INTRODUCTION In today's mobile society, most adult children and their aging parents move at some time or other.  It is not uncommon to find older relatives living a great distance from family members involved in their care. The stresses, frustrations and responsibilities involved in providing long-distance care for an older family member are different from those encountered when that relative lives in at home or in the local community.  Long-distance caregivers are usually unfamiliar with the programs, services and resources in the area where their relative lives.  Consequently, they are dependent on friends, neighbors, and the religious community, to provide information, help and assistance. A crisis or a new situation may suddenly cause the distant relative to become involved, often before they are ready to assume the responsibilities of providing long-distance care.  Where once they were able to receive input directly from their relative concerning his or her health situation and general state of affairs, they now might need to speak directly with the doctors and others concerned with their care. Long-distance caregiving efforts will vary depending on the circumstances.   Regardless of the extent of involvement, it is important to be realistic about how much can be accomplished. The greater the involvement, the greater the impact will be on other aspects of the caregiver's life.  The services, advice, and support of other family members, friends, support groups, and the religious community should all be utilized.  The assistance of professional counselors should also be considered as the demands of long-distance caregiving increase.  Commitment levels should be reassessed periodically to reduce the feeling of being locked into an untenable situation. In some situations, providing financial assistance may be the main contribution that long-distance caregivers can provide.  Money can be used wisely and creatively to encourage a family member to try a needed service, or to pay for repairs or adaptive devices and equipment that will make the home safer and increase independence. For many reasons, most people avoid planning for the future, and the time when they will no longer be independent.  Confronting the issues ahead of time can help get a sense of a relative's own wishes, so that the decisions that need to be made in the future can be made in a manner consistent with their desires. Fear, constant worry and guilt are common emotions experienced by people whose frail, elderly family members live at some distance. Fortunately, there are some practical, effective and well thought out remedies designed to address the following situations: · How can help be obtained during a crisis? · What exactly is needed by the family member? · What are the best services in the community to meet those needs? · How will the services be paid for? · What can be done to make sure that these essential services are provided in a timely manner? · Who can facilitate the coordination of service providers  on behalf of my family member? · What additional resources are important?