Coming to the realization parents are slowing down

Hello everyone ... my name is Annie. I'm pretty sure that there are others on here that are experiencing what I am experiencing. I just want to know how they were able to accept reality and cope with it. My parents are in their 80's. My dad is 82 and my mom 80. It's hard for me to wrap my head around let alone accept that my parents are "getting old" and slowing down. They are going to the doctors more and more to make sure everything is okay which I know is good. But my dad has been having some health issues. He is getting his sugar checked, kidneys, gout treated and most recently his eyesight is getting bad. He can't see very well even with his glasses on. He's already had one eye appt but he has another one before they actually schedule him for eye surgery which is what I'm freaking out about. My dad has always been the strong male figure in our family. But last week, he called me to tell me is scared of driving far now. What brough this phone call from him to me on is my mom was asking him take her to the Golden Gate Bridge so they can take a walk. My dad had told her he didn't want to and it's not that he didn't want to, he is afraid because he hasn't been to the Golden Gate Bridge in along time. He needs to see the signs in order for him to get there which is what he cannot see. My mom assumed it was because he didn't want to take her but when in reality he is afraid to drive that far. I told him he should tell my mom what he was feeling but he didn't want to. I offered to tell her for him but he didn't want that either because he didn't want my mom to think that he comes to me to talk about "stuff." My dad has never told me that he was afrad of anything until now. This is the first time. Now my mom ... she is slowing down as well. She cannot walk as fast as she used to AND she has issues with balance. We now have to guide her when she is walking especially on stairs and street curbs. She's never had trouble walking before but now she does. I've only noticed it in the last few months. I've told them both that they should use a cand or a motorized cart but they both refuse ... PRIDE. And that is fine. It's me that doesn't seem to want to accept the reality of it all. I've tried and like I said ... I just can't accept or get my head wrapped around the truth. I'm in denial. I've been hiding from my husband and my kids so that I can cry in the corner. There are other things that are making me anxious but this by far is top of the list. How did you all accept this? And how did you all cope with it? I look forward to your responses .... Thank you.