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How old do you want to live to be?


samhexum

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  • 4 weeks later...
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On the heels of Friday’s good employment report, this interesting bit of information came out: The number of people over 85 years old who are still working is rising.

 

The Washington Post, which ran the story, gave a whole lot of good reasons for this trend: People can’t afford to retire. They are healthier at an old age. The more educated they are the longer they can work, and jobs are less strenuous today, etc.

 

All good reasons. But here’s the important one that was missed: There are simply more Americans who are achieving advanced age today, so of course the sheer number of workers in that group will be rising.

 

Right now, 4.7 percent of the US population is over 90 years old, compared with just 2.8 percent in 1980. By 2050, that percentage will rise to 10 percent.

 

How much do you want to bet that the number of 85-year-olds working then will be larger than it is today?

 

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Edited by samhexum
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I don't get the math on that. Unless they expect that birthrates are going to decrease.

Birthrates have been decreasing for years. The population of the US only increases because of immigration.

But assuming birthrates are "steady" if the survival at higher ages increases, the proportion of the population over a certain age will increase for a while until settling into another steady state.

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Up to now (80), I've usually said 100, because I have always wanted to know what's just around the next corner, even when I get to the ultimate corner. OTOH, now that the country is going to hell and we're at the end of our 230-year experiment in democracy, I care less and less about how long I want to stick around. Also, now that I'm starting to fray a little around the edges, I'm getting less confident about making it to the goal line. I'm more attentive to letting people know now how much they have meant to me, especially the escorts, since I don't see them all that often. Right now I'm working -- again -- on making things easier for the kids to manage the funeral details, to have the references of people to notify, to know how to handle the final bills, and in general, how to get past the mundane part of my post-life.

 

Leaves them more time to grieve.

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When I was a teenager, I never thought that I would live to see 5o, and never really wanted to. I sort of lived my life like next year would never come. It was head down, full steam ahead, never caring what tomorrow would bring. It was a never ending party. I was quick to laugh, nothing burdened me, It was a good life. When I hit 5o, I almost went into cardiac arrest. I had not prepared myself, emotionally, physically, or financially for retirement. I suddenly not only wanted to live a long life, but I wanted to live a good life (for all that entailed) as well. That...was a rough decade. With planning, and a lot of luck, just shy of my 60th, I threw in the towel. It was liberating, exciting, and a little scary. I had made it, many of my friends had not. I became immensely grateful...for everything. To this day, I remain so.

 

Looking back, I was silly in my teens to think of my life in such short terms, now I want to live forever. They're going to have to take me out of this life kicking and screaming. I told my sister the other day, "When my time comes, and the doctors tell you to pull the plug, give it just a few more minutes, ya know...just in case." I promised her that whatever happens, that I would go with no regrets.

 

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  • 1 month later...

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DEAR ABBY: I am in my 80s. From time to time, when I have tried to contact a dear old friend or distant relative, I find they have recently passed away. Don't you think it would be a good idea for older people to make a short list of people we want contacted in case of serious illness or death? So many times our survivors have no idea who some of our friends are or how to contact them. -- GARY G. IN GEORGIA

 

DEAR GARY: I think your idea is a sensible one. The list should include not only names, but also contact information. Thank you for sharing this with me and my readers because -- let's face it -- nobody lives forever.

Edited by samhexum
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