16 Things People Should Start Doing After Age 65

At age 65, you may have noticed that things have changed in your life. The kids have probably moved out already, and it is time to prepare for retirement. Change is happening, so let’s embrace it, explore new hobbies, and prioritize our well-being.

This new stage of life offers many opportunities to enhance our life and health. In this post, we’ll explore 16 things people should start looking at doing once they reach age 65.

So, if you’re ready to make the most of your golden years, let’s discover new ways to live your best life.

1. Regular Health Check-Ups

We service our car every so often to ensure everything runs smoothly. That is the same thing we should be doing with our health. To prevent health-related diseases, visiting the doctor is a must to check out many things, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels.

Regular screenings can help determine whether you need glasses or even have cancer. So, make sure you have regular check-ups. 

2. Daily Exercise Routine

 

Sitting all day can damage your health, so getting into a regular exercise routine is best to stay fit and healthy. This does not have to start after age 65 but should continue in your 60s, 70s, and 80s.

This can be as simple as walking around the neighborhood or joining a yoga class. Staying physically active helps prevent muscle atrophy and strengthens bones. Regular exercise can also prevent chronic physical diseases.

3. Balanced Diet

 

Grabbing a burger and fries will not kill you, but you must maintain a healthy diet as you age. That means eating those leafy greens, enjoying fruit, and consuming protein. Aging brings about many more bodily needs, so we must stay active and eat healthily.

Protein is a building block that ensures good muscles. In your younger days, protein helped build your muscles, and now it is there to maintain them.

4. Regular Hydration

Water, water, and more water will keep you healthy. Conventional wisdom says to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, and that may be an excellent place to start, but each body is different. Taller people with more body mass may need more water. Water helps with hydration, lowering blood pressure, and, more importantly, keeping your body strong. 

Dehydration can cause vertigo and other problems. You do not want to experience that, so it is time to get serious about hydration. You may have to cut down on those four to five coffees daily and replace them with cups of water. 

5. Mental Health Care

Netflix had a special about Blue Zones, which showed that people living in these zones usually live past 100 years old. One of the things that kept people going was friendships and community. As we age, the hard things to see are our minds, bodies, and friends.

So, mental health is essential for our health. Regular interactions with people, daily exercise, and staying away from stress can help you more than you think.  

6. Regular Social Interaction

Many of us rarely leave our houses when we retire, especially if we live in Florida during the summer. Thank you, God, for A/C! Staying inside for long periods can lead to social isolation and depression. It is imperative to go out and seek interactions with people. That may even involve you inviting others over to your house. Make it a point to be socially active with your friends and neighbors. It will help out when you are lonely and tired of staying at home watching reruns.

One way to stay active is by video chatting with friends and family. My wife’s grandmother would have everyone come over every Monday for dinner. It was a great way to interact socially and enjoy family around you. Guess what? She is still going strong at 97 years old. 

7. Engaging in Hobbies

When we think of leaving work behind, we may need something to occupy our time. That is what hobbies are for. We cannot always be on the road traveling, but having a hobby or two to stay active is what retirement is for. Many people like to golf, but there is also tennis, volunteering, and using other skills to help those around you. 

Retirement is the perfect time to rekindle the passion for hobbies or discover new ones. Not only does it give you something to do, but it also provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment, especially after you have left your job. It is time to enjoy the things you like to do. 

You can even start a new hobby or two. So be a bit adventurous.

8. Traveling More

The road is calling, and it is time to see places. Everyone thinks that travel is something you will do one day. By the time you are 65, the hope is that the kids are out of the house and you have disposable income to spend. It is time to take those cruises you dreamed about or touring parts of Europe. You have the income and time, so you might as well take advantage of them before you can. The best part is that new adventures are there for you every step of the way. 

9. Volunteering

Do you have special skills or want to give back? In retirement, we have ample time to give back to our community. We can volunteer at schools, churches, and non-profits or even build homes for the homeless. 

The time you give back will make a massive impact on the community. In the Charleston area, a few retired guys got together to help at a school and saw a need to bring school uniforms to kids in the area. That one thought of volunteering helped to create the Hands of Christ program, which has been clothing for kids in the area for over 20 years. 

Take this time to help out your community. You may not know who you could be impacting. 

10. Mindfulness and Meditation

Life is not supposed to be filled with rage, stress, and anxiety. There has to be more to life than these intense emotions. As you age, these emotions can wear down your body so much. All you have to do is look at past presidents and see how they have aged in four years. So, it is time to start to learn how to meditate, relax, and be mindful of people and things around you. 

It could be meditating in the morning with your coffee. You could join a group at a local center to practice yoga. Even going to church more often and praying could be very soothing to your body. Take this time to relax and learn how to enjoy more of life. It is retirement time. 

11. Lifelong Learning

Learning doesn’t have to stop once you get the job and retire. You can continue learning new skills, trying new things, and enjoying informative books. 

Learning new things helps keep your mind sharp instead of withering away. So, a good way to keep learning is to read books, take online classes, audit university courses, attend workshops and seminars, or join book clubs. And remember the old saying, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” Too much idle time is not good for our mental health. 

12. Financial Planning

Is it too late to learn about financial planning? I hope not. It’s never too late to start planning for your financial future, especially when you are 65. It may be stressful starting a little bit later, but you can still make a plan. Working forever is impossible, so we need a way to finance our future. 

You can start by researching, finding a good financial planner, downsizing your home, and budgeting. These things can help you get on the right track. We cannot all depend on Social Security to fund our retirement, so some financial planning is needed. 

13. Estate Planning

As you age, it may be time to start thinking about what to do with your estate. The average lifespan of people in the U.S.A. is about 76. After 65, your lifespan may be shorter or longer than you expect. It does sound a bit morbid, but this is the time of life to know where your assets will go when you pass away. This could be passed to your spouse, a charity, your children, or a trust for some organization. It is a time to prepare when you are no longer around. Find a good lawyer, and do some planning with the people around you. 

14. Adequate Sleep

Who doesn’t like sleep? Sleep helps us be reenergized for the next day and helps our bodies recover from physical labor. So, one thing you should get is enough sleep. They say eight hours a day keeps the doctor away. I like nine. So try to do your best and not stay up into the crazy hours of the night. 

15. Regular Dental Check-Ups

Regular dental check-ups are like regular doctor visits. Good teeth can help you in so many ways. Bacteria can grow into your mouth and possibly cause infections, negatively affecting your life. So, like changing the oil in your car, get those once-to twice-a-year dental check-ups. 

16. Catching up With Old Friends and Colleagues

Reminiscing about old times is such a good time. Seeing friends is one of the best parts of life. It can be hard to go through life alone. Friendships can be a great way to keep mentally healthy as people age. Think about ways to hang out with friends more. It could be a BBQ at your house, watching the football game on TV, playing board games, or even hiking together. Take some time to make sure you are hanging out with your friends. 

Time to Look to Your Future

After the age of 65, it is a time for more relaxation. You have spent most of your life working, parenting, stressing, and other activities that have aged you. Now is the time to enjoy your hobbies, read books, volunteer, learn how to cook better, and see the world. So now take your chances and do something new and enjoy these years.