aging

Although much attention has been given to the treatment of illnesses, the media has placed little attention on the needs of those who take care of very ill patients. If you are a caretaker, focus on these four basic rules:

1. Take care of yourself first.

Although wrinkles tell stories of memorable adventures and serve as stamps of an experienced life, it doesn’t mean that we necessarily want to advertise our past with a face as worn out as the travel brochure.

Growing old is part of the natural course of life—feeling old doesn’t have to be. And while you can embrace the former, no one says you have to accept age-related illness or more than your fair share of fine lines, fatigue, and creaky joints.

It’s been a tumultuous couple of years for Eva La Rue: She left her career-defining role on All My Children, ended her nine-year marriage, landed on the hit TV series CSI: Miami, and loved and lost again. But the irrepressible 43-year-old actress and single mom will tell anyone that she’s healthier and more fit and grounded than ever.