Want to Age in Place? Health First Dr. Visalakshi Srinivasan Says You Can if You Start Now

Dr. Visalakshi Srinivasan is a geriatrician and medical director of Health First Aging Services

WATCH: Dr. Visalakshi Srinivasan, a geriatrician and the medical director of Health First Aging Services — known as “Dr. Visa” by patients and colleagues alike — says aging successfully starts with healthy habits.

It’s not rocket science, says a retired aerospace worker and his wife of 66 years. Take their tips – and a geriatrician’s – to help you stay home longer.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — At 93, Leroy Gross knows he’s an anomaly.

“We don’t get too many 90-year-old people,” Leroy said simply. “By the time they’re 60, 70, 80, they’re already going downhill. You don’t have to go downhill.”

He and his wife, Annetta, 89, are living proof. The couple has managed to stay healthy and age in place — in their own Cocoa Beach home, where they want to be.

“Health makes a huge difference,” Annetta said.

“It really does. My father died at 53 of a heart attack. My mother, 55, of breast cancer. Now, that’s not good genes at all, but my mom’s siblings are 90, 92. One brother was 100. My dad’s family was all diabetic and heart disease, so I think I have overcome the bad luck I was given.”

Married 66 years this October, the Grosses are eager to share their insights — especially as more Americans strive to remain in their homes as they grow older.

According to the National Council on Aging, seniors (65+) will make up 22% of the U.S. population by 2040. By 2060, some 88.8 million people will be 85 and older.

Based on 2023 figures, while only 1.3 million currently live in nursing homes, the percentage increases with age:

■ Ages 65–74: 1%
■ Ages 75–84: 3%
■ Ages 85+: 8%

Dr. Visalakshi Srinivasan, a geriatrician and the medical director of Health First Aging Services — known as “Dr. Visa” by patients and colleagues alike — says aging successfully starts with healthy habits.

“The good news is that people have a lot of things that they can do today, which is going to influence how they’re aging tomorrow,” she said.

“For successful aging, a lot of it is a healthy lifestyle.”

The Role of Healthy Habits

Dr. Visa said it’s not too late to start boosting brain and overall health. She emphasizes four pillars for brain health:

■ Physical exercise
■ A healthy brain diet
■ Cognitively stimulating activities
■ Social connection

“The more healthy the choices you make, the more colorful your diet is, the better it is for the brain,” Dr. Visa said.

She recommends a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, plant-based foods, nuts, and fish — and low in processed foods. This helps build cognitive reserve and keeps the brain sharp.

New activities are also key. Try switching from crossword puzzles to Sudoku, playing video games, learning a language, or picking up an instrument. Socializing is equally important.

“Participating in the community, belonging to a church, volunteering, having a sense of purpose, is again going to be important for brain health work,” Dr. Visa said.

This is especially vital after losing a spouse. Support from others can help combat depression and maintain brain health.

“Being socially connected actually improves people’s sense of purpose,” she added. “A lot of times people, when they are nearing retirement, they have this sense of dread because many of us basically look at our job as our identity.”

Busting Aging Myths

By the way – memory loss isn’t inevitable.

“Aging does not mean a decline in memory, mood or gait,” Dr. Visa said. “Normal changes are a decrease in muscle mass, bone mass, and sensory changes, like a decrease in vision and hearing, all of which can be addressed and maintained.”

She urges older adults to maintain regular checkups and screenings, stay hydrated, and monitor medications that may cause dizziness or constipation.

“A simple thing like drinking enough fluids could get rid of the dizziness and could also keep their bowels regular,” she said.

Hearing loss, if ignored, can affect memory.

“If you have hearing loss and you don’t address it… memory cells… get recruited by the hearing area,” Dr. Visa explained. “You want all your memory and memory cells to work efficiently on memory.”

Falls are a major concern. A New York Times article reported 41,000 deaths from falls in 2023 among Americans 65 and up. Dr. Visa recommends hydration, medication reviews, and wearable devices like Apple Watches, which can summon emergency help after a suspected fall.

Dr. Visa also prefers the term “stressed” over “depressed” for older adults, noting stigma around mental health.

“It’s almost like a weakness,” she said. “ ‘I don’t want to go to a shrink’ – that’s what they call it.”

Preventive Care and Immunizations

Dr. Visa stresses the importance of preventive screenings and vaccinations — including flu, pneumococcal, shingles, and COVID-19.

“People need to remember that when they get immunized… it generally builds up their whole immunity and that, in turn, can… decrease the incidence of dementia,” she said.

She also emphasizes autonomy for older adults.

“I want to make sure they still have that sense of autonomy and control,” she said. “Connecting yourself to a primary care physician, having a good health care and personal support system really helps you age in place.”

What Works for the Grosses

The Grosses exemplify healthy aging. Annetta starts her day with 15 calisthenics and reads magazines. They know all the neighbors in the 32 homes on their street.

“I’m the oldest one on the street. I do sprinkler systems – and everybody needs a sprinkler helper,” Leroy noted, jesting, “I got things to do. Get out of my way!”

Leroy ran the Rickety Rocketeers retirement club, a group connecting retirees from his spaceship-building days at General Dynamics, where he worked on four to five different launch pads on the Atlas missile program. Annetta, a homemaker, learned of and became active with Health First Aging Services in 2018 through a class offered at the Freedom 7 Community Center (soon to be renamed the Cocoa Beach Senior Center).

“I was looking for things that would help seniors,” she said. “Pretty soon, I realized… I’m in the same boat.”

They’ve traveled to all 50 states and different countries like the United Arab Emirates, China, Tibet, Turkey, and Greece — always researching ahead.

“Traveling has been a big, big event in our lives,” Annetta said. “It’s good memories — excellent memories.”

They rarely watch TV and enjoy driving their 1929 Ford Model A Phaeton.

“I just take it out around the neighborhood every once in a while and blow the horn, and everybody smiles and looks at me,” Leroy said.

Leroy is the go-to fixer at church, handling everything from acoustics to air conditioning. He’s known for refurbishing cars and solving problems through books and research.

“Everybody has a problem, and I can generally fix it if I have a chance,” he said.

The couple has always been mindful of their diet and hydration, avoiding soft drinks and heavy meals. Annetta does pool aerobics and Tai Chi. Neither smokes nor drinks heavily.

“We’ve been on the right track, and we’ve not had any body parts replaced,” Annetta said.

Recently, Annetta’s watch detected low oxygen levels during her sleep. Both got checked out with a sleep study and needed one – now they have his-and-hers CPAP machines.

“We have friends who are couch potatoes,” Leroy said. “That’s not good.”

They would know.

“When we go to the doctors, they say, ‘Well, keep doing what you’re doing,’ ” Annetta added.

Her advice: “Have things you like to do together, but have some separate things, too.”

Leroy believes compatibility is key.

“It’s who you marry and whether you’re compatible and stay that way,” he said. “Don’t get mad… you hurt people and go around frowning all the time.”

Annetta, the family’s “kin keeper,” tracks birthdays, anniversaries, and reunions. Her advice: “Don’t smoke. Watch what you eat. Don’t be a couch potato. Find interesting things to do. Don’t spend beyond your means. Save some money… Just use your brain and be sensible.”

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