Ageing

 Ageing is a universal experience, yet it remains one of the least understood phases of life. Some will experience old age with apprehension, associating it with loss, dependency, and limitations, with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow. However, this stage of life offers unparalleled opportunities for self-discovery, meaningful connections, and profound wisdom.

Old Age is not just about growing older—it is a guide to understanding the essence of ageing. It encompasses the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of ageing, offering profound insights and practical knowledge to navigate this journey with confidence and grace.

This book is for all who:

• Wishes to experience the later stages of life with knowledge and positivity.
• To get support and care from loved ones more effectively.
• Desires to challenge societal experiences about old age and embrace a more empowered perspective.
• Wants to have strategies for maintaining health, happiness, and purpose in the golden years.

By understanding the details of Ageing, all will gain a deeper knowledge of the ageing process, uncover the strengths that come with experience, and learn how to create a fulfilling and vibrant life. This book will educate on what it means to grow older and celebrate the richness that comes with it. This book will prepare you for new experiences and mixed feelings of joy and sorrow of lived life.  Readers will have new insight into all aspects of older people. Aged people often experience several health problems, including:

• Chronic conditions: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are the leading causes of death for people aged 65 and older. Around 92% of older adults have at least one chronic condition, and 77% have two or more. 

·        Common conditions in older age include hearing loss, cataracts and refractive errors, back and neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression, and dementia. As people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time.

• Hearing and vision loss: Hearing impairment is common, affecting nearly 25% of adults aged 65–74 and 50% of those aged 75 and older. Vision changes can make it difficult to read, drive at night, and more. 
• Bone and joint issues: Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and muscle aches are common and can affect a person's ability to do daily activities. 
• Falls: Muscle weakness and loss of balance can increase the risk of falls, which can lead to broken bones. 
• Oral health: Dry mouth and gum disease can make it harder to prevent cavities. 
• Geriatric syndromes: These complex health states can include frailty, urinary incontinence, delirium, and pressure ulcers. 
• Cognitive and psychological changes: These can include depression and dementia. 

Regular care can help monitor health problems, and solutions may include exercise, a healthy diet, and medications. 

By the time you turn 75, you may have about twice the amount of body fat you had in your younger years. Too much of it, especially in your midsection, can raise your risk for health problems like diabetes. It's natural for your metabolism to slow around age 60.

As people age, they can expect several changes, including: 

·        Bones

Bones become more brittle and shrink in size and density, which can lead to a loss of height. 

·        Muscles

Muscles lose strength, endurance, and flexibility, which can affect balance and coordination. 

·        Sensory organs

Hearing and eyesight decline, making it harder to hear high frequencies and understand speech in noisy environments. It can also take longer to adjust to light and dark. 

·        Brain

It takes longer for signals to travel along nerves, and the brain can't process information as well. This can make it harder to remember new things and react quickly. 

·        Digestive system

The stomach lining becomes more fragile, which can increase the risk of ulcers. Constipation is also common because the digestive system doesn't move food through as well as before. 

·        Urethra

In females, the urethra gets shorter and thinner, which can lead to stress incontinence. 

·        Body fat

The percentage of body fat typically doubles compared to young adulthood. The distribution of fat also changes, which can change the shape of the torso. 

·        Sleep

It takes longer to fall asleep, and sleep becomes more fragmented. 

 

What do the aged struggle with the most?

• Falls are very common in older adults. ...
• Memory concerns often cause anxiety for older adults and families. ...
• Depression. ...
• Urinary Incontinence. ...
• Pain. ...
• Isolation and loneliness. ...
• Polypharmacy (Taking Multiple Medications)

Some signs of ageing can be seen from the outside: Your hair turns grey, and wrinkles and age spots appear on your skin. Our bodies are less able to store fluid in older age, so our spinal discs shrink and lose elasticity, for instance. As a result, people get smaller as they grow older.

Symptoms of ageing include:

·        Physical changes

Hair turns grey, wrinkles and age spots appear, and people may get smaller. Muscle mass and strength decrease, and people may have difficulty controlling their urinary bladders. 

·        Sensory changes

People may develop age-related farsightedness, hearing problems, and reduced ability to smell and taste. They may also have difficulty focusing on close objects and become more sensitive to glare. 

·        Cognitive changes

It may take longer for signals to travel along nerves, and the brain may not process information as well. People may have difficulty remembering and reacting quickly. 

