GETTING DEAR OLD DAD TO HIS MEDICAL CHECKUP.

• Position: YOUR LIFE

Adult children ought to talk with their aging fathers to make sure they are taking care of themselves and will be around for many more years to come, says surgeon and patient advocate Pawan Grover. "Men are notorious for skipping their annual checkups and sometimes need a little nudging to set up a doctor's appointment, but those checkups are very important because so many serious health problems can be headed off with a little preventive care."

Screenings and yearly physicals help to detect prostate cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, or other conditions that can be treated if discovered early enough.

The majority of American men do touch base with health professionals, even if not at the rate women do. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga., shows that 61.5% of men said they had been in contact with a physician or other health professional within the last six months, although that could be just a phone call. That compares to 74% of women. However, 13.7% of men had not had any contact in more than two years, as opposed to 5.7% of women.

That is where adult children can step in, Grover indicates. "They should let dad know about their concerns and that they want the best for him. Tell him you want him to still be around to play with the grandkids and you want all of you to be able to enjoy life together for as long as possible."

The Department of Health and Human...