National Institutes of Health SeniorHealth

About.com Senior Health

Medline Plus Seniors' Health

InteliHealth Seniors Health

Health and Age

Mayo Clinic Senior Health Center

Environmental Protection Agency Aging Initiative

American Geriatric Society (in PDF)

New York Online Access to Health(NOAH)

Research show that by leading a healthy lifestyle you can help reduce your risks for heart disease, cancer, strokes and diabetes. All it takes to increase your chances for a long and healthy life is your decision to take charge of your lifestyle. Here are some things you can do.

Be active – walk, exercise, take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and little or no fatty foods.

Don’t smoke, and don’t drink alcohol beyond recommend limits.

Have a primary care provider who knows your history and who you visit regularly. Take advantage of preventive screenings and immunizations like flu and pneumonia shots.

Pay attention to your mental health. Keeping your mind stimulated and having an active social life are every bit as important to your overall wellness as exercising and being smart about what you eat.

Take Care New York

Take Care New York is the City's action plan for individuals, families, health care providers, community organizations and government to make New York City healthier. It describes 10 steps you can take to a longer and healthier life.

New York Quits is a great resource if you’re looking for information on how to quit smoking, coping with withdrawal or seeking a local smoking cessation program.

Medicare Part B covers the cost of annual wellness visits to develop or update a prevention plan tailored to your health. Take a Medicare Preventive Checklist to your doctor or other health care provider and ask which preventive services are right for you.

Health literacy is the ability to understand health information and to use that information to make good decisions about your health and medical care. Approximately one third of the adult population in the United State has limited health literacy.

Senior Centers are great places to find physical exercise, Tai Chi, stretch, yoga and other wellness classes. To participate in a center wellness program, you must be a registered center member. 

Many centers' wellness offerings include one or more of the following Department for the Aging's Health Promotion Programs:

Big Apple Senior Strollers
These clubs are active in a variety of senior centers and other facilities throughout New York City that provide services to seniors. Each club walks to achieve a target number of steps, anywhere from 25,000 to 1,000,000+. Members use pedometers to count their steps. Individual totals contribute to the club’s goal.

To find a Senior Strollers Club near you, select your borough to see a roster of centers with walking clubs in your neighborhood.
Bronx  Brooklyn  Manhattan  Queens  Staten Island (in PDF)

Stay Well Exercise Program
Led by center members who volunteer to be trained on the program, Stay Well is tailored to individual fitness needs and abilities, from chair exercises to aerobics. It includes routines designed to enhance balance and build muscle strength and endurance. Classes end with stress-reduction exercises. Classes normally run 40-50 minutes and are held once a week.

Select your borough to see a roster of senior centers that offer the Stay Well Program.
Bronx  Brooklyn  Manhattan  Queens  Staten Island (in PDF)

Alert and Alive Discussion Groups
Informal Alert and Alive discussion groups are offered at centers throughout the City. They are led by trained senior volunteers in sessions that run continously. Members share their beliefs, attitudes and concerns about aging in a warm and congenial atmosphere.

To find a center near you that offers Alert and Alive, select your borough below.
Bronx   Brooklyn   Queens (in PDF)

Keep on Track: Blood Pressure Monitoring Program
Trained senior volunteers measure the blood pressure of their peers in bi-weekly screening and monitoring sessions. Adhering to a special protocol developed in association with the Department of Health, the volunteers keep records and follow-up with anyone whose blood pressure is too high.

To find a center near you that offers Keep on Track, select your borough below:
Bronx   Brooklyn   Manhattan   Queens (in PDF)