40 Activities You Need To Keep Doing Once You Turn 75
Turning 75 is a milestone that should be celebrated—you're 10 years post-retirement, you've likely paid off all your debts, and you are hopefully enjoying your golden years with friends and family. But just because you've turned 75 doesn't mean you can kick back and relax too much. You need to keep your brain and body engaged. Here are 40 activities you need to keep doing once you turn 75.
Keep Walking
It's important to keep your body moving for as long as you can. A daily walk of about 30 minutes is critical to keeping your joints, muscles, and bones in good health.
Join A Local Aerobics Class
Aerobics is a fantastic, low-impact exercise that's perfect for those over the age of 75. From stretching out your leg muscles to working on your core, you can use aerobics to keep your body in shape. Check to see if there's local aerobics classes near you—they may even be free for those over 65!
Swim At Your Local Pool Or Lake
Like aerobics, swimming is a fantastic low-impact exercise that keeps your muscles working. Because you're in water, your body is able to move more freely without the impact on your joints. Whether you choose to swim at your local lake or swimming pool, getting a swim in at least once a week is an excellent full-body workout.
Go Shopping!
You're 75. It's important to treat yourself every once in a while—take this opportunity to get yourself something nice. Go shopping with friends and make a day of it. Not only is spending time with your friends important, getting yourself something nice is always a good feeling.
Engage In Local Meetups
If you don't have many friends locally, then it's important for your socialization and mental health to engage with the community around you. Try to find local meetup groups that do things you enjoy—whether that's baking, walking, playing cards—as attending these local gatherings is a great way to make new friends.
Take A Road Trip
If you're still driving, why not plan a road trip? Even just a short one to see an old friend or visit the grandkids. There's never a better time to see the country than when you're retired and don't have the day-to-day responsibilities of a 9-to-5.
Volunteer At A Local Charity
Your local charities are likely crying out for volunteers. If you find yourself with some free time on the weekends or evenings, consider helping others by volunteering at your local charity of choice.
Check Out Your Local Senior's Center
If you're struggling to connect and network with others, your local senior's center can provide valuable resources—they may also be able to put you in touch with meals on wheels and other senior-centric supports.
Continue To Cook And Bake
If you can do so safely, it's important to continue to cook and bake—you'll eat more nutritiously if you cook your own food, so continue to cook and bake as much as possible. You'll also save money by not having to pay for an alternative service, or rely on take-out and restaurant food.
Get Out Into Nature
Try and get out into nature by taking walks on the beach or in a nearby park and breathe in plenty of fresh air. It's good for your lungs, mind, and spirit to immerse yourself in nature for an afternoon walk.
Consider Becoming A Member Of A Seniors' Organization
If you're enjoying volunteering, consider taking a more active role and becoming a member of a senior's organization like the Red Hat Society, The American Society On Aging, or the American Association of Retired Persons. If you have leadership experience, you might also consider applying for directorship or board member positions.
Travel—Travel As Much As You Can
One of the most important things you can do as you age is to see more of the world around you. If your income will allow it, try and take in far-flung destinations at least once a year. As Judi Dench and company discovered in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), traveling will keep you young.
Buy Your Produce From Farmers' Markets
While buying from big-box stores is often slightly cheaper, the quality of the food is usually very poor in comparison to your local farmers' market. Take advantage of your Saturday mornings by strolling through the farmers' market and interacting with vendors. You might make new friends and you're sure to find some great produce either way.
Consider Chair-Based Exercises
Even if your legs aren't working like they used to, that's no excuse to not exercise. There are dozens of chair-based exercises out there. You can find follow-along videos on YouTube or buy a DVD.
Use Brain Game Applications On Your Phone
One method of keeping your brain active and engaged as you get older is to play some brain games on your cell phone. Whether that's Mahjong, Tetris, or another game, keeping your brain engaged is critical to staving off neurological illnesses.
Workout At Home
Even if walking outside isn't for you, you can still keep your body active by working out at home. Consider purchasing a used treadmill and setting that up in an easy-to-reach space in your home. You can walk daily on it year-round, even when the weather isn't great.
Visit Your Doctor Annually
Even though you may feel fine, it's really important to get an annual check-up as you get older. Many preventative diseases go untreated in the elderly population—you don't want to wait and leave something untreated that could be a relatively simple fix, only for it to snowball into something unmanageable.
Do Daily Stretches
Even if you're not attending any workout classes, doing daily stretches will help keep your muscles and joints mobile and loose, improving your muscle strength and blood flow. You can do a quick set of easy stretches at any point during the day, so work them in whenever is convenient.
Ride Your Bike
If you've got the strength in your knees, try getting back in the saddle of your bicycle. It's a great way to meet new people (if there's a local bike club), or you could just go on a short leisurely ride each day or on the weekend. Bicycling is relatively low-impact and is excellent exercise for your knees and cardiovascular system.
Get Massages
Massages are fantastic low-impact options to maintain a healthy body. They're an excellent stress reliever, as well as being good for treating headaches and certain digestive disorders. You're 75, you've earned the right to relax and be pampered a little.
