Whether you agree with his politics or not, one thing is undeniable: to reach a century with mental clarity, continued public presence, and sharp articulation is a feat few can claim.
As we mark this centenary, it’s an opportunity not just to reflect on a storied life – but also to ask:
👉 What does it really mean to age well?
👉 And how can today’s professionals and leaders extend their own healthspan – not just their lifespan?
A recent National Geographic article on ageing offers some surprising answers.
What Is Ageing — Biologically and Socially?
Aging isn’t just about wrinkles or retirement. From a scientific lens, ageing is a gradual biological process – influenced by changes in our cells, internal clocks, and how our environments affect gene activity.
But aging is also a social construct – shaped by how society defines what is “too old.”
In today’s world, people in their 60s and 70s are living, working, and contributing in ways that redefine what it means to grow older.
🧠 Key Insight: Ageing is not just about decline – it’s about adaptation. And our mindset, environment, and health choices make a measurable difference.
The Subtle Danger of Ageism
Ageism, the quiet assumption that age equals irrelevance, remains one of the most tolerated forms of discrimination.
❓ How many times have you been told you’re “too old” for something?
❓ Have you ever held yourself back because of your age?
In a society striving to extend productive years, age-based bias is counterintuitive. Studies show that when individuals internalise negative beliefs about ageing, it leads to worse health outcomes, earlier cognitive decline, and even shorter lives.
🧠 Key Insight: When we exclude older adults from opportunity, or when they exclude themselves, society loses out on experience, perspective, and potential.
Healthspan Over Lifespan: What Really Matters
We often fixate on lifespan – how long we live – but the more relevant metric is healthspan: the number of years lived in good physical and mental health.
Tun Mahathir exemplifies this. At 100, he:
- Stays intellectually active
- Maintains daily routines and discipline
- Continues to speak with clarity and conviction
These are not just personal traits — they align with scientifically supported behaviours that preserve brain health and delay cognitive decline.
🧠 Key Insight: It’s not enough to live long — we should aim to live well, with energy, clarity, and purpose.
A Call to Action for Professionals
At AvantHealth, we believe that proactive brain health should be a priority — especially for working adults navigating demanding careers, caregiving, and transitions through midlife.
Here’s how you can start:
✅ Reframe Ageing: Challenge internal and external age-based assumptions
✅ Screen Early: Get a brain health check starting at age 35
✅ Train Your Brain: Use cognitive tools to stay sharp
✅ Fight Risk Factors: Know the 14 risk factors for dementia and manage them
✅ Lead by Example: Share stories of ageing well — like Tun Mahathir’s — to reshape workplace narratives
Final Thought
Not everyone will live to 100. But everyone deserves the chance to live with dignity, vitality, and mental clarity for as long as possible.
As professionals, leaders, and family members, we owe it to ourselves — and to those we influence — to take brain health seriously, embrace ageing as a stage of potential, and challenge the myths that hold us back.
Let’s make ageing not a countdown, but a continuation.
