How to Stay Happy and Healthy After the Age of 60

60 is a special age for a lot of people, but it is usually when they start developing several issues directly related to aging. However, as you may have noticed, 60 can look very different depending on the person. And this is mainly because of the habits they started developing in their 50s. If you’re approaching your 60s, or you’re already there, you should know that there are still things that you can do to make sure that you enjoy your golden years to the fullest. Here are a few of them.

Consider Going into Assisted Living

If you’re starting to deal with mobility issues and you don’t want things to deteriorate or are afraid of accidents, then you should consider looking for an assisted living facility. You could find a great assisted living Louisville KY senior home that will care for all your everyday tasks for you. You don’t have to stress about cooking or mowing the lawn, and you’ll have someone look over your medication as well.

Clean Up Your Diet

You’ll also need to make some changes to your diet. As you get older, you need fewer calories and more nutrients, so start looking at which supplements could help and what nutrients seniors need the most.

Calcium and vitamin D needs, for instance, will increase after the age of 60 and calcium helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis among other things. If your dietary calcium intake is insufficient, then you should consider taking calcium supplements. You should also get a vitamin D supplement of 10 µg (400 IU) if you’re not getting the 30 recommended minutes of sun exposure.

Vitamin B12 is another very important vitamin for people over the age of 60 and is involved in the formation of red blood cells. As you age, your body finds it increasingly difficult to absorb vitamin B12 from food, so you may not be getting enough. This is why you should consult your doctor about your vitamin B12 intake and why you may need to eat foods fortified with vitamin B12 or take a supplement.

Reduce Your Sodium Intake

One thing you probably won’t need to supplement, however, is sodium. Healthy adults only need 1500 mg of sodium per day. However, 60% of seniors consume close to 3,400 mg, which is way too much. Excess sodium can cause hypertension, which is a risk factor for heart disease and all sorts of other issues. So, try to reduce your sodium intake by seasoning your food without using salt and finding alternatives to sodium-rich foods.

Keep a Rich Social Circle

Social activity has been shown to greatly improve the health of seniors while isolation has been shown to affect it negatively in different ways, especially at the cognitive level. Social interactions help keep neural connections and your brain healthy and can help slow down the signs of cognitive decline, among other things.

If your goal is to grow old with as few complications as possible, follow these few tips. Also, make sure that you go to regular doctor appointments, and don’t hesitate to ask them if they have other recommendations for you.

Categories: Health

Nicolas Desjardins

Hello everyone, I am the main writer for SIND Canada. I've been writing articles for more than 12 years and I like sharing my knowledge. I'm currently writing for many websites and newspapers. I always keep myself very informed to give you the best information. All my years as a computer scientist made me become an incredible researcher. You can contact me on our forum or by email at [email protected].