The Aging Game: What to Expect, and How to Cope - Part 2

Elder Law attorneys have to deal with a lot of questions about physical ailments. And I always tell my clients that they're in charge of dealing with - or preventing - many of those ailments.

For example, as you age, your bones often get smaller and thinner, which makes them more liable to fracture. Muscles generally lose strength and flexibility, and both your coordination and balance can be affected. But you can delay the process.

You can find bone-strengthening calcium in foods such as dairy, almonds, broccoli, kale, canned salmon, sardines and soy products, as well as supplements. Vitamin D, found in foods such as oily fish (like tuna and sardines), egg yolks, and fortified milk, (and supplements), is also important.

Lift weights! Weight-bearing exercises are incredibly helpful in strengthening your bones.

Memory often becomes a problem as we age. But it doesn't have to!

Here, again, a healthy diet's important. Staying physically-active helps, by increasing blood flow to the brain. So do mental "exercises" - crossword puzzles, Sudoku, learning a new skill, varying your routes when you walk or drive, etc. It helps to have a good social network, too. And if you're experiencing memory problems, lay off the alcohol!

Your pearly whites may no longer be so pearly, or so white. Your gums might recede. You might be experiencing dry mouth, or infection. Solutions are simple, though. Brush at least twice a day, and floss. And get regular check-ups.

You really can age gracefully. It doesn't take much effort. It's often common sense. And if you've got questions, we've got answers.

At The Law Offices of Alice Reiter Feld & Associates, we practice Elder Law. And we answer questions about the aging process - from physical health to financial health - a hundred times a day. Over the past 34 years, we've helped thousands of South Florida families through the aging process...with comprehensive estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, long-term care planning, asset-protection plans, and assistance with Medicaid and the VA.

We can help your family, too. And we're just a phone call away.