As Life Expectancies Rise, so Are Expectations for Healthy Aging

Healthy aging is a new norm, researchers say, with older adults having a new name and attitude. YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV/Shutterstock

The Fountain of Youth may still be a myth, but a longer life expectancy is now a reality.

In fact, life expectancy at birth in the United States has risen by around 30 years in barely more than a century to a current 78.6 years.