Simply leaving the house every day helps seniors live longer, suggests a study of people aged 70 to 90 years. Leaving the house was linked to a longer life independent of other factors, including social and medical.

"What is interesting is that the improved survival associated with getting out of the house frequently was also observed among people with low levels of physical activity, and even those with impaired mobility," said lead author Dr. Jeremy Jacobs, of the Hadassah Hebrew-University Medical Center, in Jerusalem.

"Resilient individuals remain engaged, irrespective of their physical limitations," he said.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Numerous studies have found that small lifestyle changes, such as exercise, can help seniors live longer, healthier lives.

Devoting just 15 minutes to exercise every day — at the level of intensity of a brisk walk —  lowered the risk of dying by 22 percent in older adults, according to a study at the University Hospital of Saint-Etienne. Those who exercised more lowered their risk by 35 percent when compared to those who didn't exercise at all.

A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that older men who exercise 30 minutes a day lowered their risk of dying by 40 percent. The effect on longevity was almost as beneficial as quitting smoking. Types of exercise studied included gardening and walking as well as formal exercise.

A review of nine studies, also published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that only 75 minutes of exercise each week lowered the risk of dying among people over the age of 60.

A 2017 study from the University of Buffalo found that simple activities, such as folding laundry and sweeping floors, also helped prolong life.

Other activities have been found to add years to your life. If you enjoy reading, you'll be pleased to know that a study from Yale University found that those who read books lived almost two years longer than those who didn't read at all. People who read the most lowered their risk of dying during the 12-year study by 23 percent.

Even having cataract surgery may help you live longer. A study from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that women aged 65 and older who underwent cataract surgery reduced their risk of death from all causes by 60 percent.