Introduction
What is “Healthspan”? Why do we want our “Healthspan” to match our “Lifespan”? US Health Organizations tell us that, during the last nine years of our lives, the odds are we will be suffering from diseases or medical conditions which will substantially impact the quality of our future. The good news is that each of us can do something about this. Lengthening “Healthspan” starts with thinking about aging well holistically, meaning prioritizing physical health, mental health, and ways to feel joy and connection. It is a journey worth taking. This website endeavors to provide you with a clear description of what “Healthspan” is, why you will want to expand it, and how to achieve it. These pages reflect my journey to find the “utopia” offered by a personalized “Healthspan” strategy. The website is also a repository of articles, videos, and key website links, providing a “knowledge base” on this subject. I found that, without this knowledge, I may have abandoned my journey. I am glad I did not.
This journey would never have started without my wife, Patty, and I becoming residents of Moorings Park in Naples, Florida. Moorings Park is the premier provider of retirement living in SW Florida, and its pledge to provide “Simply the Best” facilities and services for “Successful Aging” won us over. There, we learned that the destination of Successful Aging is a matching Lifespan and Healthspan. Encouraged and supported by the Moorings Park doctors and staff, I reevaluated my lifestyle and defined a “personal health strategy” to map out my journey to an increased “Healthspan.” We can ALL do this.
My hope is that the information on this website provides you with valuable insights and motivation to undertake your own journey. If you decide to pursue Successful Aging, please formulate your “Healthspan” roadmap with your physician. It’s a trip we should all consider taking.
What is
Health
Span?
Healthspan is the period of life spent in good health, free from the chronic diseases and disabilities of aging. What about life span? In the last seven decades (1950 – 2020), the average worldwide age expectancy has risen from 47 to 73 years. In 2023 the predicted age expectancy in the U.S. is 79.11 years. The good news is that lifespan is increasing. The bad news is that Healthspan is not. Researchers estimate that one-fifth (20%) of our life will be lived with chronic health conditions. Therefore, society is plagued with a morbidity gap (the condition of suffering from a disease or medical condition) toward the end of life. Generally, this means we are unable to participate in the activities we once loved. Nor interact with family and friends as we want and need to. Can we close this Healthspan gap? Fortunately, the answer is yes. That is if each of us, with our doctor’s help, creates our unique “Healthspan” strategy with a personalized implementation plan. Now is the time to start your journey. The World Health Organization’s guiding principle in addressing the Lifespan Healthspan gap is achieving “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.” This is our collective goal, and if we achieve it, we will X out the Morbidity Gap!
HealthSpan Strategy
Span Strategy
“To achieve our objectives, we first need to have a strategy: an overall approach, a conceptual scaffolding or mental model that is informed by science, is tailored to our goals, and gives us options. Our specific tactics flow from our strategy, and the strategy derives from our objective. We know what the objective is by now, but the strategy is the key to victory.”
– Dr. Peter Attia from Outlive
My Strategic Goal: Increase my Healthspan to match my lifespan, making your future healthy, happy, and meaningful.
My Strategic Tactics: Define and faithfully follow these stepping stones:
