Staging concept for aging management: Definition, mechanism, and coping strategies

Abstract Aging, as a gradual and largely irreversible biological process, characterized by declining organismal vitality and multi‐organ functional impairment. While research on aging constitutes a major scientific focus, current efforts concentrate on two domains: elucidating fundamental mechanisms of aging and developing anti‐aging strategies, and addressing the social management of aging populations. A critical gap persists in the clinical understanding and management of aging itself. Specifically, there is insufficient recognition and structured approach toward aging within clinical practice. To address this, we propose a novel clinical staging system for aging based on manifestations observed by distinct stages. For each stage, we delineate the clinical presentations, biological phenomena, theoretical underpinnings, and key management priorities. This framework aims to bridge the current void in the clinical conceptualization and stage‐specific management of aging, establishing a novel foundation for a structured, staged management model. We anticipate this framework will contribute significantly to advancing the goal of healthy aging.