When inquiring about their aspirations for long-term health, my patients rarely express a desire to reach the age of 100. Instead, they emphasize the importance of aging independently and with dignity, being free from physical discomfort, and having the strength to engage with their grandchildren. One of my patients, in their 60s and battling emphysema, simply wished to blow out birthday candles without struggling to breathe.

However, our national discourse on aging fails to acknowledge these fundamental values that people hold dear. It is high time for our country to set ambitious health objectives. Over the past century, the average lifespan in the United States has increased significantly, a remarkable feat. Yet, it is equally remarkable that life expectancy has now plateaued, a fact that has been met with indifference.

According to the Census Bureau, by 2034, there will be more individuals aged 65 or older in the United States than those under 18, marking a historic demographic shift. Additionally, people are increasingly grappling with addiction, chronic illnesses, and injuries, even at younger ages. Our current political landscape, entangled in narrow debates about who deserves access to health insurance, is ill-equipped to tackle these challenges. We urgently require a new approach to discussing health before we can enhance it.

A ground-breaking health effort should stress ‘health span,' or the number of years people may expect to live in excellent health, rather than focusing exclusively on extending lifespans, according to experts. Years ago, President John F. Kennedy underlined the value of giving existing years more vigor in addition to future ones.

Let's start by appreciating what is important to each of us: the years we have lived in good health. In our youth, we frequently forget the benefit of keeping our faculties as we age. The difference between prospering and feeling fragile on each birthday, however, becomes increasingly valuable as we age.

Several peer nations have already taken decisive actions to make health span a focal point of their policies. Singapore, with a longer average lifespan and a rapidly aging society, committed in its recent national health reforms to “prevent or delay the onset of ill health.” Britain has set a clear objective of increasing healthy life expectancy by five years by 2035. In Japan, local programs invest in initiatives that enable older adults to pass on their skills and wisdom, such as teaching young people how to cook, create art, and garden, resulting in benefits for both generations.

The United States does not, however, rigorously measure and report health span in the same way that it does life expectancy, in contrast to these other nations. According to recent projections, the typical American can only anticipate one birthday in excellent health following the usual retirement age of 65. As opposed to this, average life expectancies of at least 70 years are already reported for Singapore, Britain, Japan, Canada, Costa Rica, and Chile.

An ambitious and wise national goal would be to raise the retirement age by ten years, giving people more time to live healthy, rewarding lives. To ensure health fairness for all, aiming for a target health span of 75 years would force us to address health inequities, particularly among some populations, including Native Americans, Black Americans, and low-income Americans.

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