Health
11 tips for adults age 65 and over to ‘live well’ over time, according to gerontologists
With the number of Americans over age 65 expected to skyrocket by 47% between 2022 and 2050, there is a growing emphasis on living well — not just long — into the senior years.
Two gerontologists from Home Instead, a national in-home senior care provider owned by Honor Company in San Francisco, shared their top tips for how aging adults can stay healthy and energized.
1. Checkup from the neck up
Lakelyn Eichenberger, PhD, a gerontologist (aging expert) and caregiving advocate based in Omaha, Nebraska, recommends getting a baseline cognitive assessment early on to monitor your cognitive health.
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“Cognitive exams are included as part of the Medicare wellness visit for those over 65,” she shared with Fox News Digital.
With the number of Americans over age 65 expected to skyrocket by 47% between 2022 and 2050, there’s a growing emphasis on living well into the senior years. (iStock)
“Even if you have no current concerns about your cognition, having a baseline and normalizing the conversation with your health care provider can open doors if issues arise down the road.”
2. Volunteer and give back
Engaging in volunteer activities can provide a sense of fulfillment and purpose, and it can also promote longevity, according to Eichenberger.
“Giving back can lift your mood, knowing you’re making a difference in others’ lives.”
“The connections made through volunteering offer important social outlets and opportunities to form new friendships,” she said.
“Giving back can lift your mood, knowing you’re making a difference in others’ lives.”
3. Stay social
Jenny Munro, MA, a Nebraska-based gerontologist, emphasized the importance of older adults having an active social life and cultivating quality relationships.
“Make a point of connecting regularly with relatives, friends and neighbors,” she recommended in an email to Fox News Digital.
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It can be helpful to maintain social connections with people of different generations, both older and younger, Munro advised.
“Volunteer at a school or community center,” she suggested. “Focus on the relationships and activities that you enjoy the most.”
4. Never stop moving
Adults age 65 and over should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
They should also participate in at least two days of strength-training exercises and balance-improving movements, the agency recommends.
Adults age 65 and over should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week, according to the CDC. (iStock)
“You don’t need to go to a gym every day, but you do have to move,” Munro said. “Movement can include going for a walk, gardening and climbing stairs.”
Walking a mile is good for you, she said — and walking fast for a mile is better, as it will raise the heart rate.
“Movement is essential for vitality,” Munro noted. “If you haven’t been exercising, starting today can significantly protect your brain later. It’s never too late.”
5. Learn and stay curious
“Adopt a learner’s mindset and follow your curiosity,” Eichenberger said. “Mental stimulation is beneficial for brain health and comes in many forms.”
“Be open to new experiences and maintain curiosity about the world, leading to a more engaged and fulfilling life.”
The expert suggests engaging in activities that challenge the brain, such as completing puzzles, reading, learning new skills or playing musical instruments.
“Be open to new experiences and maintain curiosity about the world, leading to a more engaged and fulfilling life,” she advised.
6. Get proper nutrition
To manage healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, Munro recommends eating a high-nutrient diet that’s rich in whole grains, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, berries and fish — and low in red meat, butter and sweets.
“When you eat a rainbow of vegetables, you eat a more diverse array of nutrients, many of them brain-friendly antioxidants,” an expert advised. (iStock)
“Eat a wide variety of different colored vegetables,” she said. “When you eat a rainbow of vegetables, you eat a more diverse array of nutrients, many of them brain-friendly antioxidants.”
The expert also recommends preparing meals at home, as this allows more control over the salt, sugar and fat content than buying prepared meals or food from restaurants.
7. Manage caregiving stressors
Many family members become caregivers for an aging parent or loved one at some point.
“While caregiving can be rewarding, it can also cause stress and put you at risk of burnout,” Eichenberger told Fox News Digital.
“Long-term stress hormones like cortisol can negatively affect health.”
Finding ways to effectively manage stress can benefit the aging journey, the doctor said.
“Use resources like home care or respite care to provide breaks from the caregiving role, allowing you to refresh, recharge and tend to your own needs,” she suggested.
8. Prioritize sleep
Losing sleep will have both short- and long-term consequences on your health, according to Munro.
“During slumber, your brain clears away toxic waste that builds up early in the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” she said.
To ensure adequate sleep, an expert recommends sticking to a schedule, waking up to early morning light, eliminating electronics before bed, and sleeping in a cool, quiet and dark place. (iStock)
“The body also heals tissues, strengthens memory and even grows during sleep.”
To ensure adequate sleep, Munro recommends sticking to a schedule, waking up to early morning light, eliminating electronics before bed, and sleeping in a cool, quiet and dark place.
9. Cultivate a positive attitude
Fostering a positive outlook on life has been linked to better health outcomes and longevity, according to Eichenberger.
“Embrace aging and lean into the wisdom and experience you’ve gathered over your lifetime,” she advised.
10. Maintain a sense of purpose
“A sense of purpose means that you see life as having meaning, a sense of direction and goals to live for,” Munro said — something she calls “active aging.”
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Staying engaged in a job, especially one that’s satisfying, tends to keep people physically active, socially connected and mentally challenged, Munro said, which helps to protect cognition.
“Embrace aging and lean into the wisdom and experience you’ve gathered over your lifetime.”
“Delay retirement as long as possible. And when you retire, don’t quit on life,” she suggested.
“Find activities that are joyful and stimulating. There’s power to maintaining a sense of purpose by continuing to learn, discover and complete complex tasks.”
11. Plan ahead to age your way
Think about where and how you want to age, Eichenberger advised.
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“Consider your living environment and how you can make modifications to ensure it’s suitable for aging in place,” she suggested.
“Also, think about the support you might need to age on your own terms.”
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As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.
Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50. (iStock)
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.
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The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.
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“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. (iStock)
“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”
It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.
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More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.
“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%. (iStock)
“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”
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When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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