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Women in North America are living longer than ever before. Although the risk of disease and disability clearly increases with advancing age, poor health is not an inevitable consequence of aging. Eating a balanced diet, keeping mind and body active, not smoking, and getting regular checkups (e.g., screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers, diabetes and its complications, and depression) will assist in preventing illness and disease.
People 75-85 years old can also expect to be able to function independently for at least half of that period. In these age groups, our health care goal shifts from extending lifespan to postponing dependency. While preventing disease is still important, maintaining good health for older adults focuses on preventing a loss of function and supporting the abilities we need to remain independent. In other words, the focus changes to vitality, function, and quality of life (rather than just to preventing disease and surviving).
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