The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in conjunction with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) urge Americans to help manage fall risks by learning why and how they happen.

I was asked a question recently that was very deep and thought-provoking. A friend asked me if I had to choose between an old age spent losing my physical abilities but keeping my mental faculties, or an old age spent losing my mental faculties and keeping my physical abilities—Which one would I choose? The question gave me pause because I normally do not focus a lot on my impending aging, but it’s natural to think of what life will be like once you are an elderly person. My friend did not hesitate to say that he would choose having his physical abilities intact since he is a very active person and enjoys running, hiking, and exercising at the gym.

I dashed for the elevator, happy to be done with yet another session of physical therapy on my surgically repaired shoulder. How much longer before my upper body feels normal again? Will I ever be able to play basketball or suffer through yoga or lift a barbell again? What about the basics… reaching for the top shelf of the pantry or exiting the car, without a twinge or a pull or a jolt? I’m 62 years old, and my weekend warrior body has been breaking down for a while now... Has the inevitable finally arrived?

Getting older is a fact of life for those of us who are lucky enough to make it past 60. I am well past that age, so I feel I have the knowledge to talk about old age. Personally I have found that as I get older, I still find life to be fun and exciting. However, some people I know do not share my outlook on what getting older means. They believe life after fifty or sixty will be full of challenges. Instead of concentrating on ways to remain active, they seem to fixate on the things they perceive they will eventually be unable to do. It drives me crazy to see how quickly they go downhill after they have constantly self-prophesied how they expect old age to affect them.

Even though we become wiser with age, being a part of the elderly population also comes with certain downsides. The most unpleasant thing is the fact that we are more prone to different illnesses, and we are not strong and healthy as we used to be. According to the CDC, two out of three older people deal with more than one chronic condition, but it is said to be expensive to treat these conditions, and when it comes to the current hospital-focused method, it is also proven to be inefficient. Luckily, there is always the option to turn to medical house calls, and there are several benefits of these medical visits, besides the fact it all happens in the comfort of your home.

As you get older, you have to think about how you will continue to live your life. Switching to Medicare can leave you with a lot of questions about your coverage. Millions of people have Medicare, which is primarily for older adults over the age of 65. If you’re about to qualify for Medicare, it’s important that you know what services will be covered by the insurance. Here’s what you need to know about Medicare.

When it comes to the list of considerations that go into purchasing a house, we rarely think about the things we may need decades into the future. Sleek tile, petite toilets, and nice bathtubs may seem like perfect necessities now, but as you get older or move an older individual into your home, these choices may not be so safe. Certain surfaces can be difficult for the elderly and people with disabilities to move onto. Even walk-in showers can be quite slippery. Thankfully, here are a few solutions that can make your bathroom a safe haven for any individual. If you have concerns about potential accidents in your home, the following are a few ideas that can make your bathroom a safe space for all.

Take Care Of Yourself

You have likely heard advice for how to stay healthy your whole life, and you probably have turned a lot of that good advice into habit. As your body ages, however, you may need to adjust many of the ways that you care for yourself to adapt to the aging process and extend your lifespan. This can include anything from changing your diet to adding a tinnitus assessment. Here are four practices that can improve longevity to add to your self-care repertoire.

Urinary incontinence is a condition wherein a person is unable to control his or her bladder. Around 3.4 million people in the US suffer from this condition. There are several incontinence treatments available, and a urologist or other medical professional will help understand the type and severity of incontinence experienced and prescribe treatment. One of the newest procedures used to eliminate urinary incontinence is BTL Emsella.

If you or someone you love is aging into the 70s or 80s, you may be thinking about options for living comfortably later in life. Some move in with relatives, make adjustments to their current homes so that they can live alone in their houses, or weigh the pros and cons of living in an assisted living community. An assisted living community is a community with an integrated service program run by a team of healthcare professionals and other staff, and is intended for elders in the late stages of life. Some of those services typically include exercise or wellness programs, laundry pick-up and drop-off, recreational activities, and medicine management. Some assisted living services are offered in independent neighborhoods, while others are in areas with infrastructure specifically for these services, like near hospitals and existing nursing homes.