Jack McBrayer Reveals His Caregiving ‘Superpower’: Organizing

When Jack McBrayer’s aunt Mary Helen*, 79, was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, his extended family sprang into action to support the beloved matriarch. His sister took on the role of executor of the estate, while a cousin provides emotional support (“He’s the one my aunt will call if she’s feeling down or frustrated”). And McBrayer?

“My superpower is that I love a spreadsheet,” says the affable actor, with a laugh.

Taking action

The L.A.-based McBrayer, 52, who is known for playing lovable page Kenneth Parcell on 30 Rock and is the current host of Zillow Gone Wild, flew to Atlanta and, with the assistance of his “very meticulous” widowed aunt, a former banker and bookkeeper, began the process of going through her home, sorting through drawers and files and organizing all the “boring administrative stuff.”

Over the course of three days, he inventoried the names of current doctors and medications, cataloged key documents such as the deed to her home and took stock of utility bills, car payments and financial accounts. He scanned and digitized her living trust, which has information about her health directives and DNR order. McBrayer helped his aunt and his family create small systems to make difficult days in the future a little more manageable.

“You know, a therapist might call it control issues, but I call it attention to detail,” he jokes.

McBrayer is just one of the now 63 million family caregivers in the U.S. who care for older adults, family members or friends. He wants to share what he’s learned in case it might help others in a similar situation.

“I love the fact that as a family we’re able to talk about [Alzheimer’s caregiving] and it’s not so morbid or maudlin, depressing or just sad. We’re talking about it in very matter-of-fact ways. And because when you do it often, it loses its scariness; it loses the sadness of it. We know that scary and sad will be coming, but it doesn’t have to be in this part of the conversation.”

Thinking ahead

Inspired by Mary Helen and his parents, Betty and Jim McBrayer (ages 75 and 77), who created what they irreverently call their “death drawer” — a repository with all their important files, documents and certificates — in their Conyers, Georgia, home, McBrayer developed his own “tomorrow” list.

“I went to town on a spreadsheet that just lists every aspect of my life. Oh, it’s better than a memoir,” he jokes. “If I get hit by a bus tomorrow and I can still stay in my house, but I’m in a coma, guess what? My sister, my nephew, somebody can come in and keep the lights on. Somebody can come in and know who my doctor is and if I’m currently under any medications.”

Additionally, the single comedian recently purchased something he says is “not sexy” but crucial: long-term care insurance.

He knows that planning for the future — including any issues that may arise decades from now — is not only practical, but will also ease the burden for those who love him, which brings him peace of mind.

“I like thinking of taking this inventory as a future gift for myself,” he muses. “I deserve that gift.”

*Last name withheld for privacy