Focus on healthspan as Singapore turns ‘super aged’

LONGEVITY means different things to different people. Some years ago, I wrote in a column that I found the prospect of a 100-year life daunting. More recently my colleague Leslie Yee wrote on the “curse” of longevity.

Decades ago, age seemed to just creep along. But since my 50s, I’d say it snowballs. Just this weekend my husband had a health scare: He fainted while jogging in the park. The impact left him in shock. Fainting of course is only a symptom of what may be more serious physical issues. He’s in his early 70s.

So, is longevity a blessing or a curse? As Singapore becomes “super aged”, defined by the United Nations as the threshold when 21 per cent of the population is 65 and older, the question turns on how well we manage ageing, as a population and as individuals.