Free Help Guides

Free Help Guides

These are free, plain-language guides to help you find support quickly, for yourself, a neighbor, a friend, or a family member. Each one points you straight to real help.

Every guide is built to be:

  • Easy to find
  • Easy to share
  • Easy to follow

You can find help easily, print out what you need, hand it to someone who might not have access, and reach out for more help whenever you wish.

Doctors, nurses, social workers and other professionals are welcome to use these guides with clients and patients. They are free, need no sign-up, and nothing entered is saved. Being asked for personal information keeps many people from looking for help at all, so I built these guides to ask for nothing. Corrections, suggestions and feedback from the field are always welcome at mel@kindpathguide.com.

Local: Whidbey Island

Support close to home, here on the island.

Housing, Food and Ride Help
A place to live, food on the table and a way to get there, in one list you can print or email. You can also add resources from organizations that serve 2SLGBTQIA+ older adults and Black, Indigenous and People of Color.
Open this guide →
In-Home Help
Find help at home. Answer two short questions, then print or email your own list with next steps.
Open this guide →
Supported Living
Adult family homes, assisted living and memory care, with costs, which homes take Medicaid, and how to tour. Every home on Whidbey and Camano is named, and there is a search for every county in Washington.
Open this guide →
Friends Connect
Ways to meet people and stay socially connected: groups, gatherings, and friendly faces near you.
Open this guide →
Falls Prevention
Free strength and balance classes across the island, why they work, and how to sign up.
Open this guide →
Income Finder
Discover benefits and income supports you may qualify for, and how to claim them.
Open this guide →
Help for People of Color
Support by and for Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander communities, sorted by your community and what you are looking for.
Open this guide →
2SLGBTQIA+ Resources 🏳️‍🌈
Groups, affirming healthcare, legal help and someone to talk to, sorted by age and by what you are looking for.
Open this guide →

For Everyone: United States

Guides that help wherever you live in the U.S., plus care options further afield.

My Brain Health Check-In
A gentle memory and thinking check you can do at home every birthday or every six months. Print your results and notice your own changes over time.
Open this guide →
Crisis Planning
Simple steps to prepare for an emergency before one happens, so you feel ready.
Open this guide →
Caregiver Check-In
Thirty-four quick questions that show where caregiving is costing you the most, and what to ask for first.
Open this guide →
Home Safety
Practical ways to make your home safer and be prepared for the unexpected.
Open this guide →
Advanced Care Directive
Put your medical wishes in writing so your voice is heard if you can't speak for yourself.
Open this guide →
Moving to Mexico for Care
Care options in Mexico. Quality, affordable care at Lake Chapala, from a supported visit or respite stay to a longer term care home, where the family can travel together.
Open this guide →
2SLGBTQIA+ Readiness Check 🏳️‍🌈
A walk through of the paperwork and plans that decide who gets to speak for you and who will be in the room.
Open this guide →

If you need help with any of these, reach out to a trusted friend, neighbor or community organization and ask them to help you complete a guide and print it out.

You can also visit your local library, complete any of these guides there, and print right on the spot.