·        Health conditions

People may be more likely to experience conditions like cataracts, back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression, and dementia. 

·        Other changes

People may experience changes in diet and eating habits, hygiene, and language abilities. They may also have a decline in planning and organisation and increased apathy. 

Some warning signs that may indicate it's time to see a doctor include severe or chronic abdominal pain or discomfort, swallowing or chewing difficulties, and rapid weight loss. 

What are the side effects of old age?

Common conditions in older age include hearing loss, cataracts and refractive errors, back and neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression, and dementia. As people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time.

What exactly is the death of old age?

Ageing is not a cause of death. When most of us say that someone died of old age, what we mean is that someone died as a result of an illness (like pneumonia) or as a result of an event (like a heart attack) that a healthy, stronger, younger person would likely have survived.

What to expect when you're 75 years old?

By the time you turn 75, you may have about twice the amount of body fat you had in your younger years. Too much of it, especially in your midsection, can raise your risk for health problems like diabetes. It's natural for your metabolism to slow around age 60.

What do seniors struggle with the most?

Click here now.

• Falls are very common in older adults. ...
• Memory concerns often cause anxiety for older adults and families. ...
• Depression. ...
• Urinary Incontinence. ...
• Pain. ...
• Isolation and loneliness. ...
• Polypharmacy (Taking Multiple Medications)

How many seniors live alone?

According to its 2023 Current Population Survey, about 28 per cent of people 65 and older live by themselves, including slightly fewer than 6 million men and slightly more than 10 million women.

Can a 75-year-old live alone?

Nearly 50% of women over 75 live alone and are increasingly socially isolated. Adding to issues of loneliness, our minds and bodies may lose a step or two as we age. Physically, we become more fragile and less mobile. Memory decline and cognitive impairment can make everyday tasks more difficult.

How to live after 70?

It's all about balance! Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins are especially important to good health. Become more physically active. Walking with a friend, spending time in the garden, and decorating your house all count as exercise.

Can I live to 90 years old?

At the end of the study, about 16% of the men and about 34% of the women survived to the age of 90. Women who were taller than 5 feet 9 inches were 31% more likely to reach 90, compared to those who were under 5 feet 3 inches.

Yes, it's possible to live to be 90 years old, and lifestyle choices can play a big role: 

• Lifestyle: A study of 2,300 healthy men found that lifestyle choices may be more important than genetics and family history. Some lifestyle factors that may help you live longer include: 
• Not smoking 
• Maintaining a healthy weight 
• Getting regular exercise 
• Preventing diabetes 
• Eating a healthy diet, such as a Mediterranean-style diet 
• Body size: Your body size, including height and weight, may also play a role in how long you live. 
• Genetics and family history: These also play a role in longevity. 

Depends on your gender and body size. Living to the ripe old age of 90 may depend on your body size -- both height and weight -- and your level of physical activity, and seems to be different for men and women, according to a new study of over 7,000 people.

What are my chances of living to 90?

At the end of the study, about 16% of the men and about 34% of the women survived to the age of 90. In fact, the authors found women who were taller than 5 feet 9 inches were 31% more likely to reach 90, compared to those who were under 5 feet 3 inches.

Is 90 years old considered very old?

One study distinguishes the young-old (60 to 69), the middle-old (70 to 79), and the very old (80+). Another study's sub-grouping is young-old (65 to 74), middle-old (75 to 84), and oldest-old (85+). A third sub-grouping is young-old (65 to 74), old (74 to 84), and old-old (85+).

How healthy can a 90-year-old be?

Physical and mental health

Most of the women (59 per cent) and men (62 per cent) rated themselves as being in good, very good, or excellent health. Many 90-somethings said they not only felt physically healthy, but also experienced good emotional well-being: About 77 per cent of them reported no symptoms of depression.

What do 90-year-olds eat?

What to eat

• fruit and vegetables.
• Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy foods.
• dairy and alternatives.
• beans, pulses, fish, eggs and other proteins.
• oils and spreads.

Can a 90-year-old be strong?

