Life expectancy

Life expectancy is how long, on average, a person born in a given year can expect to live

1900- m/w 50/57

2018- 87.6/90.2, 15000 centenarians

2100- 1 million centenarians

1900- 15% of babies died in their first year

A baby today has a higher chance of reaching their 65th birthday than a baby born in 1900 had of reaching their first

50% chance of reaching…

• UK- 103

• France- 104

• Japan- 107

New technology such as generative AI

Walker 2011

• Those in poorest areas of England die on average 7 years earlier (the health foundation) than those in richer areas

• For boys born in the UK this can reach 18.6 years

The 100 Year Life

Gratton and Scott 2020

• Human mortality database at the university of California

• 3 stage life (education/work/retirement) no longer prevalent

• Multi stage life (education throughout life, dip in and out of work (sabbaticals), retire later, be more independent) taking over

Impacts:

• Childhood and adolescence are longer

• Work until 75/80

• Changes to work and ongoing education

Spinner and MacInnes 2013

• Higher life expectancy means older people are fitter and healthier than previous generations

  • They attempt to avoid dependency and be more independent

  • More likely to use their resources and expertise to help themselves

2011

• Legal abolition of the retirement age

  • Employers can no longer force employees to retire

Lawton 2013

• This gives older people the freedom to work for longer

  • Promotes the growth of the UK economy due to continuing application of skills and experience

1 in 10 over 65 year olds are in paid work

• Sustained improvements in living standards of older people

• Significant falls in pensioner poverty due to the long gap between retirement and dependency

• Ageing population generates more family and household diversity which gives people more support as they grow older