“There’s no place like home for the holidays … ” or so goes the old, familiar holiday tune. Occasional visits home, especially during the holidays, may provide some disconcerting insight into the “secret lives of mom and dad.”

Hundreds of thousands of adult children return home to celebrate the holidays and family traditions with parents and siblings. For many it’s a joyful time, punctuated by those familiar things that make holidays extra special … the smells coming from the kitchen, the sounds of laughter and music, the vision of children at the “kid’s table” that you occupied in what seems not-so-long-ago.

Drivers aged 70 and older are more likely than younger drivers to be involved in a variety of motor vehicle accidents, including fatal crashes, according to a 2009 study of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Although older drivers are less likely to be involved in accidents related to alcohol use, speeding or nighttime driving, they are overrepresented in crashes that involve making left-hand turns, drifting lanes, and reacting quickly to avoid imminent danger. Interestingly, the study showed that older drivers are not at increased risk when driving in adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow or sleet, possibly because they tend to self-regulate and stay off the road when conditions are poor.

If you must get out in the snow and ice this winter, follow these valuable tips to help you remain safe:

It doesn’t take an expert in gerontology to tell you that there are certain activities that definitely become more of a challenge as you age. If you’re like me, gardening is a rite of summer that  I can’t imagine not experiencing. It is my therapy that relieves a stressful day, and a bit of a workout while I’m at it. Yet I also know that the days of bending straight-from-the-hip for hours on end are long gone; the arthritic fingers become particularly “ouchy” with repeated pulling, tugging and trimming.

According to Ohio State University’s Jack Kerrigan, gardening can actually be used in a therapeutic way to improve the physical and emotional conditions, cognitive ability and social interactions of older adults. He suggests the following gardening adaptations that can result in continued participation:

Stay safe by being aware of the following tips provided by law enforcement and community advocates from around the State of Indiana. Additionally, consult recent news and fraud alerts posted at IndianaConsumer.com by the Indiana Attorney General.