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Healthy Aging Month: Thrive at Every Age

The Pulse
September 2026

September is Healthy Aging Month, a time to focus on the habits that support a longer, healthier and more fulfilling life. No matter your age, it's never too early or too late to invest in your health.

Healthy aging is not about turning back the clock. It's about staying physically, mentally and emotionally well so you can keep doing the things you enjoy most. 

two women smile while playing mahjon

Keep Your Mind Engaged

Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical health. Just like muscles, your brain needs regular use to stay strong. Mental stimulation helps build cognitive reserve, the brain's ability to adapt and keep functioning well even as it ages.

Staying mentally active has been linked to a lower risk of memory loss and cognitive decline, and it helps you stay sharp, engaged, and connected to the world around you. Consider activities such as:

  • Reading

    Engages memory and comprehension, helping keep neural pathways active as the brain naturally processes information more slowly with age.

  • Learn a new skill or hobby

    Challenges the brain to form new connections, which supports cognitive reserve and may help delay age-related memory decline.

  • Solve puzzles

    Exercises problem-solving and pattern recognition, skills that can otherwise become harder to access as processing speed slows with age.

  • Take classes

    Combines mental challenge with social interaction, giving you two of the strongest protective factors against cognitive decline in one activity.

  • Volunteer

    Provides a sense of purpose and structure while keeping you socially and mentally engaged, both of which are linked to better emotional and cognitive health in later life.

Prioritize Rest

Quality sleep plays a critical role in your overall health, and its importance only grows as we age. 

During deep sleep, your brain clears out waste and consolidates memories, your body repairs tissue and regulates hormones, and your immune system strengthens its defenses. 

Poor sleep has been linked to a higher risk of memory problems, weakened immunity, and mood changes, while consistent, quality rest supports sharper thinking, emotional balance, and steady energy throughout the day.  As sleep patterns naturally shift with age, paying closer attention to rest becomes one of the simplest ways to protect both your mind and body for the years ahead.

To improve your sleep:

  • Follow a consistent sleep schedule

    Sleep patterns naturally shift with age, often shifting earlier. A steady bedtime and wake time helps keep your internal clock on track.

  • Create a relaxing bedtime routine

    As deep sleep naturally decreases with age, a calming wind-down can help you fall asleep more easily and improve the quality of the rest you do get.

  • Limit screen time before bed

    Blue light can delay your body's natural melatonin production, and this effect can become more pronounced as sleep grows lighter with age.

  • Stay active during the day

    Regular activity supports deeper, more restorative sleep, and becomes even more valuable for maintaining sleep quality as you get older.

Stay Connected

Strong relationships contribute to overall health and happiness. Spending time with others can provide support, purpose, and a sense of belonging.

As life changes — retirement, health challenges, or loved ones moving away — staying connected can take more intention than it used to. But community matters now more than ever. 

Regular social connection has been linked to better emotional resilience, sharper cognitive health, and even a longer life. Whether it's a phone call with an old friend, a weekly gathering, or getting involved in your community, staying connected is one of the most powerful things you can do for your well-being.
 

three women and one man smile while enjoying a park

Eat Well

What you eat directly affects how you feel, think, and function — from your energy levels and mood to your immune system and long-term risk for chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes. As your body changes with age, so does its nutritional needs. And don't forget to stay hydrated throughout the day. The sense of thirst also tends to weaken as we age, making it easier to become dehydrated without noticing.

Aim for a balanced diet that includes:

  • Fruits and vegetables

    The fiber and antioxidants support digestion and cell health.

  • Whole grains

    These provide sustained energy and heart health.

  • Lean proteins

    Protein needs actually increase with age to help preserve muscle mass and strength, since the body naturally becomes less efficient at using protein over time.

  • Healthy fats

    These support brain function and reduce inflammation.

  • Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D

    This becomes especially important as bones lose density with age, raising the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

  • Vitamin B12

    The body's ability to absorb B12 from food naturally declines with age — a gap that can affect energy levels and memory if left unaddressed.

Keep Moving

Regular physical activity is one of the best ways to support healthy aging. Starting around your 30s, the body naturally begins to lose muscle mass and bone density — a process that speeds up with age if left unaddressed. 

Moving your body helps counter that decline by maintaining strength, flexibility, balance, and heart health. It can also lower your risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. And the most important step is finding activities you enjoy and making them part of your routine. Consistency matters more than intensity when it comes to aging well.

Try to include a mix of:

  • Aerobic activities

    Things such as walking, swimming, or cycling — these support heart and lung health, which becomes even more important as cardiovascular risk naturally rises with age.

  • Strength training

    This helps preserve muscle and bone density, both of which decline more quickly over time without regular resistance exercise.

