Aging Well With Multiple Chronic Conditions

Living with more than one chronic condition is more common than many people realize. Heart disease and diabetes. Arthritis and depression. Stroke and memory changes. For millions of older adults, these conditions don’t happen one at a time — they cluster together. And suddenly, daily life can revolve around medications, appointments and managing symptoms. It can feel overwhelming and exhausting. On this episode of Aging Forward, a Mayo Clinic podcast about healthy aging and longevity, geriatrician Dr. Christina Chen sits down with family physician Dr. Brent Smith to talk about multimorbidity — the medical term for living with two or more chronic conditions at the same time. They discuss: • Why chronic diseases often occur together • How medication lists can grow — and what to do about it • The importance of an annual medication review • When deprescribing may be appropriate • How to balance prevention, comfort and quality of life • Why small, realistic goals can protect independence • The powerful role of social connection in healthy aging Dr. Smith shares real-world insight from caring for patients in the Mississippi Delta, where high rates of diabetes, heart disease and arthritis often intersect with limited access to care. Together, he and Dr. Chen explore how honest conversations, personalized care and practical strategies can help people focus not just on lifespan — but health span. If you or a loved one is juggling multiple diagnoses, this episode offers reassurance: Aging well is still possible, even when health feels complex. Sometimes the biggest wins come from small changes — staying active, maintaining social routines and prioritizing what matters most. Listen to more Aging Forward episodes at: https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/podcas... Subscribe for more conversations about the science of aging, longevity and living better, longer. 0:00 Living with multiple chronic conditions 0:53 Aging Forward podcast introduction 1:12 Meet Dr. Brent Smith 2:15 What “multimorbidity” really means 2:42 Aging as an “antique car” analogy 4:42 Day-to-day life with multimorbidity 6:23 Common condition clusters he sees 8:18 Why managing multiple conditions is harder 10:10 Too many specialists, medication overload 10:25 How to prioritize and simplify meds 13:39 Signs of overprescribing and side effects 15:20 Starting deprescribing conversations 17:14 Navigating testing and treatment trade-offs 20:18 Aligning care with function and goals 22:16 Supporting emotional health and motivation 24:15 Focus on the most limiting symptom 26:05 High-impact habits that help most 27:14 Staying socially engaged as “medicine” 29:48 What “aging forward” means to Dr. Smith 31:56 Episode wrap-up and how to subscribe From Mayo Clinic to your inbox, sign-up for free: https://mayocl.in/3e71zfi Visit Mayo Clinic: https://mayocl.in/2COVmlm Like Mayo Clinic on Facebook:   / mayoclinic   Follow Mayo Clinic on Instagram:   / mayoclinic   Follow Mayo Clinic on X, formerly Twitter: https://x.com/MayoClinic Follow Mayo Clinic on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@mayoclinic