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One of the best ways to reduce your chances of dying from heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure is regular physical activity. Physical activity contributes to healthy bones, muscles, and joints — as well as controlling your weight. It’s also a source of mental well being as many studies show being active reduces depression and anxiety. The activity does not need to be strenuous to be beneficial, but unfortunately people tend to exercise less as they age.

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As our parents age, it’s natural to start thinking about long-term care.  Even if your parents are in good health, there’s a good chance they will eventually need in-home nursing, assisted living, or advanced nursing home care.  But there’s currently a shortage of high quality nurses that will likely affect your decision about your parents’ care.

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If you want to stay sharp well into your eighties and nineties, you need to be consistently and actively using your brain. By using your brain, I don’t mean a mental debate on what TV show to watch tonight, but rather a true challenge that keeps it functioning at its best.

Hopefully these tips have been helpful. What do you think?

Jeannie Keenan of My Health Care Manager shares ideas on how to hold an effective family meeting.

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We live at a time when medicine has improved to a point where most Americans can expect to live to 80 years or more. That’s a 30 year increase from the beginning of the last century. The flip side of these medical advances is that many elders face some kind of chronic disability, and these disabilities often require care from a family member. The most common chronic situation afflicting older Americans are arthritis or declining hearing or vision–all of which require assistance to get through a normal day.

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