Rudy and Erna faced several health challenges when they moved into a smaller, one-level home near their daughter. A close look at their physical and mental abilities as well as everyday functions helped family members create aging-friendly living spaces.

Time for a check-up with your family doctor? Need to see a specialist? Made a change to a new healthcare provider?

You can make your next visit to the doctor go smoothly by following these simple guidelines.

If you’ve had a stent placed in the arteries to help supply blood to your heart, or a procedure that restored regular heart rate and rhythm such as an ablation, pacemaker or a defibrillator, you may feel like once you’ve been discharged from the hospital, you’re good to go. But most people discover such procedures are life-altering events and they need to protect their hearts (and their lives) by eating healthier, exercising more, managing their stress, taking medications and monitoring any implanted devices.

Like many aging adults who face independent living challenges, Rudy and Erna feared giving up their independence and leaving a home filled with family memories. With help from their daughters, the advantages of downsizing began to outweigh the sentimental reasons to stay in their home. Eventually they agreed to move into a condominium closer to family.