One cool fall day, Ellen and Sue were watching their teenagers play soccer when all of a sudden Ellen flushed and seemed to be sweating. Sue asked if Ellen was okay. "Oh, it's a hot flash," Ellen said. "This is happening to me several times a week now-even at night. At first, I didn't know what was going on, but my doctor told me these are symptoms of menopause." Sue laughed and said, "Yes, I remember hot flashes, but they're over now."

It used to be pretty simple.  So long as you were independent, you lived in your own home, or moved to a retirement community.  If you needed a little help with personal care, and your meals provided, you went into board and care.  If you needed quite a bit of help with personal care, or skilled nursing care, you went into a nursing home.

"I have trouble chewing."
"Food just doesn't taste the same anymore."
"I don't have a car to go shopping."
"It's hard to cook for one person."
"I'm just not that hungry anymore."

Anyone at any age can have a drinking problem. Great Uncle George may have always liked his liquor, so his family may not see that his drinking behavior is getting worse as he gets older. Grandma Betty was a teetotaler all her life-she started having a drink each night to help her get to sleep after her husband died. Now no one realizes that she needs a couple of drinks to get through each day.