Absolutely. I saw this with aging loved ones. The most “durable” ones fared better as they aged and had health issues.

As you age, each acute medical event has a real impact and recovery is slow and limited. You have to be at an high baseline to crawl back up.

My dad had a stroke that really affected him badly, but he recovered a lot and worked hard. It was all set back by a cold and a uti that resulted in a hospitalization. That basically did him in. Everything you can do to make sure that you can stand up and get around as long as possible means that you’ll be able to live a longer fulfilling life.