This is the second in a series of posts explaining my Healthy Aging Checklist.
Remember, for the healthiest aging, we need to do the things that optimize health — and health care — so that the brain and body work at their best for now, and for the future.
I’ve identified six broad actions to take:
The Healthy Aging Checklist:
- Promote brain health and emotional well-being.
- Promote physical health.
- Check for and address common aging health problems (e.g. falls, pain, memory problems, depression, isolation, incontinence, polypharmacy, etc).
- Learn to optimize the management of any chronic conditions.
- Get recommended preventive health services for older adults.
- Address medical, legal, and financial advance care planning.
In this post, we’ll cover proven ways to promote and maintain physical health as one ages.
6 Proven Ways to Promote Physical Health
Here are the six “healthy living” actions that I recommend, for promoting physical health in all older adults. They all have a solid track record (which cannot be said for everything I see recommended online). They are also good “bang-for-the-buck,” in part because they provide real benefits to just about everyone who adopts them. And they help whether or not an older person has already developed chronic illnesses.