Dec 03, 2025
3 min read
Scientific evidence and clinical experience prove that resilient people can live rich and engaged lives in old age with the right support.
Scientific evidence and medical experience confirm that a person with a disability can live into old age and become independent, if properly supported.
Miguel Kelemania Borda
Geriatrics specialist.sareng member of the Neurology Clinic of Clíncica Pilidiidad Devrarra
Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 12:29 AM
Every International Day of Persons with Disabilities reminds us that well-being is not measured by the absence of disease, but by the quality of life we manage to maintain.There is a common misconception in the aging debate that aging successfully means the absence of health problems.However, modern gerontology has redefined this concept.Today, we know that many older people live with one or more chronic conditions that are well controlled and do not significantly affect their well-being or quality of life.
The World Health Organization actually emphasizes this: the basic thing is to feel accompanied, to maintain meaningful connections and to be able to live according to your own values.In this case, disability is not an obstacle to fully enjoy old age.
Society is aging, and it's happening at a rapid rate.One in five people in Spain is now over 65, and population projections show that this percentage will continue to rise in the coming decades.We are living longer, yes, but the real challenge is living them well.Ensuring a good quality of life in old age—avoiding dependency, prolonging independence, and enjoying total well-being—has become one of the great social priorities of our time.
In this connection, the question arises that still bothers many families.The question is, can people with disabilities grow old? Scientific evidence and clinical experience answer strongly "yes".Disability does not limit a person's chances of living in a glorious and independent retirement. What really defines its trajectory is the quality of its environment and the support it has.
Exercise health is the process of maintaining good fitness so that a person can live well into old age.This ability includes the ability to meet basic needs, make decisions, work, maintain relationships, and contribute to society.It depends on the background of the person and the environment they live in and the interaction between the two.
However, for this possibility of healthy aging, certain conditions must be met. Clinical and social experience shows that many people with physical, sensory, intellectual, or psychosocial disabilities can live to full age if they have adequate support, convenient environments, inclusive health care, and family and community networks to accompany this process. It is not just about living longer: it is about living with dignity, safety, and participation.
Supports the right to transform aging.Added to this challenge are factors that can greatly enhance the aging experience.Self-determination, the ability to make decisions about a person's life, is key to maintaining self-esteem and a sense of purpose.Assistive technologies are opening doors that seemed closed a decade ago: adaptive wheelchairs, alternative communication devices and many other solutions that expand independence.All this adds to the importance of healthy lifestyle habits: adapted physical activity, good nutrition and emotional management are essential.
This change in outlook is not only a scientific evolution but also a worthy commitment internationally.The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities reminds us that disability is human diversity and that everyone has the right to access good, non-discriminatory and equal services.Guaranteeing this right is an urgent task in a society that is close to home.
Demographic reality forces us to change how we want to age as a society.And that is not suitable for all of us, regardless of ability, to see who must live a long life.Because, in the end, what defines poverty is not disease or disability, but the possibility that people can access it.This is the basis for everyone - without exception - to build a life of fulfillment in the most mature stage.
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