Age or fitness.
People have successfully started strength training in their 70s, 80s, and even 90s, and you can too! The same goes for people who are not active. You will need to start slowly and follow basic safety rules. But there is no such thing as being too old or out of shape to benefit from this program

Understanding Old Age

Old age is the range of ages for people nearing and surpassing life expectancy. People of old age are also referred to as: old people, elderly, elders, senior citizens, seniors, or older adults. Old age is not a definite biological stage: the chronological age denoted as "old age" varies culturally and historically. Some disciplines and domains focus on the aging and the aged, such as the organic processes of aging (senescence), medical studies of the aging process (gerontology), diseases that afflict older adults (geriatrics), technology to support the aging society (geotechnology), and leisure and sport activities adapted to older people (such as senior sport).

Old people often have limited regenerative abilities and are more susceptible to illness and injury than younger adults. They face social problems that relate to retirement, loneliness, and ageism.

In 2011, the United Nations proposed a human-rights convention to protect old people.

Definitions

Definitions of old age include official definitions, sub-group definitions, and four dimensions as follows.

Official definitions

Most developed Western countries set the retirement age around the age of 65; this is also generally considered to mark the transition from middle to old age. Reaching this age is commonly a requirement to become eligible for senior social programs.

Old age cannot be universally defined because it is context-sensitive. The United Nations, for example, considers old age to be 60 years or older. In contrast, a 2001 joint report by the U.S. National Institute on Ageing and the World Health Organisation [WHO] Regional Office for Africa set the beginning of old age in Sub-Saharan Africa at 50. This lower threshold stems primarily from a different way of thinking about old age in developing nations. Unlike in the developed world, where chronological age determines retirement, societies in developing countries determine old age according to a person's ability to make active contributions to society. This number is also significantly affected by lower life expectancy throughout the developing world. Dating back to the Middle Ages and prior, what certain scholars thought of as old age varied depending on the context, but the state of being elderly was often thought of as being 60 years of age or older in many respects.

Sub-group definitions

Gerontologists have recognised that people experience very different conditions as they approach old age. In developed countries, many people in their late 60s and 70s (frequently called "early old age") are still fit, active, and able to care for themselves.  However, after 80, they generally become increasingly frail, a condition marked by serious mental and physical debilitation.

Therefore, rather than lumping together all people who have been defined as old, some gerontologists have recognised the diversity of old age by defining sub-groups. One study distinguishes the young-old (60 to 69), the middle-old (70 to 79), and the very old (80+). Another study's sub-grouping is young-old (65 to 74), middle-old (75 to 84), and oldest-old (85+). A third sub-grouping is young-old (65 to 74), old (74 to 84), and old-old (85+). Describing sub-groups in the 65+ population enables a more accurate portrayal of significant life changes.

Two British scholars, Paul Higgs and Chris Gilleard, have added a "fourth age" sub-group. In British English, the "third age" is "the period in life of active retirement, following middle age". Higgs and Gilleard describe the fourth age as "an arena of inactive, unhealthy, unproductive, and ultimately unsuccessful ageing".

Dimensions

Key Concepts in Social Gerontology lists four dimensions: chronological, biological, psychological, and social.  Wattis and Curran add a fifth dimension: developmental. Chronological age may differ considerably from a person's functional age. The distinguishing marks of old age normally occur in all five senses at different times and at different rates for different people. In addition to chronological age, people can be considered old because of the other dimensions of old age. For example, people may be considered old when they become grandparents or when they begin to do less or different work in retirement.

Senior citizen

Senior citizen is a common euphemism for an old person used in American English, and sometimes in British English. It implies that the person being referred to is retired. This, in turn, usually implies that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include old age pensioner or pensioner in British English, and retiree and senior in American English. Some dictionaries describe widespread use of "senior citizen" for people over the age of 65.

When defined in a legal context, senior citizen is often used for legal or policy-related reasons in determining who is eligible for certain benefits available to the age group.

It is used in general usage instead of traditional terms such as "old person", "old-age pensioner", or "elderly" as a courtesy and to signify continuing relevance of and respect for this population group as "citizens" of society, of senior "rank".

The term was apparently coined in 1938 during a political campaign. Famed caricaturist Al Hirschfeld claimed on several occasions that his father, Isaac Hirschfeld, invented the term "senior citizen". It has come into widespread use in recent decades in legislation, commerce, and common speech. Especially in less formal contexts, it is often abbreviated as "senior(s)", which is also used as an adjective.

Age qualifications

The age of 65 has long been considered the benchmark for senior citizenship in numerous countries. Bismarck's legislation set the retirement age at 70, with 65 as the age at which individuals could start receiving a pension. This age standard gradually gained acceptance in other nations and has since become deeply entrenched in public consciousness.

