What goes in an asthma action plan, and how do you get one?
An asthma action plan sorts symptoms into three zones so you know what to do at 11 p.m. Here's what belongs on the page and how to get one filled out.
Read articlePlain-spoken writing on tracking your family's health.
Caregiving, chronic conditions, wellness habits, and getting the most out of wearables — without the optimization theater.
How to build a family health history your doctor can use
A family health history is one page your doctor can act on. Five steps to build one: who to ask, the questions that get real answers, and what to write down.
Read articleHow to track your parent's health when they won't use apps
You can track your parent's health without a single app: a paper log, a set weekly call, and one page for the ER. A realistic system for parents who refuse technology.
Read articleHow to set up MyChart proxy access for an aging parent
MyChart proxy access lets you see an aging parent's health record from your own account. How to set it up, what a proxy can see, and why power of attorney isn't enough.
Read articleJust diagnosed with prediabetes? Your first 90 days
A prediabetes diagnosis is a warning, not a verdict. Six evidence-backed steps for your first 90 days, from getting your real numbers to booking the retest.
Read articleWhat does your sleep score actually measure?
Your sleep score blends duration, estimated sleep stages, and heart rate into one number. Here's what it can and can't tell you, and when to trust how you feel.
Read articleHow much water should you drink a day? What the evidence says
How much water should you drink a day? The eight-glasses rule was never a guideline. Here's what the National Academies recommends and how to tell if you're hydrated.
Read articleSeven signs of caregiver burnout, and how to recover
Caregiver burnout is exhaustion that a day off won't fix. Learn the seven signs to catch it early, why it hits sandwich-generation caregivers hardest, and how to recover.
Read articleWhat a daily mood log actually tells you after 30 days
What 30 days of daily mood log entries reveal about your triggers, sleep, and weekly rhythm, what research honestly shows, and when the log says talk to someone.
Read articleSeven early signs of medication confusion in an aging parent
The seven early signs of medication confusion in an aging parent, what separates normal forgetfulness from a pattern, and three first steps that respect their independence.
Read articleHow to share your blood pressure log with your doctor
How to share your blood pressure log with your doctor: how many readings to take, how to average them, and the formats clinics actually read.
Read articleTeen health privacy: why you can't see your teen's records
Around age 12 or 13, teen health privacy rules limit what parents see in a child's patient portal. Here's what changes, why it happens, and how to keep helping.
Read articleHow to choose the best home blood pressure monitor in 2026
The American Heart Association says an upper-arm cuff beats a wrist monitor. Here's how to choose an accurate, validated home blood pressure monitor in 2026.
Read articleSleep debt, explained: why one lost hour takes days to repay
Sleep debt is the running gap between the sleep you need and the sleep you get. Here's how it builds, what it costs, and how to pay it back without obsessing over a score.
Read articleSharing caregiving with siblings without the resentment
Sharing caregiving with siblings rarely splits evenly, and that's where the resentment starts. Here's how to divide a parent's care fairly, using each sibling's real strengths.
Read articleA1C vs daily glucose: what the average number can't tell you
A1C vs daily glucose: your A1C is a three-month average that can read 'at goal' while your blood sugar swings all day. Here's what daily readings reveal that A1C can't.
Read articleHow to organize a parent's medical records in one weekend
Scattered across portals, a kitchen drawer, and your memory? Here's how to organize a parent's medical records into one system you can hand to any doctor.
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PHQ-9 and GAD-7 explained: what your score really means
The PHQ-9 and GAD-7 are short depression and anxiety screening questionnaires. Here is what each score means, where the cutoffs sit, and when it is worth talking to a doctor.
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Apple Watch heart rate alerts: which ones are worth a doctor visit?
Your Apple Watch can send high, low, and irregular rhythm alerts. Here is which Apple Watch heart rate alerts actually warrant a doctor visit, and which ones are usually noise.
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Why 10,000 steps a day is the wrong goal — and the better number
10,000 steps a day came from a 1965 pedometer ad, not a study. Here's what the research says about daily step counts, and the lower number that captures most of the benefit.
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How to run a 5-minute family health check-in every week
A 5-minute weekly family health check-in moves invisible caregiving work out of one person's head. Here's the agenda, the script, and how to make it stick past week three.
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Why your home blood pressure trend tells a better story than a single reading
One BP reading can be misleading. A 30-day trend from a home cuff is what your doctor actually needs. Here's the AHA protocol — plus what your numbers mean over time.
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Welcome to the Katika Care blog
A new home for plain-spoken writing on tracking your family's health together — caregiving, chronic conditions, wellness habits, and getting the most out of wearables.
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