Know someone over 70? They should stop these 12 activities right away
Look, nobody wants to feel like they’re losing control, but for the sake of safety, some activities just don’t make sense after 70.
We all want the people we love to stay independent, but sometimes we focus too much on managing chronic diseases and overlook simple, immediate dangers. The biggest risks often come from preventable accidents, unexpected exploitation, or the compounding effect of aging. These dangers aren’t just abstract statistics; they are things we can act on today to keep life safer and better.
We have to face the hard facts about age-related risks. Just look at the road: fatalities in traffic crashes involving older drivers jumped by a shocking 42% in just one decade, between 2013 and 2022, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That’s a huge, frightening trend we can’t ignore. This list isn’t about stopping them from living; it’s about making small, immediate changes based on hard data to ensure they stay safe, healthy, and fiercely independent longer.
They should stop ignoring home tripping hazards
Falls are tragically common, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says they’re often due to simple, overlooked hazards. The CDC states that falls are the leading cause of injuries for adults 65 and older. Over 14 million older adults, or 1 in 4, report falling each year.
The good news is that the fixes are incredibly simple.
Removing loose area rugs, ensuring stairs have sturdy handrails, and ensuring all walkways are well-lit are immediate preventive actions. If a person is also dealing with medication-induced dizziness (which is very common), that loose rug becomes a lethal hazard. Taking this small effort drastically reduces the risk of a catastrophic injury.
They should stop driving without a critical self-assessment
We need to be honest about declining reaction times, which can turn a routine drive into a tragedy. The NHTSA noted that crashes are more harmful for older adults because their reaction times decrease with age. This decreased responsiveness makes them more prone to severe injury in any incident.
It’s important to understand that physical and visual capabilities—from reaction speed to night vision—all diminish, even if the driver doesn’t notice it day-to-day. Driving is complex, requiring high-level cognitive skills that weaken with age. Medications can easily compound this risk by causing unexpected drowsiness.
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They should stop combining five or more unreviewed medications
Taking too many pills—a condition called polypharmacy—is a major fall risk that needs immediate intervention. The formal definition of polypharmacy is often using at least five medications regularly. Worryingly, patients taking more than four medications have an increased risk of injurious falls.
The danger isn’t limited to sedatives, either; the risk of falls increases significantly with each additional medication, regardless of its type. Dr. Sonja Rosen, Chief of Geriatric Medicine at Cedars-Sinai, explains that even new medications meant to treat a condition can cause drowsiness, putting patients at “higher risk for a fall or impair their cognitive abilities”. This happens because multiple doctors often prescribe drugs independently, leading to chemical interactions that cause dizziness or confusion, essentially engineering a fall risk.
They should stop waiting until they feel thirsty to drink water
That critical feeling of thirst diminishes with age, making chronic dehydration a silent, dangerous threat. Older people simply lose the strong impulse to drink, which severely increases their risk of dehydration and associated health problems.
Our kidneys also play a role, as their function can decline as we age, making them less efficient at conserving water. This means fluid loss is faster and more frequent. Dehydration quickly causes confusion or dizziness, directly increasing the likelihood of a fall. The reliance on the natural thirst impulse is faulty, meaning hydration must become a scheduled activity throughout the day, not a reaction.
They should stop skipping routine adult vaccines
Vaccines protect against diseases like shingles that cause debilitating, lasting pain that can severely impact quality of life. Despite the availability of highly effective vaccines, shingles coverage is shockingly low, reaching only 41.1% for adults aged 60 and older.
Dr. Eddy Bresnitz, M.D., executive director of Global Medical Affairs and Policy for the Merck Vaccines Division, emphasized that vaccination rates for shingles are “well below” those for the flu. The vaccine is the only effective way to help reduce the risk of this severe illness. Often, the barrier isn’t outright refusal but simply the lack of a strong recommendation; a Harris Interactive consumer awareness survey, sponsored by Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, indicated that 79% of older adults would get the vaccine if their doctor recommended it.
They should stop being silent about financial abuse by someone they know
Financial exploitation is a massive, multi-billion-dollar problem, and the data shows that most of the time, the thief is someone trusted. According to a report from AARP, criminals steal an estimated total of $28.3 billion from older adults annually. This is a painful statistic: 72% ($20.3 billion) of that is stolen by known individuals—like friends, family, or professional caregivers.
This high percentage of insider theft confirms the problem is an emotional crisis disguised as a financial one. Known perpetrators often gain direct access to bank accounts. Tragically, AARP also found that victims are often silent about this abuse (up to 87.5% silence) due to shame, fear, or reluctance to report a loved one.
They should stop making quick, irreversible financial decisions for strangers
Never, ever rush a financial decision, especially if it involves methods like gift cards or wire transfers. Scams perpetrated by strangers rely on quick, irreversible transactions, such as wire transfers or gift card purchases.