The age that qualifies for senior citizen status varies widely. In governmental contexts, it is usually associated with an age at which pensions or medical benefits for the elderly become available. In commercial contexts, where it may serve as a marketing device to attract customers, the age is often significantly lower.

In commerce, some businesses offer customers of a certain age a "senior discount". The age at which these discounts are available varies from 55, 60, 62 or 65 upwards, and other criteria may also apply. Sometimes a special "senior discount card" or other proof of age needs to be produced to show entitlement.

In the United States, the standard retirement age is currently 66 (gradually increasing to 67). The AARP allows couples in which one spouse has reached the age of 50 to join, regardless of the age of the other spouse.

In Canada, the Old Age Security (OAS) pension is available at 65 (the Conservative government of Stephen Harper had planned to gradually increase the age of eligibility to 67, starting in the years 2023–2029, although the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau is considering leaving it at 65), and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) as early as age 60.

Signs

The distinguishing characteristics of old age are both physical and mental. The marks of old age are so unlike the marks of middle age that legal scholar Richard Posner suggests that, as an individual transitions into old age, that person can be thought of as different people "time-sharing" the same identity.

These marks do not occur at the same chronological age for everyone. Also, they occur at different rates and orders for different people. Marks of old age can easily vary between people of the same chronological age.

A basic mark of old age that affects both body and mind is "slowness of behaviour". The term describes a correlation between advancing age and slowness of reaction and physical and mental task performance. However, studies from Buffalo University and Northwestern University have shown that the elderly are a happier age group than their younger counterparts.

Physical

Physical marks of old age include the following:

·        Bone and joint problems: Old bones are marked by "thinning and shrinkage". This might result in a loss of height (about two inches (5 cm) by age 80), a stooping posture in many people, and a greater susceptibility to bone and joint diseases such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

·        Chronic diseases: Some older people have at least one chronic condition, and many have multiple conditions. In 2007–2009, the most frequently occurring conditions among older people in the United States were uncontrolled hypertension (34%), arthritis (50%), and heart disease (32%).

·        Chronic mucus hypersecretion (CMH), defined as "coughing and bringing up sputum", is a common respiratory symptom in elderly people.

·        Dental problems: Older people may have less saliva and reduced ability to maintain oral hygiene, consequently increasing the chance of tooth decay and infection.

·        Digestive system issues: About 40% of the time, old age is marked by digestive disorders such as difficulty in swallowing, inability to eat enough and to absorb nutrition, constipation and bleeding.

·        Essential tremor (ET): An uncontrollable shaking in a part of the upper body. It is more common in the elderly, and symptoms worsen with age.

·        Eyesight deterioration: Presbyopia can occur by age 50, and it hinders reading, especially of small print in low lighting. The speed with which an individual reads and the ability to locate objects may also be impaired. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.

·        Falls: Old age increases the risk of injury from falls. Every year, about a third of those 65 years old and more than half of those 80 years old fall. Falls are the leading cause of injury and death among older people.

·        Gait change: Some aspects of gait normally change with old age. Speed slows after age 70. Time with both feet on the ground ("double stance") increases. Old people sometimes move as if they were walking carefully on ice.

·        Hair usually turns grey and may become thinner. By age 50, about 50% of Europeans have 50% grey hair. Many men are affected by balding.

·        Women enter menopause.

·        Hearing loss: By age 75, 48% of men and 37% of women have lost at least some significant hearing. Of the 26.7 million people [where?] over age 50 with a hearing impairment, one seventh use hearing aids. In the 70–79 age range, partial hearing loss affecting communication rises to 65%, mostly in low-income men.

·        Hearts can become less efficient in old age, lessening stamina. Atherosclerosis can constrict blood flow.

·        Immune-function loss (immunosenescence).

·        Lungs may expand less efficiently, providing less oxygen.

·        Mobility impairment or loss: "Impairment in mobility affects 14% of those between 65 and 74, [and] half of those over 85." Loss of mobility is common in old people and has serious "social, psychological, and physical consequences".

·        Pain: 25% of seniors have chronic pain, increasing with age, up to 80% of those in nursing homes. Most pains are rheumatological, musculoskeletal-related, or malignant.

