Health advice for older people

Keeping active physically, mentally and socially as you get older can help you maintain your physical and mental health.

As we get older, our muscle strength and balance reduce, which can lead to a fall. Exercises designed to improve muscle strength can reduce fall risk by improving your posture, coordination and balance.

Even if you are not as active as you used to be or would like to be there are some simple exercises you can do. Exercising will help you build up and maintain your strength and balance as you age. You can find information in our get a move on leaflet ​(​PDF, 408KB, 8 pages).

Connecting with others can help to keep you mentally healthy. Keep in touch regularly with friends and family. Join a group that you are interested in to pursue a hobby. Become a volunteer to help others. Say hello to anyone you see during the day.

For local ideas for activities and for a range of information and support visit:

• IW Age UK
• Isle find it
• Alzheimer Cafe
• Sight for Wight

Try something new, such as a hobby or an interest that intellectually engages the brain. People who engage in personally meaningful activities, such as volunteering or hobbies, feel happier and healthier.

Learning new skills may improve your thinking ability, too. For example, older adults who learned quilting or digital photography improved memory more than those who only socialized or did less cognitively demanding activities. 

Some research on engagement in activities such as music, theatre, dance, and creative writing has shown promise for improving quality of life and wellbeing in older adults. From better memory and self-esteem, to reduced stress and increased social interaction.

Ask someone you know to help you learn to use the internet. Age UK Isle of Wight support people to learn to use the internet through their digital inclusion project.

Some types of cognitive training conducted in a research setting also have benefits. For the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) trial, healthy adults 65 and older participated in 10 sessions of memory, reasoning, or processing-speed training. The sessions improved participants' mental skills in the area where they were trained, with evidence suggesting these benefits persisted for two years.

The following services can help you achieve some or all of the above:

• library services
• museum and heritage services
• sports and leisure services
• 20 world online museums provided by Ecobnb.