The decision-making process required to resist fraud relies on complex, higher-order cognitive functions that decline disproportionately with age. Scammers exploit this lack of cognitive resistance by demanding immediate, high-pressure action. Mild cognitive impairment makes seniors particularly susceptible to these fast-moving schemes. Stopping the rapid, unverified transaction demanded by a stranger is the most important defense.
They should stop using unmonitored space heaters or open flames
Sadly, seniors face a much higher risk of death from house fires compared to the general population. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission found that older consumers are 3.5 times more likely to die in fires than others, resulting in about 930 deaths annually.
Specific hazards like unattended cooking and smoking materials are major sources of residential fires. Furthermore, the death rate from clothing fires is 14 times higher for this age group. This risk is lethal because decreased physical mobility and reaction time mean less time to escape a dangerous situation.
Ensuring smoke alarms are installed on every level and outside every sleeping area is essential. The activity to avoid is carelessness around any open flame or excessive heat.
They should stop avoiding muscle and balance activities
Maintaining strength and balance isn’t optional for older adults; it’s the fundamental key to functional independence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults 65 and older need at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening activities every week, along with specific exercises dedicated to improving balance.
Physical activity has been proven to prevent or delay many health problems we assume are simply inevitable with age. Generic walking isn’t enough; the specific focus on balance is essential because it directly addresses the primary mechanism of a fall.
The CDC emphasizes this simple truth: Some activity is better than none!. Even if climbing stairs is difficult, safe chair exercises can still provide benefits.
They should stop eating excessive sodium (over 2,300 mg daily)
Too much salt forces the heart to work much harder and significantly increases the risk of stroke. On average, adults over 51 consume about 3,100 mg of sodium per day. That average is well over the generally recommended 2,300 mg daily limit.
As Andrew M. Morton, MD, a family physician in Corydon, Indiana, explains, excess sodium causes the body to retain water, which in turn increases the volume of blood. This heightened blood volume raises blood pressure, significantly increasing the risk for heart attack and stroke, especially for those who are salt-sensitive. While reducing salt to the lowest guideline of 1,500 mg might be difficult, cutting down dramatically from the average 3,100 mg is critical for cardiovascular health.
They should stop using hot tubs or saunas when their blood pressure is extremely high
If blood pressure is spiking or uncontrolled, applying extreme heat methods can severely tax the heart and circulatory system. Doctors strongly advise against using a hot tub or sauna if blood pressure is extremely high—specifically, higher than 180 (systolic) over 110 (diastolic).
Heat exposure produces a physical effect similar to that of a brisk walk. For people with existing or uncontrolled heart conditions, this thermal exertion can be too risky. If they choose to use them, sessions should be brief (10 to 15 minutes). Also, they should absolutely avoid rapid movement between very hot and very cold environments, like jumping into cold water after a sauna.
They should stop attempting complex navigation alone (e.g., unprotected left turns)
Complex traffic maneuvers require split-second cognitive skills that naturally diminish with age, leading to errors. Data confirms that older drivers are statistically overrepresented in crashes requiring complex navigation, particularly at intersections and when making unprotected left turns.
Driving demands a variety of high-level cognitive skills that can decline, impairing the ability to process multiple moving variables rapidly. This reduction in processing speed leads to errors during high-demand traffic.
The easiest solution is to plan trips in advance to avoid routes that require challenging, unprotected left turns. Choosing safer routes during lighter traffic hours dramatically reduces cognitive load, thereby mitigating a primary crash risk.
Key Takeaway
Being proactive is the key to continued independence, especially after 70. The focus should be on mitigating compounded risks—such as how medication interactions lead to falls or how cognitive decline enables financial fraud.
Talk openly, assess driving habits, simplify the home environment, and prioritize scheduled preventive care (such as vaccines and hydration) now. The most loving thing you can do for them is to have these tough, data-backed conversations today.
Disclosure line: This article was developed with the assistance of AI and was subsequently reviewed, revised, and approved by our editorial team.
20 Odd American Traditions That Confuse the Rest of the World
20 Odd American Traditions That Confuse the Rest of the World
It’s no surprise that cultures worldwide have their own unique customs and traditions, but some of America’s most beloved habits can seem downright strange to outsiders.
Many American traditions may seem odd or even bizarre to people from other countries. Here are twenty of the strangest American traditions that confuse the rest of the world.
20 of the Worst American Tourist Attractions, Ranked in Order
20 of the Worst American Tourist Attractions, Ranked in Order
If you’ve found yourself here, it’s likely because you’re on a noble quest for the worst of the worst—the crème de la crème of the most underwhelming and downright disappointing tourist traps America offers. Maybe you’re looking to avoid common pitfalls, or perhaps just a connoisseur of the hilariously bad.
Whatever the reason, here is a list that’s sure to entertain, if not educate. Hold onto the hats and explore the ranking, in sequential order, of the 20 worst American tourist attractions.
