Every year, an increasing number of us turn 70, 80, 90, and even 100. As life expectancy increases, it becomes more important than ever to make plans to live a longer, healthier, more self-sufficient life. Along those lines, here are 5 important tips for preparing for retirement.

1. Take Care of Your Health

At any age, your most important asset is your health. Quit smoking, reduce alcohol consumption, eat less overall, eat more vegetables and fruits, exercise more, drink more pure water, reduce stress, get sufficient sleep, get regular checkups, take your vitamins, and floss your teeth. It's all the same advice your mother gave you so many years ago. Yet 60% of Americans today are overweight and an increasing number are suffering from lifestyle diseases like diabetes and stress than ever before.

It has been proven that regular exercise will help you not only maintain better weight, but it helps reduce bone loss, and it increases mental acuity. As much as you need to keep moving physically, you need to stay engaged mentally as well. Keep reading on a daily basis, engage in discussions about politics and philosophy, solve a crossword puzzle and you'll keep your mind sharp.

Medical science is helping us live longer, but it's not your doctor's responsibility to ensure that you live healthier, longer – it's up to you to take a proactive role in managing your own health. If you want to maximize the enjoyment of your retirement years, follow your mother's advice and stay healthy!

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2. Take Care of Your Financial Health

One of the most common mistakes people make as they prepare for retirement is underestimating how long they will live. The average American lives 18 years in retirement. Another common mistake is underestimating the cost of retirement. According to the US Government, only 42 percent of Americans have calculated how much they need to save for retirement.

Meet with a financial planner early – now would be a good time – to create a financial plan for your retirement. Ask plenty of questions. Be specific about your desired lifestyle and needs. Review your savings plans (such as your 401K and/or IRA accounts), your retirement benefits in the way of employer pension plans, Social Security benefits, tax savings, etc.

Your living expenses may decrease if you move to an apartment or smaller home, but they may increase dramatically if you require medical care. Review your insurance, specifically your long-term care insurance with your broker or agent.

Most importantly, do not touch your retirement savings accounts. It is tempting to cut into your nest egg for that special vacation trip, the big screen TV, or your granddaughter's college education. But with each dollar you remove from your life savings, you short change yourself many times that amount in later years. Let your family know, too, that your plan does not allow you to remove money from these accounts.

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3. Protect Your Family

No one likes to talk about it, but it is important to keep your will up to date. Communicate with your loved ones when you make changes, discuss with them your plans for passing along your assets. Setting provisions for dividing your estate in advance helps preserve your family's relationships. If they know what to expect, it will lower the stress and strain of financial decisions made during a potentially emotional time.

Connect with government agencies and past employers to make sure your family understands any benefits due under pension or entitlement plans. And be sure our family knows where to find important paperwork, keys, and treasured mementos. Make a list of everything important in your life and share that list with

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4. Plan for Your End

A subject usually avoided by family and friends is planning for death. More than just creating a will or planning a funeral service, decide how you want to be remembered. Choose the music, the images, the food for the celebration of your life. Encourage those you love not to mourn your passing, but to share the joy and special times you had together. What would like your epitaph to be?

Write letters to your children and grandchildren with thoughts and advice for them. Share your fondest memories of time spent with them. These letters will become treasured personal communications to be saved forever and passed down to future generations.

The more you plan for the inevitable, the more you'll be able to relax now and enjoy life, knowing that things will be taken care of when the time comes. Life is for living, not for worrying!

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5. Your Continuing Life Purpose

In our golden years, many seniors enjoy the warm feelings provided by sharing memories of the past: family, career, travel, accomplishments. But living in the past can be detrimental when it is not balanced with a focus on the present.

At any age, having a sense of purpose helps us feel fulfilled and worthy. Having a reason to get out of bed, to stay active, to make plans for the future all comes from the desire to be useful, to know that you are continuing to make a difference.

So, how do you make a difference? Take your lifelong skills and experience, mix them with what you enjoy, and design a plan to share your wisdom and love with others. Teach a course at a community college, volunteer at a pre-school, be a mentor to a young business owner, or write a book. The list is endless. As you discover or re-discover your purpose, or create a new one at any age, you'll experience a renewed vigor and vibrancy, too.