See Your Podiatrist
Optimally, you should do this before you start a newly-discovered exercise routine like walking or cycling. Your feet need to be looked after—if you haven't seen a podiatrist in a few years, try and book an appointment for a once-over of your feet.
Take Up Golfing
Golfing is one of those low-impact sports that requires a great deal of skill, but is fun to learn how to play, even if it takes you a long time to get the hang of it. A leisurely walk mixed in with some friends and a round of golf—is there a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?
Grow Your Own Food
You don't need an exhaustive garden that you can no longer manage—even growing a few herbs in little pots on the balcony of your apartment is an excellent way to save money and eat better-quality food that you grew yourself. It's immensely satisfying to eat something you grew yourself.
Try New Cooking Recipes
There's never a better time to try new recipes than when you turn 75. Variety is the spice of life. So, don't be stuck in a rut in the kitchen—try making some exotic new dishes that you can barely pronounce, you might be pleasantly surprised!
Start Quilting
A great hobby to get into at any age, quilting is an excellent way to keep your fine motor skills sharp and your brain engaged. There's likely a local quilting group near you—check it out today.
Join Your Local Theater
No matter what age you are, theater is an excellent form of self-expression—even if you've never considered yourself much of an actor, joining a local theater is a great way to explore something new and meet new and interesting people. Just don't say the name of The Scottish Play in a theater, whatever you do.
Print Off Physical Photographs
While most of the world is going digital with photographs, there's nothing like a physical print of a photograph in your hands. If you have some digital files that have been kicking around on a digital camera, consider getting them printed at your local Walmart and put them into a photo album.
Adopt A Pet
Not only will adopting a pet possibly save the life of an animal, it will also provide you with joy and love endlessly. If you're renting in an apartment building, you will need your landlord's permission, but you can generally find a well-suited dog or cat that works for your level of activity. Adopting a pet is a great way to combat loneliness, too.
Learn (Or Keep Playing) A Musical Instrument
If you've always loved to play your piano, or think you'd like to learn how to play any other type of musical instrument, then go ahead—provided your lungs and fingers can handle a guitar or you've got the lungs for a trumpet or saxophone.
Visit Your Audiologist
Hearing decline is a natural part of the aging process—but as you get older, you'll want to ensure that your ears are in the best working order possible and if not, explore options like hearing aids. Annual visits to an audiologist are a good idea to keep your hearing in-check.
Take Up Fishing
The great outdoors, a few friends—or, better yet, one of the grandkids—what's not to love about fishing? If you're not already an angler-extraordinaire, consider learning and using it as a bonding experience with the grandchildren.
Writing Letters
Even though emails are now the way of the world, and social media has made instantaneous communication so much easier, there's nothing like a handwritten letter. Whether you're communicating with a decades-old friend who lives far away, or just sending the occasional letter to your children and grandchildren, there's a personal touch that can't be beat in a handwritten letter.
Conquer That Bucket List
If you've already started your own bucket list and have been steadily checking off items—then continue to do just that. Or, if you haven't started one yet, begin a bucket list post-haste. Fill it with things you've always wanted to do and check those off.
Attending Dance Classes
If you loved dancing as a younger person, but gave it up years ago, there's never a better time to rediscover it. No matter what level you danced at or what type of dance you're interested in, dance classes can be a great way to move your body and meet new people.
Teach Classes In Your Specialization
If you have a specialized skill, consider offering to teach a class in that skill—whether that's pottery, photography, mathematics, English, whatever it may be. You'll give your knowledge a new lease on life and find joy in helping others.
Attend Trivia Nights
Maybe your local pub has a trivia night—consider attending these events. Not only will you likely have a great time, you'll make new friends and might even use your advanced knowledge to your advantage.
Join A Senior Sports League
If you're fit and able, see if there's a local senior sports league near you. These tend to be low-impact sports played at a much slower pace. They provide excellent socialization opportunities as well as keeping you fit, without overdoing it.
Do Crosswords
Whether you love the weekly or daily newspaper crossword, or can do the same thing from an app on your tablet or phone, crosswords are excellent for helping you maintain mental acuity. Keep doing those daily crosswords, they're helping keep your mind sharp!
Continue Listening To Music
This is especially the case if you live alone—turn on that old record player and put on some of your favorite tunes. Or, if you're more tech-savvy, sign up for Spotify or play music via YouTube and have access to most of the music ever produced.
Begin (Or Continue) Writing Your Memoirs
If you have a life story, other people will want to hear it. Even if you're just writing your memoirs for your family, putting your life story down on paper can help others fill in gaps in their own memories and will keep your legacy alive long after you've gone.
The Secret To A Long Life? Unique Immune Cells
While all of the above suggestions can definitely help to improve your quality of life after you turn 75, the secret to a long life may be written into your DNA. A 2023 study found that people who live to be 100 or older have a unique immune system cell composition and activity that help them live longer.