The A Word: The Future of Aging Makes One Ponder Human Longetivity

At 6am every morning, my furry boyfriend would harass anyone in the household  for a walk.  But, when I was out of town or had a day where I would be away for hours at a time, that person became my Mom.  Spanky gave Mommy purpose and a reason to get out of the bed in the morning, becoming her furry confidante and constant source of entertainment.  Unfortunately, he suffered from congestive heart failure and one day his little heart just gave out.  Not a day that goes by where my family doesn’t recall his shenanigans or the joy he brought into this household.

Would I have entertained a longevity drug for just one more chance with my furry boyfriend?  How would this translate to the slowing down of aging in humans?

Did you know that by 2029, the federal government will be spending its budget on human 65 years and older? The prospect of living to a ripe old age is an aspiration for most of us, especially since people are living longer than ever before. However, a longer lifespan often brings a variety of age-related diseases and conditions. Instead, what if our focus shifted? What would it mean if the goal was not just life extension, but health extension?

In a world where people and animals are dying due to aging every year, The A Word:  The Future of Aging explores the possibilities of extending the human life span in humans and dogs from the vantage point of scientists . This compelling documentary explores the exciting possibilities of a longer health span, featuring interviews with leading scientists and researchers doing groundbreaking work in the field, including Celine Halioua.  Halioua, whose pursuit of the first ever FDA-approved longevity drug to extend the lives of dogs, may prove to be a pivotal step in changing the way humans experience aging in the future.

The audience is exposed to terms like epigenetic reprogramming. Epigentics is a set of instructions that tells each cell what genes to use at what time. As we get older, our cells don’t use the right genes at the right time anymore and become dysfunctional. Basically, this reprogramming allows scientists to find a way to hack nature’s password to you in order to allow our bodies to function far better for a longer period of time.

Directed by Greg Kohs, this doc lays out these scientific facts in relatable terms while sharing the manner in which a whole new generation is on the case to ensure those aging in the future will reap benefits of medical breakthroughs of today.