The phone and internet account in your parent's name was probably signed by someone who was not thinking about care. A promotional rate, a bundle, a term agreement, a device payment plan. Those terms were written for a household that was running normally. Yours may not be, so the paper needs a careful reading.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
Who the account belongs to
Find the name on the account and the name on the service address. Then find out who else is listed as an authorized user, who can make changes by phone, and whether you can be added without the account holder on the call. Ask the provider what it accepts to add you or change the account when the parent cannot sign or speak for themselves. Write down the answer and the name of the person who gave it. Do not rely on a verbal yes that nobody recorded.
When the deal stops being the deal
Look for the line that says when the promotional rate ends and what the regular rate becomes after that. Many contracts show the first price clearly and place the later one in smaller print. Ask for the regular monthly total in writing, including taxes and any equipment charges, so you can compare it with the parent's income and the other bills. If the contract has a fixed term, find where it ends and what notice the provider requires to cancel.
What it costs to leave
Read the early cancellation section. Check whether a router, modem, or phone was bought on a payment plan, because some plans keep billing after service stops unless the device is returned or paid off. Ask whether a fee applies if the line is closed because the parent moves into a care setting, and whether that fee is waived for a change in care needs. Ask whether the phone number can be kept if the account closes and what the porting request requires. Keep these answers in the same folder as the contract, not in your head.
What to compare before you change anything
Put three things on one page: what the parent actually uses each month, what the current plan includes, and what a smaller plan or prepaid option would include. Count real use, not the plan's maximum. If the household has a single phone and a basic need for internet, a simpler plan may cover it. If the internet also runs a camera, a monitor, or a video visit with a clinic, confirm the new plan keeps that working before you cancel anything. Do not switch service in the middle of a scheduled appointment or while a device is needed.
What to do this week
Call once, with the contract open in front of you. Ask for the account holder's name, the authorized users, the end of the promotion, the regular rate, the early exit terms, and the status of any device. Write each answer on the page. If the provider sends a change to the account, read it before you agree to it, and ask for the updated terms in writing so you can file them with the original. Your job here is not to fix the bill. It is to know what is coming so it does not arrive as a surprise.
If you are unsure what authority you have to act for your parent, get advice from someone qualified to tell you. The Local Help for Caregivers in St. Louis page lists where to start. For the paper itself, keep the contract, your notes, and the new terms together, so the next call begins from what you already know.