BULLHEAD CITY – Western Arizona Regional Medical Center has developed a new initiative designed to empower our community to live longer, healthier lives. Enjoy the Ride: Navigating a Longer, Healthier Life is a free 12-day, longevity-focused email series launching on Sept. 15.
According to the CDC, Americans’ average lifespan is longer than ever – 74.8 years for men and 80 for women. But Americans’ healthspan – how long a person is healthy and free of disease – is decreasing. Baby Boomers are more likely than their parents to have cancer, lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, hearing problems, and mobility difficulties. Longevity merges lifespan and healthspan in the idea of growing older and staying healthy at the same time.
“Longevity takes into account not only a person’s chronological age, but also biological age,” says Dr. Kanwaldeep Virk, an internal medicine physician at Western Arizona Family Practice. “Age-related decline doesn’t have to be a forgone conclusion. With informed, proactive choice, at age 80 a person essentially could have the level of health expected at age 60.”
The Enjoy the Ride email series is designed to help people make proactive choices for long-term wellness. Daily road trip-themed emails include information about conditions most prevalent with aging, ways to prevent those diseases, and descriptions of how healthy choices can impact longevity.
“We find people in their 30s are already considering longevity, especially if they have a family history of conditions like heart disease or dementia,” says Dalton Homer, Interim CEO. “We’re happy to see this trend because it’s never too early to start thinking about what you want your future health to look like—and we want to help people map that for themselves.”
