As you get older and head into retirement, living longer may not feel as important as living better does. You may be thinking about the legacy you’re going to leave behind: the accomplishments you’ll be remembered for, the heirlooms your loved ones will cherish, the philanthropic gifts that will improve countless lives. But the way you live now? That’s part of your legacy, too.
Modern culture tells us that living as long as possible is the ultimate goal, but your legacy can include showing younger generations that life isn’t just about quantity. It’s about quality, too. Balancing your physical, mental and financial wellbeing for the long term is an art, so when you think about maintaining your health, consider how you might improve not just your lifespan, but also your vitality, your quality of life, your healthspan.
To live a life that’s as good as it is long, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly will always be at the top of the to-do list. But now, with advances in modern medicine, you can amplify those simple tried-and-true habits with evidence-based data and clinical support.
When it comes to maintaining independence, mobility and vitality, experts look to functional, lifestyle-oriented assessments. These three essential tests provide the baseline data needed to optimize how your body performs every day:
Unlike a simple spirometry test (which just involves measuring the force of air in your lungs) or ECG (which assesses your heartbeat), VO2 max testing measures the volume of oxygen your body can process (V = volume, O2 = oxygen), which makes it an excellent measure of your fitness level and overall health. You may have seen versions of this test conducted in movies or TV: it’s the one where you run on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike while wearing an oxygen mask and heart rate monitor in an exercise lab. Starting slow, technicians will increase the intensity of the activity as you go (speed, incline, resistance, etc.) until you’re going full speed, then ramp back down.
The better your VO2 max, the more oxygen, and thus energy, your heart and lungs are supplying to your muscles, and experts say improving this stat is one of the best ways to stave off things like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, even some cancers, while also improving your sleep quality and your general day-to-day quality of life. Your VO2 max results can vary based on things like age, sex and the elevation where you live; your clinicians can help you understand your results and build a plan to improve your VO2 max over time.
A kinesiology assessment evaluates how your body moves, specifically, how well your joints, muscles, and connective tissues work together to support you through everyday activities and exercise. Conducted by a registered kinesiologist or certified movement specialist, the assessment typically involves a series of functional movement screens: you'll be asked to perform exercises like squats, lunges, reaches and balance tasks while the clinician observes your alignment, range of motion, compensatory patterns and areas of weakness or tightness.
As you age, declines in mobility, flexibility and posture can happen gradually and quietly. A kinesiology assessment can identify these issues early, giving you and your primary healthcare providers the information you need to build a targeted corrective plan, whether that's specific stretches, strength training, physiotherapy referrals or ergonomic adjustments to your home and workspace. Kinesiology assessments are basically a movement audit: a clear picture of where your body is today, and a plan for keeping it resilient and capable for the decades ahead.
A DEXA scan (Dual X-ray Absorptiometry) measures your bone density. It’s an essential, evidence-based tool used to diagnose osteoporosis, determine your risks for fractures or breaks and measure improvements or declines in bone health over time. The test, which is similar to a regular X-ray, is conducted while you’re lying down and posed by the technicians.
Results are given to you as a T-score and a Z-score; a T-score represents how your bone density compares to the overall ideal bone density for your sex, and a Z-score represents how it compares to the average bone density of other people your age, sex and ethnicity.
While the functional assessments above form the foundation of a healthy lifestyle plan, modern medicine also offers advanced diagnostic capabilities. Rather than routine steps for everyone, these are powerful secondary tools that clinicians may deploy if clinically indicated, based on your unique family history, specific risk factors or initial baseline assessments.
If a clinician identifies a need to look deeper into specific health risks, a whole-body MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) can be deployed to investigate potential underlying risk factors. An MRI machine uses strong magnets and radiofrequencies to create detailed images of your internal tissues, organs and bones without radiation. When clinically indicated, whole-body MRIs can scan across body systems to spot and track structural abnormalities over time, offering a powerful look at your internal health when your medical history warrants it.
When standard blood panels do not provide enough context, clinicians may recommend advanced biomarker testing to investigate specific metabolic, cardiovascular or hormonal concerns. This involves a blood draw that analyzes over 90 deep-dive biomarkers. Instead of just measuring standard cholesterol, for example, a clinician might order this to detect specific lipoproteins linked to inherited cardiovascular risks, or to precisely map hormone and nutrient levels to fine-tune a targeted clinical strategy.
Genetic testing is a highly specialized tool used to analyze changes or mutations in your DNA. This is typically recommended by a care team if you have a known family history of hereditary conditions. By analyzing a blood or saliva sample, genetic testing can provide crucial data regarding variants associated with hereditary cancers, heart conditions or other chronic illnesses. If indicated, these insights allow you and your clinicians to build a highly personalized, proactive monitoring and prevention strategy.
Preventive health assessments and targeted diagnostic tests are designed to help you live your life more fully. By focusing on the right functional baselines—and leveraging advanced diagnostics when clinically indicated—you can ensure that your retirement won’t just be full of years, but that those years will be filled with the adventures and quality time they’re meant for.
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Disclaimers *This information is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment by a medical professional. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. *TELUS Health assessments and services are private, paid services not covered by public health. They are designed to complement, not replace, provincial health insurance plans. *TELUS Health assessments and test results are strictly confidential. Individual health outcomes may vary. |