About
Third Act is a simple, practical guide for families navigating aging and caregiving.
When a parent or loved one starts needing more support, it’s often unclear where to begin. The system is fragmented, the options are confusing, and the decisions feel high stakes. Third Act acts as a structured “thought partner”, helping caregivers make sense of what’s happening, organize the details, and understand their next steps. We’re building tools that support independence, dignity, and informed choice
Why am I doing this?
I’ve been a caregiver in some capacity for nearly 25 years—first for my mother, and more recently for my father. At the time, I don’t think I would have called it caregiving. It was just helping to figure out plans, care, finances, and how to make the best of the situation.
I found myself trying to help them manage treatment plans and their day-to-day living activities from thousands of miles away. We were all doing our best but we didn’t really know what we were doing. Thankfully, as things grew more serious, I found caring specialists who knew what questions to ask or could give me a piece of information that would lead me through the next decision. It all felt very haphazard and I was never sure I was doing enough.
As I have talked to others, I’ve learned I wasn’t alone in that feeling of overwhelm as I groped my way through unknown territory. Even though we are all dealing with different circumstances, everyone seems to be learning as they go, working with incomplete information, and trying their best to navigate complicated interpersonal relationships.
I can’t shake the feeling that there has to be a better way to connect these pieces. A way that’s less time consuming and easier to organize. One that gives us some peace of mind that we are thinking about it the right way and leaves us with energy to be more present with the people we are trying to support.
That is the intent behind Third Act Network: to offer some context on the aging process, create connective tissue between the social systems that elders and caregivers are navigating (social, environmental, mental, and physical) and provide insight on how to think about these challenges in your own life.
Caregiving can feel lonely, even though so many of us are doing it. If this resonates, I’d love to hear your story or learn from your experience.
Krista Gettle, fellow caregiver