·        Decreases in sexual drive in both men and women. Increasing research on sexual behaviour and desires in later life is challenging the "asexual" image of older adults. People aged 75–102 do experience sensuality and sexual pleasure. Sexual attitudes and identity are established in early adulthood and change little. Sexuality remains important throughout life, and the sexual expression of "typical, healthy older persons is a relatively neglected topic of research". Other known sexual behaviors in older age groups include sexual thoughts, fantasies, and dreams; masturbation; oral sex; and vaginal and anal intercourse.

·        Skin loses elasticity and gets drier and more lined and wrinkled.

·        Wounds take longer to heal and are likelier to leave permanent scars.

·        Trouble sleeping and daytime sleepiness affect more than half of seniors. In a study of 9,000 people with a mean age of 74, only 12% reported no sleep complaints. By age 65, deep sleep drops to about 5% of sleep time.

·        Taste buds diminish by up to half by the age of 80. Food becomes less appealing, and nutrition can suffer.

·        Over the age of 85, thirst perception decreases, so that 41% of the elderly do not drink enough.

·        Urinary incontinence is often found in old age.

·        Vocal cords weaken and vibrate more slowly. This results in a weakened, breathy voice, "old person's voice".

Mental

Mental marks of old age include the following:

·        Agreeability: Despite the stressfulness of old age, the words "agreeable" and "accepting" are commonly used to describe people of old age. However, in some people, the dependence that comes with old age induces feelings of incompetence and worthlessness from having to rely on others for many different basic living functions.

·        Caution follows closely with old age. This antipathy toward "risk-taking" often stems from the fact that old people have less to gain and more to lose than younger people.

·        Depressed mood. According to Cox, Abramson, Devine, and Hollon (2012), old age is a risk factor for depression caused by prejudice. When younger people are prejudiced against the elderly and then become old themselves, their anti-elderly prejudice turns inward, causing depression. "People with more negative age stereotypes will likely have higher rates of depression as they get older." Old age depression results in the over-65 population having the highest suicide rate.

·        Fear of crime in old age, especially among the frail, sometimes weighs more heavily than concerns about finances or health and restricts what they do. The fear persists even though older people are victims of crime less often than younger people.

·        Increasing fear of health problems.

·        Mental disorders affect about 15% of people aged 60+, according to estimates by the World Health Organisation. Another survey taken in 15 countries reported that mental disorders of adults interfered with their daily activities more than physical problems.

·        Reduced mental and cognitive ability: Memory loss is common in old age due to the brain's decreased ability to encode, store, and retrieve information. It takes more time to learn the same amount of new information. The prevalence of dementia increases in old age from about 10% at age 65 to about 50% over age 85. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 50 to 80 per cent of dementia cases. Demented behaviour can include wandering, physical aggression, verbal outbursts, depression, and psychosis.

·        Stubbornness: A study of over 400 seniors found a "preference for the routine". Explanations include old age on "fluid intelligence" and the "more deeply entrenched" ways of the old. 

Perspectives

Johnson and Barer did a pioneering study of Life Beyond 85 Years by interviews over six years. In talking with 85-year-olds and older, they found some popular conceptions about old age to be erroneous. Such erroneous conceptions include (1) people in old age have at least one family member for support, (2) old age well-being requires social activity, and (3) "successful adaptation" to age-related changes demands a continuity of self-concept. In their interviews, Johnson and Barer found that 24% of the 85+ had no face-to-face family relationships; many have outlived their families. Second, contrary to popular notions, the interviews revealed that the reduced activity and socialising of the over-85s does not harm their well-being; they "welcome increased detachment". Third, rather than a continuity of self-concept, as the interviewees faced new situations, they changed their "cognitive and emotional processes" and reconstituted their "self–self-self-self-self-self-seself-representation".

Societal and historical

Based on his survey of old age in history, Georges Minois concludes that "it is clear that always and everywhere youth has been preferred to old age". In Western thought, "old age is an evil, an infirmity and a dreary time of preparation for death". Furthermore, death is often preferred over "decrepitude, because death means deliverance".

"The problem of the ambiguity of old age has ... been with us since the stage of primitive society; it was both the source of wisdom and infirmity, experience and decrepitude, of prestige and suffering."

"Old people were respected or despised, honoured or put to death according to circumstance." In ancient times, those who were frail were seen as a burden and ignored or, in extreme cases, killed. People were defined as "old" because of their inability to perform useful tasks rather than their years. In  Ethics, "old people are miserly; they do not acknowledge disinterested friendship; only seeking for what can satisfy their selfish needs".

