Category Archives: Aging

People are also living longer. The life expectancy at birth in 1950 was 68.2. In 1980, it had improved to 73.7. By 2003, life expectancy figures had stretched to 77.5. Prolonged life supports another trend in the population. Baby Boomers have been merging into the elderly subgroup for seven years now. Census data from 2000 and 2010 reveals a 2.2% increase of adults 60 and over, from 16.3% to 18.5%. Projections indicate that by 2030 persons over 65 will double the number of 2000, to 72 million.

To the individual dealing with the effects of aging, statistics make little difference. A woman told me the other night that it was downhill after 60. She is 68 and maintains an active lifestyle of aerobics and yoga classes, but arthritis and worn out joints defy resistance. Hair coloring and cosmetic procedures may disguise the onset of geriatrics. Replacement parts may increase mobility. But the body wears out – more slowly for some than others, but inevitably and irreversibly. Continue reading →