10 functional abilities that indicate exceptional aging past 70

There are many examples of aging in place until advanced age. However, by the age of 70, it is less common for people to continue to function without disease or disability. In a study published by the Swedish TwinGene cohort, the primary determinants of healthspan (the lifespan without any major chronic disease) were identified to be a few core biomarkers, with the most being blood glucose, HDL-cholesterol, and inflammatory biomarkers. Furthermore, it was reported that having high blood glucose was the greatest risk factor for chronic disease, and having healthy levels of HDL was protective. This means that, for example, lifestyle and drugs that control glucose have the potential to translate into added years of active, healthy life.

However, for humans, longevity is not the only criterion for super-aging. Being physically active, mentally clear, socially connected, and independent in daily living requires functional physical and cognitive aspects that correlate with exceptional longevity and may not always be evident in biomarkers. Therefore, I would like to present 10 functions to assess whether the person next to you is a super-ager.

Rising from a Chair Without Using Hands

Can you stand up without using your hands to help you out of a chair? This might seem like a simple test, but it actually reveals a great deal about your strength and functional independence. After all, the ability to rise up from a seated position by using your legs, balancing, and keeping your core engaged is one of the most basic and complex movements that all people perform throughout the day.

In order to move, you need strong muscles and joints. But the link between muscular strength and health outcomes is also strongly evident in the literature, as a new study review has just summarized. Titled “Hand grip strength as a proposed new vital sign of health: a narrative review of evidences”, the article, recently published in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, thoroughly documented the connection between grip strength, as an indicator of muscle strength, and several adverse outcomes like chronic disease, dementia, functional impairment, and all-cause mortality.

Walking at a Steady, Independent Pace

Gait speed is often referred to as the “sixth vital sign” because it serves as an aggregate marker for cardiovascular health, muscle strength, balance, and neurological function. Beyond being merely a matter of convenience, maintaining a consistent walking speed after the age of 70 can predict an individual’s likelihood of remaining independent, their risk of falls, and even mortality.

The role that lung function plays in maintaining walking endurance has been studied. A study published in the European Respiratory Journal found that, from the age of 25 to 80, pulmonary function, as well as aerobic capacity (VO2max), decreased by approximately 40%. The study concludes that “the loss in ventilatory reserve with ageing is not fully reversible and may become a limiting factor to exercise in older people with a relative sparing of leg muscle function.

Maintaining Bladder and Bowel Control

A 2012 article in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica highlights the established link between pregnancy and vaginal delivery and an increased risk of stress incontinence. Conversely, cesarean delivery offers some protection against this condition. The authors further explain how aging and obesity contribute to a heightened risk of incontinence as women enter their 70s and beyond. Essentially, for many women, incontinence later in life represents the cumulative effect of lifelong risk factors.

Much more than just a medical condition, urinary or bowel incontinence beyond the age of 70 has the potential to undermine an individual’s independence, dignity, and quality of life. Pelvic floor exercises, weight control, and appropriate treatment of bladder changes can significantly contribute to maintaining continence in older age. For some individuals who have maintained continence well into advanced ages, incontinence is an example of successful resilience and preventive strategies.

Climbing Stairs Without Severe Strain

One important health and wellness area that can indicate a person’s musculoskeletal and cardiovascular vitality is their ability to ascend stairs without excessive effort. Stairs challenge a person’s ability to utilize lower-body strength, balance, and lung capacity, and can serve as a good test of overall stamina.

This is particularly true in aging, where difficulty with this task can be a precursor to worsening mobility and increased dependence on others.

Cooking and Maintaining Nutrition Independently

Notice, as you age, your senses of taste and smell and your mouth’s internal sensations are increasingly important to your nutrition — and easily neglected. According to Scientific Reports, people over 60 have significantly poorer smell, taste, and oral sensitivity than younger adults.

Declines in these senses can decrease appetite, make eating less pleasurable, affect food choices, or lead to nutritional deficiencies. If you lose a good sense of taste or smell after age 70, you may eat less, prefer bland or soft foods, or avoid certain nutritious foods.

Traveling

Traveling on your own can be one of the clearest indications that your sensory systems are still working well. A healthy ENT system helps promote balance, hearing, and coordination, all of which enable seniors to navigate airports, walk down the street, or orient themselves in new and unfamiliar places with relative ease. Sharp eyesight also enables them to read signage, take in the scenery, and fully engage with cultural and social opportunities.

Read On: 10 side hustles for staying financially independent and engaged after 70

Maintaining Social Engagement and Communication

Solitude in old age can be a natural desire or something thrust upon us. Most likely, by age seventy, most of our “friends” have died, and children and grandchildren are busy with their own lives. There are times when older people are placed in caregiving homes where there are few, if any, daily meaningful conversations, and physically, we may no longer be able to easily visit with family and friends or maintain many social contacts. These things may slowly erode our emotional health without us even noticing, and before we realize it, they could also be compromising our physical and cognitive health.

A BMC Geriatrics study found that loneliness and social isolation in older adults contribute to greater frailty, higher chronic disease risk, cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, and lower overall quality of life. These detrimental effects on well-being directly impact survival in later life and are a key focus of clinical and public health practice; therefore, multidimensional interventions addressing the social and emotional domains of aging are essential for maintaining independence and vitality in later life.

Bending, Reaching, and Maintaining Flexibility

The quality of the tendons and ligaments is typically poor by the age of 70. Collagen fibers become less elastic, water content decreases, and micro-tears accumulate over years and decades of use. Range of motion in joints and general flexibility are negatively affected. Simple movements of daily life, like bending over, reaching overhead, and twisting, that were once taken for granted, now require focus and are more likely to lead to overuse or injury.

Older Americans who have been involved in professional sports are prone to developing tendon and ligament problems later in life, even after retiring in their 40s and 50s. Kobe Bryant, an NBA champion known for injuries to his Achilles tendon throughout his career, is said to have experienced mobility issues before his death. This is a testament to the decades of strain on ligaments and tendons from sports, highlighting the importance of flexibility for maintaining function in old age, when tissues are already degraded by aging.

Managing Daily Finances and Complex Tasks

Older adults who remain engaged in mentally stimulating tasks, including money management, experience slower rates of cognitive decline. Being able to balance a checkbook, use online banking platforms, or plan for long-term expenses demonstrates functional independence and executive function. Maintaining this skill set into the eighth decade and beyond is, therefore, both a marker of good health and a protective factor for maintaining a high quality of life.

Adapting to New Technologies

Higher scores on the Adaptability scale are associated with fewer depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress, as well as improved self-rated health. The ability to adapt to changing situations, including new ways of communicating and using service platforms, can be an asset to health and well-being as many tasks, such as managing finances, accessing health care, or staying in touch with loved ones, become more dependent on the ability to use the internet or other technologies and using them well can help lower practical and psychological burdens.

6 tips for successful weight loss for women in 2025

6 Tips For Successful Weight Loss For Women in 2025

Successful weight loss for women often calls for an individualized approach, taking into consideration the unique physiological, psychological, and lifestyle factors that influence a woman’s weight. It’s not just about adopting a generic calorie-restricted diet or a strenuous exercise regime. Instead, it encompasses a holistic view of health, including balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and stress management.

In this article, we will walk you through a step-by-step guide to help you on your fitness journey and discuss how Ozempic may benefit your weight loss routine.