I think one of the hardest things to process as an adult is seeing your parents go through their "tween years" --the years of living independently and walking the line of luck and genetics--before they just can't anymore.

I'm all about aging adults living independently as long as they can, happily and safely. But the stress they cause us adult children is really frightening some days. Logically, I understand no one wants to give up their lifestyle just because the calendar says they are a year older than they were previously. But how do you effectively support them when you know they are starting to become a danger to themselves?

My nearly 82-year-old mother gave us all a scare yesterday. And since her last scare, (because that's what these tweens like to do to their kids) we have made incredible progress in "Geezer Proofing" her so she can continue to live independently. She now has life alert and that has taken an incredible burden off my shoulders and given me so much more peace of mind living out of state from her. A routine daily phone call is what lead me to know something wasn't right yesterday evening.

And then there's the dance. The dance is what I've come to hate the most. It is that voice inside your head that tries to let you know, 'it's all okay, don't freak out' and then gut whispering back 'this is not normal, time to freak out'... On one hand I want to know she's fine and probably just "walking the dog, getting the mail, in the bathroom, doing laundry or decided to run a quick errand..." Then there's the part that makes you yield, "She's passed out, she didn't take her meds, she fell and can't get up, she banged her head and is unconscious..." And both happen so quickly, it's like a choreographed routine.

So, I have a check list that I go through when I try to reach her and can't get ahold of her. Having the check list keeps me from going down the dooms day spiral, but knowing I saved her life just because of my nightly phone call 5 months earlier still echos loudly. Turns out last night she was out picking weeds in her garden and had fallen and couldn't get back up. I called the local police for a wellness check, and as I was on the phone with them, life alert is calling me on the second line. Friends, there is a heavy stillness when you get that call. They told me my mom had fallen, is outside and responsive, paramedics have been dispatched and will keep me posted. I switch back to tell the officer and he said yes, they just got word of the report.

In all, she's a little bruised but doing great and I know we are very lucky. Here are some things I can share that I know have helped us gain peace of mind through the Geezer Proofing Process:

1. Get Life Alert or any of the button enabled wearable devices for emergency help.

2. Have a neighbor on speed dial for a status report.

3. Keep a regular call time so you know if something is out of the ordinary.

4. With every scare, try and make a positive lesson out of it and review the current protocol.

It is definitely reassuring to know that despite the panic of the situation, the steps we've taken to make sure we are able to act quickly have been worth it. If you have any insight for me, I certainly welcome your input and feedback.