Longevity. Life expectancy. I have been thinking of mine and my loved ones. Since my mum became unwell last year. And, since my siblings’ increasingly worrying illnesses.

My mum’s double whammy COPD and heart failure combo have resulted in chronic problems with her kidney. She has arthritic fingers and needs support to walk steadily. Topped with old age, her situation is cause for great concern. My sisters and brothers … well … collectively we have a library of ailments. Ranging from heart related issues, glaucoma, rheumatoid and osteo arthritis, prostate problems, severe back and shoulder pain, eczema, lupus and cancer.

My mum is 89. My siblings and I are in our 60s and 70s. Apart from my mum, who falls into the frail older population category, we are all in the young old group or YOs. ‘The … starting point for considering the span of old age. Between 60 – 75 years = young old; Between 75 – 85 years = old. And, those 85+ are considered the frail older population.[1]’

Generally … ‘The average life expectancy has gone up over time because of the advancement of new medicines, medical techniques and technology, all of which have helped reduce the average age of death quite a bit. However, researchers recently came to the conclusion that the human body will generally max out at 115 years – although there is a one-in-10,000 chance that a person could survive up to 125 years[2].

Apparently ‘… we all have a practical shelf life, a maximum possible lifespan that’s not much beyond the most extreme expiration date documented so far, achieved by Jeanne Calment of France, who died in 1997 at age 122.[3]’

I know I can expect to live into my late 60s. Maybe early 70s but not into the 80s. I say this based on my mum’s age now, and the number of years my dad and maternal and paternal grandparents managed to stay alive. Plus the illnesses they passed down. My dad had diabetes. He also had angina and died of a heart attack. My mum has asthma and arthritis. Her heart failure is due to clogged arteries that were not fixed in her 70’s, and general aging. This is the genetic factor. 

I have acquired and cultivated my own set of ailments. Too many to list here. My lifestyle factor is a little less favourable. Poor diet. Too much sugar from my like of all desserts. Sleep deficit. I yearn for 6-8 hours of uninterrupted shuteye.  Stress over family and personal issues. They churn in my head. Like the spin cycle on a washing machine. City living. Noise, air and people pollution. A few positives. I don’t have too many appointments with doctors. I exercise regularly. I do not pursue less-safe hobbies like skydiving or rollerblading. That said, I did not factor in race and have not considered events that could lead to an untimely demise like being run over by a bus, deadly viruses and unintentional consumption of toxic materials.

‘For Malaysians, life expectancy for men went down from 71.7 years in 2012 to 70.8 years in 2022, and for women, from 76.8 years to 75.6 years. However, women are still projected to outlive men by 4.5 years in 2022.[4]’

So based on my genes, health and lifestyle considerations, as well as Malaysia’s life expectancy, my estimate could well be true. Give or take a couple of years. Which made me consider if it would make sense to have a shelf-life of sorts. Not too different from things that have shelf-lives. Shelf-lives are usually determined by the quality and source of the raw materials used, the manufacturing processes/practices, packaging, storage conditions and time/date when they were opened. Also relevant are handling and temperature controls during transportation and while at the various warehouses, retail outlets and homes. I tend to be more vigilant about checking expiry dates when I buy perishables like fruits, ice-cream and milk that require quick refrigeration.

Back to ‘my’ shelf-life. Yes, it is conjecture. Yes, it won’t happen. No, I’m not being frivolous. I’m just wondering. From day one, what it would mean to know ‘my time’ in this world. If I’m allocated a 70-year shelf-life. How would that make me feel? I cannot be sure but maybe knowing my expiration date might help me prioritise and plan my life better. Maybe, I’d make more effort to achieve a better work and life balance with family and friends. Place greater value on the people I love. Be kinder, more forgiving and considerate.  Be more light hearted and adventurous. And, put ‘my’ house in order before my passing. All of which I can and should do or should have done with or without a shelf-life or an expiration date. Hmm…

But, would I be less motivated knowing or not knowing? I don’t know.