Start with your decade
70 and beyond.
Protect your independence. You can change how fast you decline. You can't climb back up.
Find your weakest linkWhere you are on the curve
Every bit of reserve counts double now, because there's less time to rebuild what you lose. The goal is simple: stay in your own home, on your own terms.
Your likely weakest links
Balance
A fall is the most common Black Swan.
Strength
Getting up from a chair or off the floor without help.
Isolation
When nobody notices you've stopped showing up.
What to fill first
Balance practice every day. Strength work twice a week. Stay connected, so someone notices if you don't show up.
At-home checks
Blood pressure
Home cuff, seated, after five minutes of rest.
Grip strength
A hand grip meter.
5× sit-to-stand
Five times, arms crossed. Time it.
Balance
One leg, eyes open. Count the seconds.
Weight & waist
Waist measured at the belly button.
If a number drops fast, tell your doctor. Don't wait for the next checkup.
Staying in your home
Most Black Swans start with a fall.
About one in four adults over 65 falls each year. Most falls happen at home, and most are preventable.
Source: CDC
Practice balance every day.
Clear the floor: loose rugs, cords, clutter.
Light the path from bed to bathroom.
Put grab bars in the shower and by the toilet.
Get your eyes and hearing checked every year.
Ask your doctor which of your medications can make you dizzy.
Stay connected. Someone should notice if you don't show up.
Find out where you stand.
Ten minutes, free, and nothing you enter leaves your browser. Then fill the first bucket.