Back in March I wrote briefly about asking my class how many would want to live an extra 50 years. I was surprised at how few students saw that as a desirable goal. A recent study has predicted that 1/2 of those born in 2011 will live to be 100, an amazing feat.
David Brooks, columnist for the NYTimes, wrote a recent editorial about living longer, called "Death and Budgets". In the column he makes the argument that our current fiscal crisis is the result of rising medical care costs. He goes on to note that "Years ago, people hoped that science could delay the onset of morbidity. We would live longer, healthier lives and then die quickly. This is not happening. Most of us will still suffer from chronic diseases for years near the end of life, and then die slowly." Actually, it is true that a greater proportion of life is now spent in years of good health. While it is true that many people suffer from chronic diseases we are much better at managing those diseases and their effects. As a result, active life expectancy has actually increased in the US and other Western countries.
I am not an expert on the current budget situation, but I am an expert on active life expectancy and the picture Brooks paints is just wrong.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/15/opinion/15brooks.html
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