Answer

Our guides are designed around a question that shapes the entire Side by Side approach:
“What will this family wish someone had told them before they got here?”
We look beyond obvious checklists to identify commonly overlooked questions, practical considerations, preparation steps, organizational needs, and real-life challenges families may encounter.
Where a subject requires individualized professional judgment, our role is to help you identify the question—not pretend to be the professional who should answer it.

Question 32

Are your guides meant to cover everything that could happen?

Accepted Answer

No—and no responsible guide could.
Every family, diagnosis, hospital stay, legal matter, financial situation, and life transition is different.
Side by Side is designed to help you become better prepared, not to guarantee that every possible circumstance has been anticipated.

Question 33

Is the information always current?

Accepted Answer

We make reasonable efforts to keep our resources useful and relevant, but medical practices, laws, regulations, benefits, insurance requirements, technology, and other information can change.
Important information should always be verified with the appropriate professional or authoritative source when it affects a significant decision.

Question 34

Are Side by Side™ resources created by doctors or attorneys?

Accepted Answer

Side by Side is an educational and organizational resource—not a medical practice or law firm.
Where appropriate, we encourage users to take their questions and completed worksheets directly to their doctors, attorneys, financial professionals, social workers, care teams, or other qualified professionals.

You don't need to understand everything today.

Getting Started

Choosing a Guide

Using Your Guide

Medical, Legal & Financial

Membership & Purchases

Privacy & Trust

Still not sure where to start?