25% of British 16-year-olds expected to live 100 years or longer

[Newsjock]

Source: The Guardian

Society will have to embark on some radical rethinking of everything from pensions to the work-life balance if it is to cope with increasing numbers of people living to be 100 and older, demographic experts have warned.

According to figures released this week by the Office for National Statistics, more than a quarter of children aged 16 and under can expect to see their 100th birthdays.

... The pensions minister, Steve Webb, said the state pension system had to be made "fair and sustainable for future generations" if people were likely to be spending more than a third of their lives in retirement. But others have suggested that a far more radical approach is required.

David Sinclair, head of policy and research at the International Longevity Centre, said that while the increase in life expectancy was "a huge societal success", it would come at a price.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/apr/19/live-to-be-100-one-in-four-britons

[elocs]

1. I've got to be honest about this--I have no interest in living to be 100. None. n/t

[Luminous Animal]

2. I had the privilege of being related to and knowing people who live near to and beyond

100 years. They were pretty much okay with it.

[OhioDoink]

3. My Grandmother is 95 and I don't think she wants to see 100 either.

She is pretty much in bed most of the time,and being active until a couple of years ago its torture for her that she is no longer able to do most things anymore.She still has a great mind,and I think that is what is the hardest part for her.She still wants to do things but can't.

[arcane1]

4. It depends on my condition at the time.

I of course want to live as long as I can, but reaching 100 hooked to a tube and doped on morphine would not be it!

[elocs]

5. My mother is 82 and has been in a nursing home for 16 years with Alzheimer's.

She hasn't even known me for about 3 years. The last time she spent a night in the hospital was when she had my brother 53 years ago. The scary thing is that she had an uncle who lived to be 102.

No, I do not want to live as long as I can just because I can be kept living. For me, 100 is about at least 10 years too long.

[Very_Boring_Name]

8. Who knows what medical technology will be invented in the meantime

Stem cell research is VERY VERY promising for virtually every age-related ailment, including alzheimers.

[elocs]

12. Alzheimers or not, I'm not interested in living to be 100.

My guess is that this country will fall apart before then anyways.

[Codeine]

6. Wow. I fully intend to live that long if at all possible.

I have zero interest in ceasing to exist.

[elocs]

11. Existing just to exist has no appeal to me.

I am pretty certain that we will all cease to exist whether we want to or not.

[Very_Boring_Name]

7. Keep in mind...

If lifespans are increasing, that means quality of life is improving too. People who are 100 today, probably look/behave like people who were 65 in the 1800's. As we're able to treat medical conditions better and better, its possible that if you live to be 100, you will be as healthy/alert as someone who is 70 today.

[elocs]

10. I'm pretty sure I can do all I want to do in life in the next 20 years.

I am schizoid and don't really enjoy doing a lot of things and really prefer my own company to that of others. I think another 20 years would be fine.

[Blue-Jay]

9. I want to live as long as I can wipe my own ass.

No longer.

[elocs]

13. A good Harry Nilsson song: "I'd Rather Be Dead" (have to ignore the baby for the song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dexYYe48zGo

[iemitsu]

14. i don't believe this report.

it is a bit of propaganda that is being used to justify shrinking the amount of payments the government makes to retirees.
while people have been living to older ages for some time now it does not follow that that trend will continue. we are being bathed with increased radioactivity, the foods we are fed are "round-up ready", and our water supplies are being contaminated by the fracking of shale oils.
unless the brits are doing something to make their citizens much more healthy than we are for ours it is not likely that so many will live so long.

[flamingdem]

17. EXACTLY - there is NO REAL PROOF and it serves to DIVIDE GENERATIONS nt

[Zanzoobar]

15. Yeah, if they don't don't go to a football match.

[flamingdem]

16. In our toxic world that is not a given

though some will take advantage of huge leaps in medical knowledge.