Quantity vs. Quality: The Paradox of Living Longer but Sicker in America

 "The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important." Martin Luther King, Jr.

 Living a long, productive life is as much a part of the American dream as owning a home, achieving financial security, or providing better opportunities for one's children.

We’re living longer thanks to advancements in medicine, public health initiatives, and improved living conditions. Longevity in the U.S. has significantly increased over the past century. The life expectancy at birth in 1921 was approximately 56.3 years for men and 58.5 years for women. In 2021, it was about 76.1 years for men and 81.1 years for women.

While many of us are living into our 80s and 90s, the paradox is that the quality of life for most is declining:

·         Around 60% of American adults live with at least one chronic condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and obesity. And nearly 40% deal with multiple conditions.

·         An estimated 6.7 million Americans aged 65 and older (1 in 9 people) were living with Alzheimer's dementia in 2023.

·         Around 5.8 million people in the United States have dementia. This number represents about 1.7% of the U.S. population and 10.7% of those aged 65 and older.

·         Approximately 40% of Americans under the age of 40 are living with one or more chronic conditions.

Obviously, we're not quite living the dream when it comes to longevity.

However, living with chronic diseases doesn't mean we can't enjoy life; it means we have to do a better job of managing our conditions. I know because I’ve lived with a chronic condition for sixteen years now, and I can proudly say I AM WELL. If we don’t manage our condition(s), they will rob us of our joy and victimize us to a life of unnecessary pain and suffering. 

If you have been diagnosed with a chronic condition, are you managing it, or is it controlling you? Three indicators that it might be creeping in and interfering with your well-being: You spend more time sitting in waiting rooms for medical appointments than on activities you enjoy; You spend more time in physical therapy than you do exercising; And you spend more time thinking and talking about sickness and worst-case scenarios than making healthy lifestyle changes.

The goal should always be adding life to our years, not just years to our lives, and it doesn’t have to be hard or costly. If you can count to 10, you can do it - the key is consistency!

So here are 10 small changes, which, if practiced each day, not only add life to your years, but they are easier to manage than a lifetime of unnecessary pain and suffering. 

 TEN DAILY small changes TO IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE:

·         ONE Act of Kindness

·         TWO  hours of No Screen Time

·         THREE  (x 5) minutes of physical activity

·         FOUR minutes of gut-wrenching laughter

·         FIVE servings of fruits and vegetables

·         SIX glasses of water

·         SEVEN hours of sleep

·         EIGHT deep breaths when you’re upset

·         NINE minutes of inspirational reading 

·         TEN things to be grateful for

Are you more concerned with adding years to your life or enriching your life right now? What rituals or habits do you currently practice that contribute to your wellness? Are you struggling to manage a chronic condition or simply needing a boost to keep you moving? I can help! Contact me at smallchange@myrtlerussell.com.

Start Counting; Be Well!

For more small change tips to “Be Well,” subscribe at: https://www.myrtlerussell.com/contact-us.