By Dr. Diana Nevins, Guest Writer

“Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

The cheesy commercial from the 1990s that featured that line became a national punchline, as the over-the-top acting made it unintentionally comic. The real deal, however, is NOT funny at all. I found that out the hard way.

I had last visited my elderly father—who lives 500 miles away from my home and who is still mentally sharp but suffers from a myriad of serious medical conditions—over Memorial Day weekend in 2024. At that time, he was still living independently (but with some caring neighbors keeping a close eye on him), walking well with a cane, and still capable of safely driving at the age of 89. There was no hint then of what the summer had in store: a series of short hospitalizations followed by stays in rehab facilities, each of which had left

Keep reading this article on The White Coat Investor.