The next time you're at your parent's house, look around the kitchen or mail area. Are there stacks of unsorted mail? What about piles of statements from mortgage or credit card companies, utilities, notices from the Internal Revenue Service or other unopened envelopes that appear to be bills?

The monthly chores of paying bills may become mentally or physically overwhelming as your parents age, especially if money is tight because they're on a fixed income or if they're slowing down physically. Stacks of unopened mail -- especially bills -- can be an important warning sign that something is amiss.