Invest in Healthspan
Investing in your health starts with living in the right place.
Our society is increasingly obsessed with longevity. High-end gyms now offer expensive “longevity programs,” headlines spotlight breakthroughs in extending life, and investors are pouring billions into biotech aimed at slowing aging. The message is clear: people are looking for ways to live longer. But it raises a bigger question—what good is living longer if those years are marked by poor health? A longer life is only a true gift if it’s also a healthier one. That’s why more attention is shifting from lifespan to healthspan: the number of years we live with vitality, independence, and purpose.
The Daily Choices That Shape Healthspan
The encouraging reality is that healthspan isn’t determined mostly by luck or genetics. In fact, genetics account for only about 20% of how long we live. The far greater driver is lifestyle—the decisions we make day to day. Nutrition, exercise, sleep, mental health, and preventive care all matter. Diets such as the MIND diet, which emphasizes whole grains, leafy greens, berries, olive oil, poultry, and fish, have been linked to a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Regular exercise—especially with intensity—improves cellular health, maintains muscle, and wards off cognitive decline. Quality sleep allows the body to restore and repair. These daily investments compound over time, adding not just years to life but life to years.
Equally important, though less visible, is social health. The Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has tracked participants since 1938, found that strong relationships are the single best predictor of health and happiness across the lifespan. Loneliness, by contrast, is as damaging to long-term health as smoking or obesity. A walking group, tennis partners, or neighbors you share meals with aren’t just sources of joy—they are strategies for staying healthier longer.
Why Place Matters More Than We Think
Place is the quiet but powerful force shaping both physical and social health. A neighborhood with safe sidewalks, parks, and grocery stores offering fresh produce makes it easier to walk, bike, and eat well. A home with natural light and a kitchen designed for cooking encourages healthier daily routines. Communities that create opportunities for connection—whether through events, faith groups, or shared green spaces—make friendships easier to form and sustain.
The opposite is also true. Living in a place without access to green space, where fast food is more available than fresh produce, or where social isolation is common, makes healthy living an uphill climb. Over years and decades, these differences compound. Place doesn’t just set the stage for how we live today; it determines much of our healthspan tomorrow.
Healthspan and Wealthspan Go Hand in Hand
Investing in health also produces tangible financial benefits, or what some call wealthspan: the number of years we remain in solid financial standing. Good health saves money. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 70% of people turning 65 will need some form of long-term care. Women, on average, need it longer than men, and 20% of older adults require it for more than five years. The costs are staggering. The 2023 Genworth Cost of Care Survey found that the national median cost for assisted living or in-home care is about $6,000 per month, while nursing home care is closer to $10,000. In some places, like New York City, nursing care can reach $150,000 per year—and these costs typically rise faster than inflation.
Not everyone faces these expenses. Roughly one-third of today’s 65-year-olds are expected never to need long-term care support, thanks to better health. For them, the savings are immense, extending both quality of life and financial security. Fewer hospitalizations, fewer prescriptions, and less need for caregiving allow resources to be directed toward what matters most—travel, hobbies, supporting family, or leaving a legacy. In this way, investing in health is not just a personal decision but a family and financial strategy.
The Best Investment You’ll Ever Make
The good news is that you don’t need to spend millions or sign up for luxury programs to reap the benefits. Most improvements come from consistent, incremental nudges: joining a walking group, cooking more meals at home, getting to bed on time, or building time each week to connect with friends. Bigger steps—such as moving to a place that supports your goals—can magnify those gains. Like financial investing, health rewards those who start early, stay consistent, and think long-term.
The best returns don’t always come from markets or real estate. They come from ourselves—our bodies, our relationships, and the places we call home. Healthspan and wealthspan are deeply connected, and both depend on how much we are willing to invest today. The question isn’t just how long we want to live, but how well. By making intentional choices now, including where to live, we can stack the odds in favor of not just a longer life, but a richer, healthier, and more fulfilling one.