Stay mentally young and fit with hobbies you enjoy.  No matter how old you are, you can still engage in hobbies you look forward to doing. Activities where you learn and grow mentally will help keep you psychologically young and mentally active.   If money is a concern, you can consider many activities that are low-cost and available year-round. Many people enjoy doing handiwork, reading, listening to music, art or photography.  Find people with similar interests and do your hobbies together. This will help you maintain a social network and enable you to share your enjoyment. Possibilities include joining a sports club, volunteering, or joining clubs for traveling. Maintaining your social network of friends and family will protect your psychological health. Friends and family will help buffer you against loneliness, depression, stress, and anxiety, all of which frequently occur as people age.  If you have difficulty getting out or your loved ones are far away, consider keeping in touch by phone, through writing letters, writing emails, video chat, or using social media. If you feel isolated, consider locating a support group or counselor to help you. Your doctor will likely be able to recommend support groups in your area. You can also call the health department or your local senior center to determine what resources may be available to you. . Stress causes physiological changes in your body which lower your immune system and makes you more vulnerable to infections. By learning to manage stress you can improve your overall health. There are many relaxation techniques and you can try several until you find what works best for you:  Meditation Visualization of calming images Deep breathing Massage Yoga Tai chi  Progressive muscle relaxation in which you concentrate on tensing and then relaxing each muscle group in your body  Music or art therapy

Summary: Enjoy your 100 or more years of life. Keep in touch with those you love. Relax


Whether or not you see the problem in your spouse’s relationship with your family, be supportive of your partner and be sure to stand up for their feelings if you need to. You may need to put your marriage ahead of your family of origin, and your family should recognize the importance of the bond between you and your spouse.  If you have a hard time understanding where your spouse is coming from, consider that they probably want to keep the peace just as much as you do. Most people understand that family is a sensitive topic and do not wish to rock the boat. You might not see your spouse’s concerns as a big deal, but consider how you would want your spouse to react if the roles were reversed, and you had a problem with your spouse’s family. Show empathy towards your spouse. Let them know what to expect so as to avoid any surprises. Share your family’s background, jobs, personalities, or whatever information you think would be helpful to your partner. Address any potential conflict points before your spouse and your family see each other. For example, “Uncle Bill loves to talk about gun rights. I know you don’t like guns, so if he brings it up, it’s okay to try to change the subject or walk away.” Families are like little cultures all their own, and what might be acceptable in one family is not in another. Let your partner know how your family handles communication and conflict. Since you likely know both your spouse’s family and your family, you can compare the two and address differences. For example, your spouse may be from a noisy family where you have to shout to be heard at the dinner table. Your family may be much quieter. Let your spouse know that yelling would be considered very rude to your family.

Summary: Support your spouse. Teach your spouse about your family. Give your spouse effective strategies in dealing with your family.


If you’re concerned about damaging pants, or you need to show up to your destination and wear them without time to iron them, use a suit bag that will allow you to pack them vertically without folding them in half. This is the best way to keep your pants wrinkle-free.  Affix the pants to a pants hanger that won't damage the fabric. Some pants hangers require folding the pants in half at the knee and draping them over the top of the hanger. Store them neatly in your suit bag, making sure they’re completely straight so they'll remain wrinkle-free.

Summary: Pack the dressiest pants in a suit bag.


If you need a swing dance move that you can try right now, simply walk in place. Walk along with the rhythm of the music so that you are stepping to the beat. Make sure to keep your body over your feet and avoid leaning back, since this will resemble marching more than swing dancing.  Try walking forward 3 steps, then take 3 steps back. Walk to the side by 3 steps, then take 3 steps in the opposite direction. A small tapping motion in any direction can jazz up a walking dance step. Tap 1 foot on the floor in front of you in place of a step, tap your right foot out to the right or your left to the left, or tap the floor behind you with your toe to replace another step.  Tap in the same direction at regular intervals for a simple dance move, or vary when and where you tap for something more intricate. Make sure that you tap with the beat of the music. Triple-stepping is just what it sounds like. Walk in place, but do it quickly for 3 steps. Like walking, you can also triple-step in any direction.  Try walking in place for 2 steps and then add a triple-step. Follow up a tap with a triple-step. This is called a kick-ball-change. Practice this move by kicking 1 foot out in front of you. Keep the kick low, at about the height of your ankles or mid-calf at highest. Then, bring the foot down on the ball of your foot so that your heel is 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5.1 cm) off the ground. Turn 90 degrees on the ball of your foot so that you are facing in a new direction.  Follow up a triple-step or tap with a kick-ball-change. Try using kick-ball-changes to turn towards your partner if you are dancing with someone.
Summary: Walk in place for an ultra-simple swing dance move. Tap 1 foot out to the side, front, and back while walking to touch-step. Take 3 quick steps in place, to the side, forward, or back to triple-step. Kick 1 foot forward, press down on the ball of that foot, and pivot.