The Price for Increased longevity

T

tjscott0

Recycles dryer sheets
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http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/health/research/28longevity.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Americans are living longer, but those added years are more likely to be a time of disease and disability.

An analysis of government data has found that while life expectancy has steadily increased over the past decade, the prevalence of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes has also increased, and disability has grown as well.

For example, in 1998 about 16 percent of men in their 70s had a mobility problem — that is, they failed one of four commonly used physical tests. By 2006, almost 25 percent failed at least one.

As a result, a 20-year-old man today can expect to live about a year longer than a 20-year-old in 1998, but will spend 1.2 years more with a disease, and 2 more years unable to function normally.
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As I like to tell people who criticize my lifestyle choices (food, drink, activities etc, uh no, not that other one). "Would you trade something you love for 5 more years in a nursing home"?
 
Now that we're living longer, we need to pay more attention to maintenance of health in old age. Before we lived so long, there wouldn't have been any point --- now there is. One step at a time.
 
I like the way the authors talk about the longevity benefits of exercise in "Younger Next Year." They point out that with exercise it is more likely that your well being will only slowly and slightly decline as you age and will then drop off a cliff (i.e. you will croak). That is what I am hoping for. Alternatively, I hope I have enough control remaining to take things into my own hands.
 
I really don't want to live too long.
 
In this forum, I have seen many planning to live into the 90s. Are we a bunch of optimists? I am not so cheery myself.

Data from the CDC shows that a US citizen born in 1950 has a life expectancy of 68.2. That includes both sexes, and encompasses all races.

Because the above number includes some who already died, if a person born in 1950 is still standing, it means the chance of living beyond 68.2 is higher for that person.

So, they estimate that once a person born in 1950 makes it to 65, then that person can be expected to live another 13.9 years, for a life of 65+13.9 = 78.9 years.

I am not 65 now, so statistically speaking, my life expectancy is not even as high as 78.9. But even that age means I have 24.9 years left. And there is no reason to see how my life would be longer than the average.

Perhaps I deserve a better motor home with real cherry wood cabinets after all.
 
My goal is to live so long that my son has to change my Depends...:LOL:

I heard the other day that your health is dependent alot upon your genes for the first 65 years. After that it is what YOU do with yourself (exercise, eat right and all that other propaganda). So, the future is in my hands now after all....gulp...
 
I used to think I'd make it to 80; then I thought 75; now I'm seriously considering 70.
 
I have a hard time thinking like that. There's longevity on both sides of the family and while some progressive debilitating disease tends to kill us off in our 90's, no one I'm aware of in the family was wishing they had gone sooner. What I do remember hearing is missing friends who had passed before them, but still being glad for whatever quality of life they had - saying even time in a nursing home was better than extra time in a box underground. Make whatever plans you want to, but I'm happy with my irrational optimism.
 
NW-Bound said:
In this forum, I have seen many planning to live into the 90s. Are we a bunch of optimists? I am not so cheery myself.

Data from the CDC shows that a US citizen born in 1950 has a life expectancy of 68.2. That includes both sexes, and encompasses all races.Because the above number includes some who already died, if a person born in 1950 is still standing, it means the chance of living beyond 68.2 is higher for that person.
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Which CDC data do you have? An earlier thread at E-R provided a link to the CDC's 2006 life expectancy statistics. A person born in 1950 would have been 56 in 2006, and according to Table 1 on page 7, had an expectation of life of 26.5 years for a total lifespan of 82-1/2 years. That's for the population as a whole but even the group with the lowest life expectancy (black men) had an expectation of life of over 20 additional years at that age.

So, they estimate that once a person born in 1950 makes it to 65, then that person can be expected to live another 13.9 years, for a life of 65+13.9 = 78.9 years.

I am not 65 now, so statistically speaking, my life expectancy is not even as high as 78.9. But even that age means I have 24.9 years left. And there is no reason to see how my life would be longer than the average.
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Your signature says you are 54. Table 1 says your life expectancy at age 54-55 is an additional 27.3 years, for a total of 81-82.

Perhaps I deserve a better motor home with real cherry wood cabinets after all.
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If a lifespan of 78.9 warrants real cherry wood, what does 81-82 get you? Burl walnut maybe? :)
 
All the more reason to FIRE young and fit!
 
NW-Bound said:
And there is no reason to see how my life would be longer than the average.
Click to expand...

The chances are probably 50%.

We're banking on the keep fit regime to keep us mentally and physically active right up to the point we die. None of our parents lived particularly long but they all had sharp and active minds, and all were living at home right up to the end.

Like many here, I am more concerned with quality of life than with longevity.
 
My BMI is 25. Is that slim enough for you? :cool: I do not participate in strenuous sports, due to a heart limitation. However, I hike and work around the house and yard to stay active. But a big factor is still the genes.

kyounge1956 said:
Which CDC data do you have? An earlier thread at E-R provided a link to the CDC's 2006 life expectancy statistics. A person born in 1950 would have been 56 in 2006, and according to Table 1 on page 7, had an expectation of life of 26.5 years for a total lifespan of 82-1/2 years. That's for the population as a whole but even the group with the lowest life expectancy (black men) had an expectation of life of over 20 additional years at that age.

Your signature says you are 54. Table 1 says your life expectancy at age 54-55 is an additional 27.3 years, for a total of 81-82.
Click to expand...

The data I got was from here: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus2009tables/Table024.pdf. I don't know why the discrepancy. I do not care enough to research further.

Ah, a difference of 3 years. Maybe I can squeeze a few more trips in that time?

If a lifespan of 78.9 warrants real cherry wood, what does 81-82 get you? Burl walnut maybe? :)
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Well, either one is better than the cheap stuff in my motor home now. :)

But, it was only a rhetorical question, as I do not think the nice cabinetry would do much to enhance my RV experience or further beautify the outdoor scenery that I will enjoy. Hence, I am actually happy with my low-end motor home. My points of diminishing return have always been fairly low and easy to reach. My wife shares the same philosophy.

So, it looks like I should be able to leave something behind when I croak. But that is OK. I don't have to spend it all.
 
NW-Bound said:
In this forum, I have seen many planning to live into the 90s. Are we a bunch of optimists? I am not so cheery myself...
Click to expand...

For financial planning purposes, I generally assume that I will live to be 120. But, I consider this to pessimistic rather than optimistic since I could spend more money now if I assumed a shorter life span.

For other areas in my life, I try to consider what decisions I would make if I knew that I had less than 10 years to live. (I consider this a real possibility rather than extreme pessimism based on family history.)

growing_older said:
...even time in a nursing home was better than extra time in a box underground...
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This is basically my view as well; but, it does not seem very popular these days. I want to avoid that box as long as I can.
 
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