Older is cheaper (for society)

Most medical research focuses on understanding and combating disease. That’s good, especially when it alleviates suffering and leads to insights about prevention. But here’s something you will find very very interesting (well, at least I did). Delaying aging – that is, slowly the aging process, living the counterclockwise lifestyle –would have a greater impact on health, longevity, disability and quality of life than reducing heart disease and winning The War on Cancer. Wow.

This is according to a wonky big data study by a team of health economists at UCLA, Harvard, Columbia, University of Illinois and elsewhere. They used the “Future Elderly Model”—a microsimulation of the future health and spending of older Americans—to compare optimistic “disease specific” scenarios with a hypothetical “delayed aging” scenario. I like reading this stuff but sure am glad I don’t have to do it. Imagine spending your days running disease specific scenarios.

What they found was the delayed aging could increase life expectancy by an additional 2.2 years, most of which would be spent in good health. In contrast, projected gains in life expectancy from further reducing the incidence of cancer or heart disease were only about half of that. They also ran the numbers in terms of economics – looking at the greater outlay for Social Security, etc. as people lived longer contrasted with the reduced outlay for medical costs as people became disabled or fell prey to the “diseases of aging” later in life. Also, if people were healthier and more vibrant longer, the normal retirement age could be older so more money would be going into funding Social Security and what our country continues to call “entitlement programs.” The economic benefit to society would be about $7 trillion over 50 years, say the researchers.

“The health gains [of delaying aging] are so overwhelming that they make this worth pursuing,” says lead researcher, Dana Goldman of UCLA.

And this, my friends, could spell revolution with a capital R:

Revolution in the lives of older people as they enjoy additional healthy, vibrant years, years during which they can contribute their talents and energies to doing good in the world.

Revolution in our culture as the meaning of “old” is detached from frail, fragile, dependant and takes on a new, powerful meanings, like knowledgeable, engaged, contributory.

Revolution in our attitude toward health care reflected in the approach of doctors, hospitals and insurance companies (and even, yes, Obamacare) as we switch to focusing on and funding prevention.

You say you want a revolution?