Healthspan Is the New Lifespan: A Caregiver’s Perspective

By Helen Anderson, MSN.Ed, RN, GERO-BC

Nurse Owned and Operated Senior Care

As nurses and caregivers working in the community with older adults, we have the privilege of supporting seniors and families navigate advanced age. There are many difficulties, but the beauty of the bond between people shows itself in many ways. The idea of the culture of care weaving from one century to the next, knowing that through human history, people have cared for each other. Prior to medical advances, many adults succumbed to acute illness like flu, infections, and dehydration. Our doctors are skilled at treating those conditions now. This creates more demand on families and healthcare providers for long-term chronic disease management.

Effective chronic disease management can result in additional years of health and independence, lengthening the health span. This is a more nuanced way to think about aging. Many people want to live a long life and have a long lifespan — the total number of years they live. As community care providers and senior advocates, we focus on health span — the number of years a person lives in good health, free from serious disease or disability. The term "Quality of Life” is often used to describe the way we question lifespan as the primary goal. Importantly, only the person themselves can determine what quality of life means to them.

Lifespan is the number of years a person is alive with a beating heart and circulating blood. Advancements in healthcare, nutrition, and technology contribute to the lengthening span of life. This lifespan versus health span debate is a new one. For most of human history, living into advanced age wasn’t as common. Before antibiotics came on the scene in the 1930s (sulfa) and 1940s (penicillin), human lives could be cut short by any infection, illness, or injury. With a wide range of antibiotics at our disposal, infections are treatable, and our bodies show age in other ways.We may lose functioning and independence as chronic diseases like arthritis and COPD progress and worsen. The average person sees a 9-year difference between lifespan and health span. That means in the final 9 years of life, they are dealing with the effects of a disease or disability.

To increase the length of health span and quality of life, there are some science-backed habits we can all start at any age. Here is a short list:

Exercise regularly: Lift weights 3 times a week. This maintains lean muscle and sends your bones the message to keep laying down new cells to stay strong. Get your heart rate up with activities like swimming, jogging, and Zumba. Activity is good for the body and the mind; research shows older adults getting regular exercise have lower rates of depression.

Enjoy a variety of unprocessed foods: Focusing on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats can protect against chronic disease. Fresh food and veggies not only contain vitamins and minerals, they can provide fiber to keep the GI system moving normally. Processed foods often contain added salt and chemicals to lengthen shelf life but cause our bodies to retain fluid and increase blood pressure.

Stay socially connected: Loneliness, smoking, and hot dogs all have the reputation of shortening your health/lifespan. Stay engaged with friends, family, and community groups. Many older adults have spare time to volunteer or learn a new skill or sport — follow a passion and find others with the same interests for best results.

Get regular checkups: Early detection and preventative physicals catch problems early when they are still treatable. No one wants to spend all their time in a doctor’s office, but some visits head off bigger problems later.Focusing on health span changes the way we think about aging and care. It's not just about treating disease when it appears — it's about preventing disease and maintaining physical, mental, and emotional well-being for as long as possible.This shift is important for individuals and families, but also for society. Longer health spans can reduce healthcare costs, lessen caregiver burdens, and improve the quality of life for seniors and their loved ones.

Helen Anderson Founder/ Primary, Hello Care

With 20 years of nursing experience in all areas of care - from emergency medication and ICU to providing community care in free clinics, Helen has devoted her career to providing compassionate, high-quality care to anyone in need. You and learn more about Helen and her company Hello Care here.