For over 40 years, I have worked as a geriatrician. All patients are elderly, many in their 80s.
Factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and weight are important markers of health, but they are only part of the picture as we age. In geriatric medicine, we take a broader view, using a framework called the “5Ms”: What Matters Most: Mind, Movement, Medication, and Multiplicity.
The last item is particularly important and considers how what is happening to us, not only medically, but also economically, socially and emotionally, affects our health and well-being.
I always tell my patients that aging is about change. How you overcome these changes in your life, and what kind of attitude you take toward them, is the biggest indicator of whether you will be able to enjoy, enjoy, and meaningfully spend your subsequent life.
This is what I do every day to feel better and live longer.
1. Move your body
I start my day with “Salute to the Sun”. This is a yoga stretching routine that will wake you up and get your blood pumping.
Lately, I’ve been going to the gym several times a week with a trainer. Amazingly, in just a few months, my body became stronger, I had better focus and balance, and I was able to sleep more restfully.
2. Stretch your mind
Every morning, I play the New York Times word game to wake up my brain. I enjoy them, and I know there’s a “use it or lose it” part to aging.
By doing this simple activity, my brain became more alert and I was able to better recall words, especially words that I don’t normally use.
3. Go out into nature
I try to spend time outdoors every day, especially on sunny days. Being out in the sun makes you feel better and helps you sleep better.
Even if it’s hard to stand up, I at least try to spend time on my deck, patio, or at a nearby park.
4. I’m involved in the community
For many years, I sang in my synagogue choir and participated in various volunteer activities.
I mentor medical students, help with memory care programs for people with dementia, and advocate for causes close to my heart, including access to health care, immigration, and fair housing.
Through these activities, I have continued to build meaningful friendships with people of all ages.
5. I use assistive devices to improve my quality of life
I started using hearing aids in my 60s, and the effects were noticeable. Not only did I hear better, but I also had more energy because it was easier to understand what people were saying.
Many of my patients refuse to try hearing aids for fear of looking older. That’s understandable. But I tell them that nothing makes them seem more “off the program” than not being able to participate in the conversation. And since everyone is walking down the street with their earbuds in anyway, yours won’t be noticed.
Don’t be afraid to make small changes to improve your quality of life.
6. I aim for interdependence, not independence.
As we grow older, we may feel like we are losing our sense of agency if we become too dependent on others. Interdependence means keeping your focus on what you really want to do and allowing others to help you do that, whether it’s using hearing aids or a cane or getting assistance to stay at home.
I have a close friend who was quite ill, but he really wanted to go to a concert of his favorite artist. So he used a wheelchair and had an assistant with him. It wasn’t easy, but he had a great time listening to music and meeting old friends.
7. I actively resist age discrimination.
Unfortunately, we live in an incredibly ageist world, where older people are stereotyped and treated as if they are old, incompetent, strict, or just not there.
Don’t let people get away with this. Stand up for yourself and others.
Research shows that people who have a positive perception of aging live longer and have better health. I always tell people my age. I remind them that if they’re lucky, one day they’ll grow old too.
8. I enjoy gradual progress.
Some of my patients who couldn’t imagine life without tennis are now pickleball fanatics. My best advice for living longer and feeling happier is to be creative about how to adapt to change when you encounter it.
When I first started using the rowing machine, it was difficult to keep going for two minutes. Once or twice a week, I increase my training time by 1 minute. It’s now 10 minutes and still increasing slowly. My current goal is 15 minutes. And once I get there I’ll see if 20 is in my future.
I am reminded of the 82-year-old woman who ran the Boston Marathon in 5 hours and 54 minutes last year. She started running in her 60s.
Compete with yourself and celebrate your progress and improvement. You never know what will be possible.
Dr. Roseanne Leipzig is the Gerald and Mae Ellen Ritter Professor and Associate Director Emeritus of the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. In a career spanning more than 40 years, she has treated thousands of patients and trained hundreds of physicians and practitioners in all specialties. She is the author of Honest Aging: An Insider’s to the Second Half of Life.
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