“A longer life brings with it opportunities, not only for older people and their families but also for societies as a whole. Yet the extent of these opportunities and contributions depends heavily on one factor: health.”
– WHO, 2023
In recent years, the concept of “healthspan” has gained traction in public health. While the term may be unfamiliar to some, it refers to the period of life during which an individual is healthy and free from chronic diseases or disabilities.
Shifting Focus: From Lifespan to Healthspan
Traditionally, the focus in the health field has been on lifespan – the number of years a person lives. The World Health Organsation suggests that to close the gap between healthspan and lifespan, it is important to consider health as more than just the absence of disease or disability, but preferably as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
“Healthspan is increasingly being recognised as an important concept because it emphasises the importance of not only living a long life but also living a healthy and productive life.”, says Dr Shoshana Ungerleider, an internal medicine physician and founder of End Well, in an interview with Fortune Well.
As our understanding of lifespan increases, it’s evident that the emphasis needs to shift towards identifying effective methods to increase healthspan. People are living longer. By 2030, 1,4 billion people will be aged 60 years and over. By 2050, this will increase to about 2,1 billion. (WHO, 2023).
“ If a community has a higher life expectancy, it makes sense that they would live longer, healthier lives, but that correlation is not always foolproof. The gap between healthspan and life span is roughly 10 years”, Braunstein says.
At Junoverse, we have a crystal clear mission to bettering longevity for older adults and open up age-friendly communities. With that said, we don’t believe in solidly lengthening lives, but adding quality to one’s years left. Prioritising individual health is crucial. In the meantime, implementing this approach will ultimately benefit society as a whole by promoting a healthier population.
“To maximise the benefit to society while prioritising individual health, we need to adopt diverse approaches that make it easier to increase the number of healthy years in a person’s life.” – Martin Frölander, CEO of Junoverse
The creation of our products is based on research in the field of healthspan and longevity. We have built an ecosystem of solutions that jointly create a better everyday life for older adults. Learn more!