September is Healthy Aging Month, which makes it a good time to consider what it really means to age well.
For most of us, healthy aging is not about trying to turn back the clock. It is about maintaining the strength, independence, energy and confidence to continue doing the things that make life enjoyable.
We cannot control every aspect of getting older, but we have more influence than we sometimes realize. And fortunately, improving our health and quality of life does not require completely reinventing ourselves. Small, consistent choices can have a meaningful impact over time.
One of the most important is simply to keep moving.
Regular physical activity supports strength, balance, flexibility, mobility and cardiovascular health. Walking, gardening, swimming, dancing, stretching and strength training can all be beneficial.
Strength and balance become especially important as we age because we use them constantly in everyday life — getting out of a chair, climbing stairs, carrying groceries, walking on uneven surfaces and recovering our balance when we stumble.
Exercise does not have to mean spending hours at the gym. The best form of movement is often the one you enjoy enough to continue doing.
Nutrition is another area where simple habits matter.
A varied diet with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, fish, eggs, nuts, healthy fats and adequate protein helps provide the nutrients our bodies need. Protein becomes particularly important as we get older because preserving muscle plays such an important role in maintaining strength and independence.
Hydration deserves attention as well. Our sense of thirst can change as we age, making it easier to become dehydrated without realizing it. Keeping water nearby, drinking with meals and including water-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables and soups can help make hydration part of the daily routine.
Sleep is another important piece of the puzzle.
A good night’s sleep affects memory, mood, energy and physical recovery. Maintaining consistent sleep and wake times, staying active during the day and creating a relaxing evening routine can help support better sleep.
Persistent sleep problems, however, should not simply be accepted as an inevitable part of aging. Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or feeling rested is worth discussing with a healthcare provider.
Just as our bodies benefit from activity, our brains benefit from being challenged.
Reading and puzzles are wonderful, but mental stimulation can come from almost anywhere. Learn a new recipe. Take a class. Travel somewhere unfamiliar. Try a hobby. Learn to use a new piece of technology. Play a game that requires strategy.
Rather than thinking, “I’m too old to learn that,” consider asking, “What would I enjoy learning next?”
Curiosity gives us a reason to keep stretching ourselves, regardless of age.
Relationships are equally important.
Our social circles often change over time. Retirement, relocation, health issues and the loss of people we care about can gradually create more isolation than we intended.
Staying connected does not require having a huge group of friends or a constantly full calendar. A few meaningful relationships can make an enormous difference.
Meet someone for coffee. Call a friend you have not spoken with recently. Volunteer. Take a class. Join a club. Attend a community event. Walk with a neighbor.
Connection is something we may need to be more intentional about as we grow older.
It is also important to remain an active participant in our healthcare.
Regular medical, dental, vision and hearing appointments provide opportunities to identify concerns early. Keep an updated list of medications, supplements, allergies and healthcare providers, and bring questions with you to appointments.
If you take several medications, periodically ask your physician or pharmacist to review them with you. Understanding why you take each medication, how it should be taken and whether there are potential interactions is an important part of advocating for yourself.
Our homes deserve attention, too.
A house that has worked perfectly for us for 20 or 30 years may benefit from a few changes as our needs evolve. Walk through your home with fresh eyes and look for things that could make daily life more difficult or increase the risk of a fall.
Loose rugs, poor lighting, cluttered walkways, slippery bathrooms, missing handrails and items stored in difficult-to-reach places are all worth addressing.
Many improvements are simple. Better lighting, secure rugs, clear pathways, grab bars, handrails and more convenient storage can make a home easier and safer to navigate without changing the way it feels.
Healthy aging is not only about physical health. Enjoyment matters, too.
As we get older, our calendars can easily become filled with doctor appointments, errands and responsibilities. It is just as important to schedule things we actually look forward to.
Plan lunch with a friend. Buy tickets to a concert. Visit family. Take a trip. Start a gardening project. Sign up for a class. Try a new restaurant. Put aside an afternoon for a book you have been wanting to read.
Having something to anticipate can bring as much pleasure as the activity itself.
The same is true of having a sense of purpose.
Purpose often changes throughout our lives. A career may once have provided much of it. Later, meaning may come from volunteering, mentoring, helping family, caring for a pet, gardening, creating, traveling, learning or becoming more involved in the community.
There is no single formula.
Ask yourself, “What makes me feel useful, interested, connected or excited?”
The answer may provide a clue about where you would like to spend more of your time. Finally, healthy aging includes planning for the future.
Learning about healthcare, housing, transportation, finances, legal documents, home care and long-term care before those services are urgently needed gives us something incredibly valuable: time.
Planning ahead does not mean expecting the worst. It means giving yourself the opportunity to understand your choices, ask questions, compare alternatives and communicate your preferences to the people who matter to you.
A crisis tends to narrow our choices. Planning ahead expands them.
There are many things about aging we cannot control, but there are also many things we can influence.
Go for the walk. Reach out to the friend. Make the appointment you have been postponing. Try something new. Make plans for next month.
You do not have to change everything at once.
Choose one habit that feels realistic, make it part of your routine and then build from there.
Perhaps the best way to think about healthy aging is not as an attempt to preserve who we once were, but as an opportunity to take care of who we are today — while giving ourselves the best possible chance to remain active, connected, independent and engaged in the years ahead.
Terri Dimond is a Santa Barbara Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, a Certified Senior Housing Professional and Certified Senior Downsizing Coach. She is the founder of Empowerment Through Education, a complimentary seminar series designed to provide older adults and their families with practical information and trusted resources to help them make informed decisions about housing, aging, planning and the next chapter of life. Learn more at TerriDimond.com.