How to Track Your Senior Health Journey

• I can walk easily up or down two or more flights of stairs.
• I can take out the trash without difficulty.
• I engage in vacuuming, dusting and light housework without fatigue.
• I can walk for at least one mile without rest.
• I can reach up for high objects or pick up objects from the floor without pain.
• I have no difficulty raking leaves, gardening, lawn mowing or with other outdoor work.
• I feel strong and healthy most of the time.
• I am independent in my daily functioning.
• I have high energy levels.
• I am as physically active as other people my age or younger.

If the answers to the questions above are not as positive as you would like, don’t become discouraged. Instead, view the results as a starting point. Work with your physician or health care provider to gauge whether it is safe to begin an exercise program. If needed, your doctor can work with a physical therapist or other professional to develop a customized, modified exercise routine just for you, while addressing any medical conditions that may limit or prohibit you from becoming more active.

As you and your doctor gauge these metrics at various benchmarks, it is entirely possible that you will have made tremendous progress, which should encourage you to continue your routine. You may also lose weight or be able to reduce certain medications as your physical condition improves. Your mood and sense of well-being may also improve.