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Interviews with people celebrating their 100th birthday always include one question: What’s the secret to your long life?

The answers aren’t always in line with science. For example, in 2020 a Chinese centenarian responded with some dubious advice: “Smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and eat junk food.”

One of the conditions people fear the most as they get older is dementia. While your risk of Alzheimer’s disease is largely out of your control, other types of dementia are preventable, says Dr. Salamon. The health of your brain, like your heart, is largely the product of your lifestyle habits.

“There are a whole lot of things we can do to prevent vascular dementia, which has the same risk factors as heart disease,” she says. Preventive steps include, among others, eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, not smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight, and keeping cholesterol and blood pressure within the recommended range.

An easy way to stay active is by walking. You don’t need to hit 10,000 steps a day to stay healthy — as many as 7,500 can do the trick, says Dr. Salamon.

A 2019 JAMA Internal Medicine study found that walking just 5,000 steps was associated with better health. Even women taking as few as 4,400 steps per day had a 41% lower risk of dying compared with women who walked 2,500 steps a day or fewer. And they didn’t need to be power walking — just moving around the house was enough.

Many older adults who didn’t grow up with computers and other gadgets might be hesitant to embrace electronic tools. But learning to use them can bring health benefits, says Dr. Salamon. During the pandemic, telemedicine has become a valuable way for people to connect with their doctors and keep tabs on their health. Computers can also help people stay connected with friends and family.

“For many older people, especially people in their 80s and 90s, the computer opens up the world for them,” she says. They can use it to rapidly access information, read about anything and everything, communicate by email and videoconference with their friends and family. Today, many senior centers offer assistance to people who want to learn more about how to use technology, which can give you an easy place to learn the ropes. Don’t be afraid to give it a try.

As people get older, their pillbox often gets larger. Many people take multiple pills each day, some of them prescribed many years ago. This raises the risk of not only harmful drug interactions but also dangerous side effects. Prescriptions need to be updated regularly, because your body may react differently to drugs if your weight or your metabolism changes.

It’s good practice to review each of your medications with your doctor or pharmacist every six months to ensure that you still need to be taking them, that the dose is accurate and that your medications aren’t interacting with one another, says Dr. Salamon. Making needed adjustments can help you avoid side effects, such as dizziness, which may lead to a fall.

Developing good habits and knowing when to accept some help can keep you healthy and independent longer.

A lot of people are reluctant to use a cane or a walker, even if they feel unstable when they walk. This may lead to a fall and a serious injury that affects their quality of life.