There’s more to longevity than duration.

This sentiment, expressed in a 2024 Harvard Health Publishing article, should resonate with all LeadingAge members.

We have learned throughout our careers in aging services that a long life does not necessarily mean a healthy life. We know from our interactions with older adults that, despite the shared human aspiration to live as long as possible, most people don’t just want to live a long life. As writer Lisa Catanese points out, they want to live longer while enjoying a good quality of life.

As trusted experts and educators, we can play a key role in helping older adults achieve that goal.

Promoting healthy aging is our area of expertise. We excel at it, and we should do more of it. Indeed, as mission-driven organizations, we have a duty to explore every feasible option to help current and future residents and clients live their healthiest lives as they age. At a very practical level, we must also work to ensure our health care system is better equipped to handle the burden of a rapidly aging population, an increasingly fragile reimbursement system, and a shrinking workforce.

Fortunately, a growing number of health care leaders—including researchers and clinicians at the National Institute on Aging, the McCance Center for Brain Health, and other pioneering organizations—are working to help us bridge the widening gap between longevity and health. These experts are laser-focused on ways to increase our healthspan—the years we live free from chronic disease, disability, and decline.

LeadingAge members can learn a great deal from these health leaders. As trusted experts and educators, we can also play a key role in turning their vision of a healthy, old age into reality.

We have no time to lose.

The gap between our lifespan and our healthspan is widening—and becoming more concerning—each year. A 2024 study published in Global Health found that, across 183 World Health Organization member states, the average person can expect to be healthy for only 63.3 years of their estimated 72.5-year lifespan. Notably, the United States has the widest healthspan-lifespan gap. Americans can now expect to spend 12.4 years of their lives coping with illness or disability, up from 10.9 years in 2019.

Fortunately, new research shows that we can close the gap between healthspan and lifespan through evidence-based practices and societal changes. For example, a 2022 report from the American Heart Association indicates that staying physically active, improving sleep quality, and eating a healthier diet can significantly reduce the risk of chronic disease and decline in later years. We also know that preventing falls makes a noticeable difference.

Other studies show that strong family support, good mental health, and access to quality health care are crucial to increasing healthspan. There is also evidence that we can improve the health of older adults by making their communities more age-friendly.

LeadingAge is part of these crucial conversations about healthspan. At the Global Ageing Network Summit on November 1, my colleague Emi Kiyota will discuss how a vibrant social network and a clear sense of purpose can improve the health of older adults. In addition, LeadingAge researcher Robyn Stone recently shared a key insight after visiting an impressive, high-end South Korean community designed to promote longevity: healthy living environments must be available to all older adults, regardless of socioeconomic background.

How do we begin our work to help more residents and clients extend their healthspan?

Review research on the lifespan-healthspan gap and learn about interventions that have been shown to narrow it. Browse evidence-based resources organized by the Healthy People 2030 initiative. Seek advice from educators at local universities and colleges, LeadingAge national, and your state partner organization.

Evaluate the wellness programs you currently offer and commit to enhancing them. Be deliberate in adopting a range of research-based programs and interventions designed to help the people you serve improve their healthspan. Research shows that even small steps matter and that social and emotional health counts.

Finally, broaden your view of caregiving. For decades, our shared mission has centered on caring for people. That caregiving role is vital to our organizations and the people we serve. Part of caring is being more intentional about ensuring older adults feel empowered and equipped to extend their healthspan.

As we work to close the gap between lifespan and healthspan, the traditional view of old age as a time of decline and vulnerability will be challenged. This new way of thinking will transform our organizations and the work we do. It will empower our residents and clients. And I have no doubt it will, ultimately, have a profound impact on our country and the world.