Living Longer in Better Health: Six shifts needed for Healthy Aging

One of the most profound demographic shifts in human history is happening right now.

More and more people across the world are living well beyond the age of 65—an age many of us used to equate with “retirement” and “getting old.” It’s great that we’re living longer; but are we living better?

A recent analysis by the McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) suggests the answer is no. MHI found that a person on average will live ten more years in medium or poor health, affecting their ability to live life fully and leading to increases in care and dependency.

However--and here’s the good news--MHI has identified six important shifts that could make it possible for governments, businesses across sectors, not-for-profit organizations, health and well-being stakeholders, and individuals to unlock improvements in healthy aging.

What’s the rush? Consider this:

• By 2050, the number of people older than 65 will more than double to 1.6 billion, growing from 9.4 percent to 16.5 percent of the total population.
• All told, the world’s old-age dependency ratio?(the population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64) is slated to more than triple.
• In 1950, for every person over the age of 65, there were about 11 working-age people. Today, there are seven. For “super-aged” societies like Italy, Japan and South Korea—where more than 20 percent of the population is aged 65 and older—the gap is even wider.

Bottom line: the implications are great for individuals, economies, and the world at large.

??Six shifts needed to support healthy aging

Here are the six shifts that MHI has identified to unlock improvements in healthy aging and promote a healthier, more engaged generation of those over age 65.

1.???Invest in the promotion of healthy aging

Investing in preventative measures across all four dimensions of health—physical, mental, social, and spiritual—enables older people to enjoy a higher quality of life, increase their social and economic contribution, and potentially reduce long-term healthcare costs. Focus prevention efforts on conditions correlated to age, such as dementia and sensory impairments. Invest in helping older adults continue to find purpose, social connections, and financial security, as well as strategies to encourage lifelong physical activity. Even in the case of dementia, which people often consider one of the most intractable challenges, it is believed that up to 25% of risk could be reduced through lifestyle factors alone.

?2.???Scale interventions proven to promote healthy aging

A recent study estimated that older adults’ disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) could be reduced by almost 30 percent, solely by applying proven interventions. We have many of the tools at hand. These interventions could include: boosting the quality of life while managing age-related disease; engaging in initiatives that combat isolation and provide a sense of purpose; establishing programs and technology that promote independence and aging in place; and undertaking humanistic approaches to care that promote a connection with direct carers.

?3.???Accelerate innovation across the healthy aging ecosystem

To drive innovation across the four dimensions of health, society needs to foster and fund collaborations at the intersection of life sciences, digital, technology, and services. For instance, improving dementia treatment and outcomes requires a holistic approach of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Meanwhile closing the care workforce gap for aged care is a human challenge with a financial imperative. In Australia, more than 35,000 aged care workers are needed to fill the shortage. No one single intervention will likely be sufficient to address the massive shortfall in the care force and the pressures of affordability. But affordable, accessible care solutions will be needed to ensure dignity and independence in old age.

?4.???Unleash the potential of all industries to enable healthy aging

Health is relevant across all sectors where there is potential to develop products and improve infrastructure to support healthy aging. That includes most companies: In the U.S., nearly 60 percent of S&P 500 companies offer goods and services that directly impact health. Non-health players could both develop products and services for the needs of older adults and provide inclusive infrastructure, especially in the workplace. Employers could integrate older adults into the workforce, for example, by creating formal, second-career pathways for older adults who have retired to re-enter the workplace.

?5.???Empower and motivate older adults to live to their full potential

This requires education and widespread adoption of self-directed practices that enhance an individual’s role and responsibility in their healthy aging. Individuals need ongoing community involvement through volunteering, working, or engaging in purposeful activity for as long as possible. According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA) the health risks of prolonged isolation are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. We need a public-private infrastructure that drives active participation over dependence.

?6.???Improve measurements of health and get better data

Even in high-income, technologically advanced countries, no standardized data set can illuminate older people’s diverse health capacity over time across the four dimensions of health, let alone their surrounding personal attributes, behaviours, and environmental factors. The first step may be to define a standardized data catalogue and measurements leveraging several existing examples. The long-term goal is to create data-driven measurements of holistic health, supported by standardized, integrated data.

While the extension of life expectancy has been one of our world’s greatest achievements, it is not enough to just add years to life. We must also focus on how to add life to those extra years. These six shifts can help guide the way.

For additional detail and context, please check out our full article on the six shifts, as well as our foundational paper, Adding years to life and life to years .