  • Balance exercises

    These help prevent falls, one of the leading causes of injury as reaction time and stability naturally shift with age.

  • Stretching and flexibility

    Exercises like this improve mobility and offset the stiffening of joints and connective tissue that tends to come with aging.

Stay Current on Preventive Care

Regular checkups and screenings become even more important as you age. They can help identify potential health concerns early, when treatment may be most effective — often before you notice any symptoms at all.

At your annual wellness visit, ask your provider about:

  • Blood pressure and cholesterol

    These are key indicators of heart health and stroke risk.

  • Recommended cancer screenings

    This is your early warning system. You get them based on your age, sex and family history.

  • Vision and hearing exams

    An eye exam does more than check your prescription. Your eyes are one of the few places in your body where doctors can directly see blood vessels and nerve tissue, which means a routine eye exam can reveal early signs of conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and even heart disease, sometimes before you have any other symptoms.

  • Vaccines and immunizations

    These protect against illnesses your immune system may have a harder time fighting off as you age.
four women take a selfie photo while shopping

Healthy aging is a lifelong journey

Healthy aging happens one step at a time. Staying active, eating well, maintaining social connections, prioritizing preventive care and supporting your mental well-being can help you continue doing the things that matter most to you.

Your TRS health plan can support that journey with preventive services, wellness resources and benefits designed to help you stay healthy and independent at every stage of life.

Click on your plan below to see all the ways it can work with you toward these goals.
 

Resources

​Provider Finder® ​​

Use Provider Finder® to find a doctor to help you stay up to date on vaccines and preventive care. You can search by location, gender or specialty.

You can also connect with a plan specialist about coverage and benefits or to get help finding a provider. They can even make an appointment for you! Call 1-866-355-5999 or chat in the app.

Teladoc™

Make a virtual mental health appointment for nonemergency mental health conditions with a licensed therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist.

Headway

Connect with an in-network mental health provider quickly and easily. You can even get same day matching with providers who have openings within 48 hours.

Mental Health Personal Health Guide

Get real-time help from specially trained PHGs who can help you find a provider or get help in a crisis. Be sure to ask for mental health help when you call 1-866-355-5999, available 24/7.

Well onTarget®

Take self-guided courses or get one-on-one support from a credentialed health expert. These wellness coaches can help you with stress management, postpartum care, fitness, and dietary habits that could affect your mental health.

Learn to Live

Get matched with the right digital mental health program for the support you need for issues like stress, anxiety, worry, depression, insomnia and sleep problems, social anxiety, and substance misuse.

Know Where to Get Care

If you do get sick or have an accident over the holidays, know where to go for care.

Fitness Program

​Join The Fitness Program to get affordable, no-contract memberships at gyms nationwide. Choose what works best for you based on location, budget or personal preference. There's even a virtual-only option!

100% Covered Vaccines

Your TRS health plan covers immunizations at no cost to you.

Member Rewards

Get rewarded for getting cancer screenings like a mammogram or visit with your PCP, OBGYN or specialist with Member Rewards. You can earn up to $599 per year.

Let's Move

Let's Move by UnitedHealthcare is here to help keep your mind, body and social life active. With simple resources, tools, events and personalized support, Let’s Move helps you explore ways to eat well, stay connected and be financially, physically and mentally fit, all at no additional cost to you.

To explore, visit Letsmovebyuhc.com through your member website.

You can also participate in live, virtual events to learn how to cook healthy meals, be physically active and explore other wellness topics by visiting the events page.

Rewards

With the TRS-Care Medicare Advantage plan, you can earn rewards for things you probably already do, like completing your annual physical and wellness visit. Once you have attested to your first Reward item, you will receive a credit on your UnitedHealthcare UCard that you can use to shop for eligible items in-store or online at participating retailers nationwide. For more information about rewards available to you, sign in or register on your member website at retiree.uhc.com/TRS-CareMA.

Get the Care You Need

For more information about plan coverage or to find a primary care physician call UnitedHealthcare toll-free 1-866-347-9507, TTY 711, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. CT, Monday-Friday or sign in or register on your member website at retiree.uhc.com/TRS-CareMA.

Find a Provider

For more information about plan coverage or to find a primary care physician call UnitedHealthcare toll-free 1-866-347-9507, TTY 711, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. CT, Monday-Friday or register on your member website. 

Covered Vaccines

Vaccines, including those for the flu, Hepatitis B, pneumonia, or COVID-19 are covered at $0. Learn the facts about vaccines from this UnitedHealthcare resource. For more information about plan coverage call UnitedHealthcare toll-free 1-866-347-9507, TTY 711, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. CT, Monday-Friday or sign in or register on your member website at retiree.uhc.com/TRS-CareMA.

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