Scientists are increasingly coming to understand that slowing down the ageing process is not only good for our health, but also for the economy. Recent research shows that tackling old age itself yields more benefits than fighting individual diseases. This means that living a longer and healthier life is not only desirable, but also financially advantageous.
Over the past hundred and fifty years, life expectancy has risen significantly, but many of those extra years also bring health problems. Virtually everyone over 60 struggles with one or more chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or dementia. This leads to high healthcare costs and a lower quality of life. To promote healthy ageing, it is therefore crucial to tackle the entire ageing process.
Researchers calculated that extending the healthy lifespan by one year could be worth as much as 38 trillion dollars to society. When this period increases by ten years, that amount rises to hundreds of trillions. This is possible because people remain independent and active for longer, fall ill less often and therefore need less care.
The focus is now increasingly on preventing age-related diseases by placing the concept of ‘biological ageing’ at the centre. This means that medical science is focusing more on tackling the causes of diseases, long before they begin. In this way, intervention can take place earlier and good health is maintained for longer.
This approach is especially important for people who want to age healthily. It means that living longer does not have to come at the expense of our well-being, but can instead lead to a better quality of life.
Source: Buck Institute
