We humans hope to live a long, healthy life but many, perhaps most of us, do not wish to outlive our independence. Achieving that goal is not always successful due to illness but staying active and adhering to science-based lifestyle recommendations increase our chances.
Attention to visual and hearing deficits is especially important since a safe interaction with our environment and effective communication with our family and friends help to stave off accidents, a common trigger of deteriorating health in older individuals. Since our ability to absorb essential nutrients diminishes with age, a healthy, well-balanced diet is very important; a daily multivitamin tablet makes sense but most longevity-enhancing supplements, advertised on TV, are of dubious value.
Finally, the importance of acknowledging one's limitations is too often ignored and independence may be threatened by an unwillingness to ask for assistance, especially when facing high-risk tasks. Pride should never be the cause of an early demise.
