Why are you passionate about promoting healthy aging?
First off, I love getting older and the reason is that it gives one perspective. At some point, you realize the things that are of value to you and with this understanding comes great wisdom. In our society, the number of people with unique perspective is growing. We are experiencing what I call the graying of America: Our population age 65 and over has increased from 36.2 million in 2004 to 46.2 million in 2014, a 28 percent increase. The older adult population is projected to more than double to 98 million in 2060, especially as baby boomers continue to age. This changing population dynamic makes it imperative that we encourage and support ways to age well.
Is chronic disease a new problem?
Chronic disease is an ongoing health condition, something you must manage every day and something for which there is no cure. Examples of chronic disease conditions include heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes. Chronic disease is not a new problem, but it is a growing problem. In 1900, for example, mortality was much, much lower, but many of the diseases people died from were infectious diseases like tuberculosis, pneumonia or influenza and gastrointestinal infections. With miraculous medical advances, many of these diseases were eradicated and our lifespan increased. However, the rate from which people died from chronic diseases increased at an alarming rate. Heart disease, only the No. 4 killer in 1900, became the No. 1 killer in 2010, while cancer moved from the No. 8 killer in 1900 to the No. 2 killer in 2010. The increase of chronic conditions combined with sedentary lifestyles has created a stressed out, unfit and very unhealthy society.