Article
Lifespan minus Healthspan equals Carespan
We have all heard of the term lifespan - the number of years we live. Thanks to advances in medicine, public health, and technology, more of us are living into our 80s, 90s, and beyond. In Australia, life expectancy has climbed above 80 years (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare), and globally it continues to rise (WHO Life Expectancy Data).
You may also have heard of healthspan - the years we live in good health, free from major illness or disability. Healthspan is about quality of life, not just length.
Researchers and public health leaders are paying more attention to this gap, because simply adding years without adding health creates a challenge for families and communities (NIH on Healthspan).
And here lies the inevitability of what is called the carespan — and it’s widening. As lifespans grow faster than healthspans, more years are lived in poor health, where care becomes essential.
It’s a simple formula: Lifespan – Healthspan = Carespan.
The maths looks straightforward, but living through it is not.
The carespan is a huge transition for everybody. For the person losing their health, mobility, or independence, it can feel like a gradual loss of self. For those close to them, it means adjusting, managing new responsibilities, and grieving the loss of a person — or aspects of who they once were. And for the carer, it’s often an even greater adjustment: stepping into a role they didn’t plan for, carrying the emotional weight, and reshaping their own life around the needs of another.
The carespan can last for months or for decades. It might arrive suddenly with a diagnosis, or creep in gradually as everyday tasks become harder. It can touch any family, any workplace, at any time.
For carers, the carespan is often where life feels overwhelming. The medical appointments, the paperwork, the endless decisions, the emotional strain — it all adds up. And too often, carers’ own health and wellbeing slip further down the list. Research shows carers are at significantly higher risk of stress, depression, and financial hardship (Carers Australia data).
That’s why Carers Corner exists. Not just to look at the tasks of caring, but at the carers themselves. Our tools, guidance, and community are designed to support wellbeing during the carespan — to ease the mental load, to refill the cup, and to remind carers they don’t have to do this alone.
Because when carers are supported, everyone benefits. Families stay stronger, workplaces thrive, and communities are healthier.
