It is estimated that 13 million to 15 million adults in the United States have chronic conditions that impair cognitive function, such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, Parkinson's disease, and traumatic brain injury. The growing number of people with chronic conditions that include cognitive impairment and the family members who assist them face many challenges and stresses. Regardless of a patient's diagnosis, any loss of ability can have a significant impact on the family. One of the most difficult challenges families face is making decisions for a family member who has impaired judgment and planning capacity. Families often must balance conflicting preferences for care. It's often very challenging and stressful for a family to separate the needs, preferences, and best interests of the chronically ill person from those of family members. One way to bridge the knowledge gap and improve patient and caregiver outcomes is a dyadic approach that brings together the caregiver and care recipient to discuss care needs. This approach facilitates education on the illness, discussion of feelings and thoughts, and skill building for both care partners. A positive outcome for caregivers, such as improved mood or less strain in the relationship, may be another advantage to such interventions. This article discusses two interventions that show promise because they address a number of issues, including everyday decision making, relationship strain, and symptoms of depression. Both incorporate educational information with either a counseling-based or a skill-building approach. The first intervention, the Early Diagnosis Dyadic Intervention (EDDI), promotes awareness and understanding of the symptoms of dementia and structured exploration and discussion of care preferences and needs, including the importance of autonomy, social interaction, and good care. A second intervention is Project ANSWERS (Acquiring New Skills While Enhancing Remaining Strengths), which trains care partners in how to manage specific issues such as memory loss, communication, staying active, and recognizing emotions. These interventions promise to improve communication and mutual decision making for care partners facing the challenges of chronic illness. Assessing care values and preferences throughout the course of the illness also enhances the well-being of both care partners.