Lifespan vs. Healthspan

By Robin Bush, ISR Communications

Caroline was the primary caregiver for her mother for 22 years as her mother aged well into her 90’s.  At age 72, her mother had developed multiple health issues (chronic disease and impaired movement) that made life very challenging.  For nearly twenty years, the two of them worked hard to stay positive, but navigating each day became harder and harder.  Now Caroline, nearing 70, is asking herself and her medical advisors what she can do now to extend her healthspan if she too lives into her 90s. Many of us are asking ourselves the same question.  Maybe you, too, cared for an older friend or relative who struggled with their health.   How can we make our older years the best they can be?

What we are really asking is how can I expand my healthspan?  What is healthspan?  Healthspan is the number of years free of disease and disability, whereas lifespan refers to the total number of years lived without regard for your health.

The World Health Organization recently said the 2024 U.S. average lifespan is 81.98 years for women and 77.05 for men.  The American Council on Science and Health has identified that the healthspan for women is 68.28 and 74.45 for men. We are living longer, but we are not living healthier.

This points to the need for wellness-centric thinking in how we live our lives, and it is never too late to make changes that may dramatically impact our later years.  Although we can’t change our heredity, we can change our choices on how much water we drink each day, what we eat, how we reduce stress, and the sleep we get.  One of the most important things is getting up from our chairs and moving our bodies – both gentle and more intense movements.   Scientists believe that exercise plays a significant role in narrowing the gap between lifespan and healthspan.  Exercise can, on average, add two to three years to healthspan and, for some, as much as five or more years. 

Moderate to vigorous exercise can make a significant difference, but if that is more than you can do today, try “exercise snacks” (not something you eat but instead moving for 2-3 minutes repeatedly throughout the day) until you are doing 30 minutes a day most days of the week. 

Another answer is participating in S.A.I.L. classes (Stay Active and Independent for Life) offered on Zoom and in person by WhidbeyHealth and ISR.  These classes include cardio, balancing, strengthening, and stretching. To learn more, go to the Fall Prevention page under Resources.

Join Caroline and so many others who are literally jumping to extend their healthspan today.