Contemporary perspectives

Attitudes toward old age well-being vary somewhat between cultures. For example, in the United States, being healthy, physically, and socially active is are sign of good old age. On the other hand, Africans focus more on food and material security and a helpful family when describing old age well-being.  Additionally, Koreans are more anxious about ageing and more scared of old people than Americans are.

Most people in the age range of 65–79 (the years of retirement and early old age) enjoy rich possibilities for a full life, but the condition of frailty, distinguished by "bodily failure" and greater dependence, becomes increasingly common from around age 80. In the United States, hospital discharge data from 2003 to 2011 show that injury was the most common reason for hospitalisation among patients aged 65+.

Frailty is "a physical state of increased vulnerability to stressors that results from decreased reserves and dysregulation in multiple physiological systems".

Frailty is a common condition in later old age, but different definitions of frailty produce diverse assessments of prevalence.

Three unique markers of frailty have been proposed: (a) loss of any notion of invincibility, (b) loss of ability to do things essential to one's care, and (c) loss of possibility for a subsequent life stage.

Old age survivors, on average, deteriorate from agility in their early retirement years (65-79) to a period of frailty preceding death. This deterioration is gradual for some and precipitous for others. Frailty is marked by an array of chronic physical and mental problems, which means that frailty is not treatable as a specific disease. These problems, coupled with increased dependency in the basic activities of daily living (ADLs) required for personal care, add emotional problems: depression and anxiety. In sum, frailty has been depicted as a group of "complex issues", distinct but "causally interconnected", that often include "comorbid diseases", progressive weakness, stress, exhaustion, and depression.

Death

Old age, death, and frailty are closely linked, with approximately half the deaths in old age preceded by months or years of frailty.

Almost 20% of the people wanted to use whatever treatment might postpone death. About the same number said that, given a terminal illness, they would choose assisted suicide. Roughly half chose doing nothing except live day by day until death comes naturally without medical or other intervention designed to prolong life.

About half of older adults have multimorbidity, that is, they have three or more chronic conditions. Medical advances have made it possible to "postpone death", but in many cases, this postponement adds "prolonged sickness, dependence, pain, and suffering", a time that is costly in social, psychological, and

Life Beyond 85 Years found "progressive terminal decline" in the year before death: constant fatigue, much sleep, detachment from people, things, and activities, simplified lives. " However, nearly everyone feared a long process of dying. Some wanted to die in their sleep; others wanted to die "on their feet".

Demographic changes

In the industrialised countries, life expectancy and, thus, the old age population have increased consistently over the last decades. In the United States, the proportion of people aged 65 or older increased from 4% in 1900 to about 12% in 2000. In 1900,

The growing number of people living to their 80s and 90s in the developed world has strained public welfare systems and has also resulted in increased incidence of diseases like cancer and dementia that were rarely seen in premodern times. Of the roughly 150,000 people who die each day across the globe, about two-thirds—100,000 per day—die of age-related causes. In industrialised nations, the proportion is much higher, reaching 90%.

Life expectancy

Life expectancy by nation at birth in the year 2011 ranged from 48 years to 82 years. Low values generally indicate high death rates for infants and children.

In most parts of the world, women, on average, live longer than men. The number of elderly people worldwide began to surge in the second half of the 20th century. In developed countries before then, five per cent of the population was over 65. Few lived longer than their 70s, and people who attained advanced age (i.e. their 80s) were rare enough to be a novelty and were revered as wise sages.

Benefits

German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck created the world's first comprehensive government social safety net in the 1880s, providing for old age pensions.

In the United States of America and the United Kingdom, 65 (UK 60 for women) was traditionally the age of retirement with full old age benefits.

In 2003, the age at which a United States citizen became eligible for full Social Security benefits began to increase gradually, and will continue to do so until it reaches 67 in 2027. The full retirement age for Social Security benefits for people retiring in 2012 is age 66. In the United Kingdom, the state pension age for men and women will rise to 66 in 2020, with further increases scheduled after that.

Even with assistive devices as of 2006, 8.5 million Americans needed personal assistance because of impaired basic activities of daily living required for personal care or impaired instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) required for independent living. Projections place this number at 21 million by 2030, when 40% of Americans over 70 will need assistance.  There are many options for such long-term care for those who require it. There is home care in which a family member, volunteer, or trained professional will aid the person in need and help with daily activities.