14 Things Everyone Needs To Stop Doing After Turning 65

Advancing in age brings with it a host of potential health issues. As our bodies slow down, we must be wary of everyday dangers that pose a significant threat.

We must face this situation, but there are ways to lessen those concerns around the home. A safer environment and a healthier lifestyle can help us live longer and more happily.

The following suggestions concern issues in the home, while others involve changes we can make in our bodies and minds. Each reflects things we should eliminate after turning 65.

1. Having Wet Bathrooms

Trips and falls on wet bathroom floors pose a severe threat to seniors. Statistics show that at least one American dies every day from a bathroom-related injury, either while in the bathtub or shower.

Ensure that you have a bathmat placed directly outside of the tub or shower facility, and look to install slip-proof flooring directly underneath. Slips can lead to serious injury or death, so please aim to keep those floors dry.

2. Attitudes to Health Concerns

Imagining that you have a specific illness can lead to health anxiety. Additionally, some feel that by focusing on a health issue, you can manifest it to occur and make the situation worse.

Worrying excessively about illnesses, whether real or imagined, creates stress that can lead to more physical problems. If you have any health concerns, speak to your doctor without delay. This message is one we should all take on board, and it becomes more relevant as we age.

3. Don’t Self-Medicate

When we feel there’s something wrong with our body, or if we have mental health concerns, it can be tempting to prescribe our own medication. Perhaps you have some old antibiotics in a drawer or anxiety tablets that helped you previously.

Reaching for old medications can raise several concerns. First, the prescriptions may have expired. Second, it may not be safe or suitable for you as you have aged. The advice here is the same: speak to your doctor first.

4. Using Alcohol

Self-medication can also extend to the use of alcohol, and that’s a big concern at any age. From 65 onwards, alcohol has a more significant adverse effect on our health, and it takes our bodies longer to recover.

Unless you’ve been advised to stop, you don’t have to avoid alcoholic drinks altogether, but it’s time to cut down and keep your usage to a minimum. Medical experts recommend no more than one drink per day for individuals aged 65 and above.

5. Eating Rich or Fatty Foods

Diet becomes a primary focus as we get older, and following a healthy plan with plenty of fruit, vegetables, and fiber is recommended. While there are exceptions, fatty foods can be unhealthy and should be avoided around age 65 and over.

Potential health issues may include bloating and gas, while rich foods can lead to acid reflux. At best, these problems are unpleasant but can be life-threatening in extreme cases. Know your body and listen to it. When in doubt, speak with your doctor.

6. Don’t Install Low-Level Lighting

As our eyesight deteriorates with age, we need to be more aware of potential hazards in the home. That’s why it’s essential to have plenty of bright lights in place to guide us around rooms.

There is a trend for installing cheaper LED lights, but these can dim and are less effective at highlighting obstacles. Low-level lighting may also lead to health problems, including headaches and eye strain.

7. Driving With Blurred Vision

We must face a day when we can no longer drive safely. Hopefully, that time is some distance in the future, but we should be aware of changes to our health and eyesight plays a part.

Night driving offers its challenges, and this is a time when blurred vision can occur. If you have any concerns, speak to your optician. If you have trouble seeing at night, do not drive.

8. Don’t Isolate

Socializing is a vital element of life’s later years. It’s a time when we may be more inclined to shut ourselves away, but loneliness can bring a host of health problems, including cognitive decline, high blood pressure, and obesity.

Aim to stay in touch with friends and family and seek new opportunities to join groups and clubs. Staying social is essential to preventing many mental and physical health issues.

9. Don’t Be Rude to Those Around You

We should be looking forward to a happy retirement. If we stay healthy, it’s an excellent opportunity to achieve many of the things we wanted to but couldn’t due to work restrictions.

However, some older adults tend to be bitter. Please aim to avoid this, as anger can cause health problems. Being rude to family, neighbors, and visitors is likely to increase isolation.

10. Napping During the Day

Older people need as much sleep as adults below 65, but it’s easy to fall into bad habits. Those who are fully retired may struggle to fill their day, and it’s soothing to drift off for an afternoon nap.

Naps can lead to sleepless nights and irritability the following day. Following recommended night-time routines is critical for people 65 and above.

11. Doing Errands for Everyone

At some point, we need to slow down and take care of ourselves. As elder statespersons in the family, people look up to us, and as we retire, family members might assume we have too much time on our hands.

Airport runs, shopping trips, babysitting the grandchildren, and more demand our time. This is the stage of our lives when we need to slow down, so be sure to say “no” occasionally.

12. Don’t Stop Learning

Aim to keep your brain active. Many who retire continue to work for pleasure to keep their minds fresh. If working from 65 onwards isn’t for you, consider taking a free online course.

Completing puzzles, reading, and learning new skills are among the ways to fight the aging process while keeping our brains occupied.

13. Heavy Lifting

Accepting that we can’t achieve as many physical tasks as we age is hard. However, from 65 onwards, we should stop certain demanding activities, one of the most important of which is heavy lifting.

If you lift weights as part of a fitness regime, you can continue, but be aware of your limits and consider lowering the intensity. There are techniques to follow, and they’re easy to forget.

14. Don’t Feel Like a Burden

Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. It’s easy to feel like a burden to friends and family, but you’ve given them assistance and support throughout your life, and most will be happy to return the favor.

By not asking for help, we risk illness and injury if we are poorly suited for whatever is at hand and don’t address the problem.

There’s also the issue of withdrawing and becoming isolated to consider.