With technological advances, people will be setting records in aging, passing the current record of 122 years old.
A recently published article in the journal Nature has created some interesting discussion. The conclusion of the authors is that the human race has hit its maximum life span, with future people never surpassing the eldest living person who died at the age of 122 in 1997. They concluded that the maximum average life span going forward would be 115 years. Not so fast. What these researchers are ignoring is changes in gene therapy, better organ transplant capabilities, and how about a future of artificial organs, all organs? What happens when, and not if, but when you can remove various genetic tendencies for dementia, cancer and other ailments that hit us all if we live long enough, and then new blood pumped into our systems, bone marrow transplants to strengthen our bodies, not to mention hip, knee and shoulder replacements? Yes, this sounds a bit surreal, but it will happen, it’s just a question of when. The real problem is, when it does happen, will it be just for the wealthy? And what happens if someone is on Social Security and Medicare for 75 years, as opposed to the current average closer to 15 years? These are some of the issues we will have to deal with, as will senior living providers. Have fun.
If 100 becomes the new 65 wouldn’t people then work to 100 and collect social security for the same 15 years. It would seem to me it would improve the social security system since all those folks would be paying in longer.
Then comes the healthcare system. Hey, think I need to piggyback on this with my own article.
Except that it will be the wealthy who can afford the medical procedures, perhaps the top 5% or 10%, and they won’t need to work past 65 anyway.