Americans are living longer than ever before. But too often those extra years are not healthy ones — sapping the sweetness from what should be our golden years.
Today, babies born in the United States can expect to live more than 79 years, nearly eight years longer than the average just 50 years ago. Yet while the typical lifespan has risen, healthy life expectancy — the number of years a person can live in full health — hasn’t kept pace. In fact, the typical American “healthspan” has declined since the start of the 21st century.
