By Brenda Porter-Rockwell
More people are opting to work past the traditional retirement age of 65, a time of life when some are thinking about enjoying the fruits of their labor over the years. “Roughly 1 in 5 Americans ages 65 and older (19%) were employed in 2023 — nearly double the share of those who were working 35 years ago,” according to a 2023 Pew Research Study report.
Now more than ever, it’s important for seniors to take the necessary steps to stay healthy. While not every Social Security recipient will plan to stay employed in their golden years, here’s some advice on staying healthy and in the game as you age, whether you’re planning to take it easy and enjoy retirement or continue to participate in the workforce.
What it means to age well
According to the Pew Research Center, there are currently about 62 million adults in the U.S. aged 65 and over. By 2054, that number is expected to increase to 84 million adults in that age bracket. When we’re living longer, aging well is the goal. However, aging well means something different to everyone, said Dr. Heather Burney, a family medicine specialist with 23 years of experience who is affiliated with Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.
“You have to put your own mind constructs into play when you talk about aging,” said Burney. “The subject is as diverse as the people in this world.”
According to Burney, some define healthy aging as, ‘I have no health issues, I’m active and social, so I’m aging well.’ She added that others might say, ‘I’ve got some health issues, but I’m managing them, so I’m aging well.’ Yet, others may say, ‘I’m independent, I live alone, I still drive so I’m aging well.’
Stay connected to your healthcare provider
Medical experts agree that as you age, it’s important to be an active participant in your care regiment. Otherwise, your health will suffer, said Burney. Participating means doing things like keeping up with preventative care like bloodwork and getting required annual exams.
“It’s important that you’re in a therapeutic relationship with your primary care provider. I always try to remind patients that they are doing the heavy lifting. They have to make the choices on a daily basis [to participate] based on the things their health care provider has recommended,” said Burney.
The habits we learned as children about being healthy are likely to carry over well into our adulthood, Burney said.
“As the saying goes, ‘It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks.’ That could account for making sure you get all your screenings done as recommended,” she said.
Get plenty of ZZZs
Another way to be an active participant in your healthy aging routine is to get plenty of sleep. According to the National Institute on Aging, getting at least seven hours of sleep contributes to a better day. But too little sleep is an “age stealer,” Burney half-joked. Poor sleep, she said, is tied to many risk factors associated with chronic medical and psychological illnesses.
“Poor sleep as we age triggers so many other conditions,” Burney said.
Make healthy food choices
Taking care of yourself means making good food choices. While healthy eating is always the goal, it’s Ok to cheat from time to time.
But “moderation is best!” cautioned Burney. “You can’t make unhealthy choices every day or every week with regards to your diet. But an occasional splurge is OK if it does not trigger you to desire that indulgence all the time.”
Burney recommended a balanced approach to healthy eating like following the Mediterranean diet which has been linked to a healthier and longer life span, according to a 2016 National Library of Medicine article by Miguel Martinez-Gonzalez and Nerea Martin-Calvo. Experts also recommend quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption.
Stay mentally and physically active
Post pandemic there’s been an increased focus on maintaining a healthy mental outlook, a trend that is for the better, Burney said.
“A lot of mental illness is missed in the elderly because of bias in the medical community … we don’t ask the important questions,” she said.
To keep a healthy mental outlook, try positive thinking or meditation exercises. Research suggests certain mind stimulating activities are associated with less cognitive decline. For example, timed word search games help stimulate the brain.
To stay active and fit as you age, Burney recommends a mix of moderate and vigorous intensity exercise and weight training. And make it fun! Physical activities like charades or drawing games can be part of a healthy lifestyle and add variety into your exercise routine.
Create and maintain community relationships
Lastly, aging well includes having a community of support. Senior centers, book clubs, volunteering — any kind of social engagement that keeps you involved with others is recommended. And community doesn’t have to mean biological family; just people in your life that are significant to you.
In the end, “there is no one universal definition about what aging well means,” explained Dr. Burney. Nonetheless, it’s imperative to maintain a good standard of health in our golden years. The best part: It’s not hard.