Many of us will undoubtedly live longer than our parents, and our attitude toward a long life is likely to differ from theirs.

We’re more focused on adding life to years than on adding years to life. As a result, it’s critical to seek out ways that promote good aging so that we can stay active for longer.

Rather than encouraging health, wellbeing, and staying active, public health programs for elderly people frequently focus on disease prevention.

Doctors, on the other hand, can assess a person’s physical potential by measuring physical functions.

People can also assess their functional ability and disability in dealing with day-to-day tasks.

The study published in the journal by Landré and colleagues (from the Université de Paris) gives us some intriguing insights into what makes healthy aging.

Between 2007 and 2016, Landré and colleagues analyzed data from almost 6,000 participants, with an average age of 66. They tested motor function up to three times, concentrating on activities including walking speed, chair rise time, and grip strength, as well as a person’s personal judgment of the everyday living.

Patterns of decrease in various measures of motor function were observed in the years preceding death.

Researchers discovered that poorer motor function (activity) was connected to an increased risk of death, confirming the link between high motor function and longevity.

In a second study, Landré and colleagues looked at within-person changes in motor function over a 10-year period, starting from the time of death and going backwards. This method is often used in cognitive function and dementia research to look for accelerations in rates of cognitive decline in the last few years, a concept known as “terminal decline.” This kind of analysis, on the other hand, are infrequently used in investigations of motor function.

The patterns of those who died and those who survived were found to be highly different.

Up to ten years before death, participants who died had slower chair rise times than survivors, nine years before death had reduced walking speed, six years before death had lost grip strength, seven years before death had difficulty managing physical functioning, and four years before death had difficulties with daily activities.

Early diagnosis of changes in motor function might give chances for prevention and focused interventions, according to the authors, and they could be used as markers for exercise and mobility programs to keep people moving.

Despite the fact that these assessments focus on death as the end result, our goal should always be to add life to years, not just years to life.

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