Experts are saying that Britain’s ageing population is happier and healthier than previous generations. The number of old-aged people who live to their 80s or 90s has increased extensively over the recent years.
Life for Britain’s senior citizens is improving day-by-day. The earlier notions of old-aged as a being decrepit, assailed by memory problems and physical disabilities are no longer applicable. More and more we are seeing people living longer and being healthier.
Another pre-conception behind the rise in senior citizens is that homes are prolonging the life of these people by providing modern medicine. However, this is not the truth. Life expectancy is rising together with healthiness of the population.
Moreover, Academy of Medical Sciences claims that for the increase in healthiness and longevity to be maintained Britain has to actively do more. UK will have to assure a cadre of expert doctors, engineers and scientists to be dedicated to continuously decipher questions related to old age. This is the only way to ensure that the momentum of increasing life expectancy to be maintained.
There are promising pools of young scientists working on aging research projects. A report entitled Rejuvenating Aging Research says that average life expectancy in Britain does augment around five hours per day, and this applies for every day. This pattern is parallel in other developed nations as well. However, aging can be referred to as a looming crisis. It is predicted that by 2050 our aging population will cost enormously. If age-related illnesses are not treated or cured it will cost a sum comparable to around nine times the cost of the actual economic downturn (2009 +).
Currently, Britain is handling the issue of aging extremely well. Most of the elders are younger (biologically younger) being productive, happy and also healthy. It is certain that none of us would like to live a prolonged life in a fragile state. – e.g. Handicapped in a nursing home -. Professor Linda Partridge, of University College London says that people are living longer life without major health predicaments.
Partridge gave some astounding statistics. She said that people in Britain are living longer, and it was expected that more of these senior citizens would be living in people’s homes. However, the fact is that the proportion of older people living in people’s homes is precisely the same as they were a decade ago. This means that the percentage of senior citizens affected by disability is less than previously expected.
Professor Kay-Tee Khaw, gerontologist of Cambridge University considered these findings as “surprisingly emphatic”. In earlier national studies conducted between 1970 to 1990 it was shown that the volume of senior citizens of 85 years of aged experienced a 50 percent decrease in the number of them being disabled.
Professor Ray Tallis, of Manchester University did also underline the fact that elders are carrying fewer illnesses than expected..
Senior citizens in their 70s or 80s are enjoying their life conveniently. They wear fashionable clothes and do exercise frequently. They do also have an appeasing social life – involved in sport events, charity and visiting around in the country. These senior citizens are living a happy and lovely life.
A century ago, very few people reached the age of seventy but today the numbers are increasing. Many of those who are in their 70s or 80s are healthy. They have made their best to abstain from decrepit healthy conditions that their ancestors had to face. One of the clues to healthiness is to control weight.
Lifestyle and medical intervention have been of paramount importance in making it possible to be healthy at an old age. There are drugs available that can fight cardiac problems and high blood pressures. This has extensively reduced the number of death caused by heart failure. Cardiac mortalities have since the 1990s fallen by approximately 40 percent (but it is still the major killer).
Moreover, lifestyle changes have also contributed to longevity. Like for example abstain from excessive drinking and smoking habits. Consumption of healthier nutrients (food and Vegetables) together with exercise is maybe the most important way to stay in a health condition at old age. Better food and body health enforces our physical and mental health. This has been proven through scientific research according to Khaw.
It might seem difficult to associate poor diets with declining mental abilities. However, according to Tallis it is already a certainty. For instance, Alzheimer’s disease progress faster in people who are affected by cerebral vascular problems. Moreover, cerebral vascular conditions are related to unhealthy lifestyles..
Partridge, says that the outcomes are emphatic. People in their 60s are able to enjoy a lifestyle comparable to what people a century ago benefited from in their 40s. The result is marvelous and more interestingly studies are providing extensive hopes for longevity to increase even further. There have already been studies conducted on animals such as monkeys that showed that dietary regimes can positively affect health and longevity. It is a fact that most animal research applies to humans as well.
Another sphere promoting longevity is gene mutations. Some individual does inherent genes, from their ancestors, having the ability to prolong life. These so-called longevity genes are also providing scope for the development of new powerful drugs. Modern medicines with the ability to copy the process of these active longevity genes can make it possible to reach a hundred years much easier.
In Britain most of the lethal infection diseases have already been anticipated. However, the most fearful aliments are heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. It is essential to scrutinize the basic process of aging to determine the cellular mechanics associated with aging. In understanding the development of these chronic ailments, we might be able derive medicine to eradicate them.
The main aim of most scientists and doctors is according to Tallis to conquer “compression of morbidity”. This comprises of enabling people to live healthier and longer. Also, to assure that dying is faster. Most people want to have such a lifespan; living and dying happy. It does also make economical sense – less time spent in hospitals – fewer government expenditures.
Nonetheless, attitudes have to change towards the old age in Britain to assure that “compression of morbidity” can be fulfilled. In the country, many people still have a fatalistic attitude. They distinguish feeble people in their 80s and think subconsciously that nothing can be done to help her or him. On the other hand, in America there is a moral imperative to alleviate ill-health related to old-age people. It is necessary to adopt a similar attitude Britain as well.
Worse Scenario
The worse scenario of increasing lifespan is that life expectancy rise but health do not. This would make senior citizens an immense burden in terms of health costs. In many developed nations specialised centres geared towards aging research are established to avoid such a nightmare scenario. They hire senior scientists, specialist and young dynamic researchers to assure a steady progress with the help of committed funding agents.
The United States of America does in many ways outshine UK’s research on aging. There are various centres of excellence dedicated to biology of aging in America, and they are also well-known.
The future seems to be promising for the aging population. Our healthy life expectancy is making aging both an economic and social opportunity. This contrasts with what was predicted to be a challenge in the past.
Living to 120 is claimed by many as fearful. For instance, Emma Soames, editor at large of Saga magazine, says that old age is portrayed as a period of “vulnerability, frailty and great expense.” The dread of old age disease de-motivates people to live to an old-age. However, quality healthy is achievable in your 70s.
The most important thing at an advanced age is quality of life. When one reaches an old age phase, you will already have had several friends who have been met with the obstacles of old age; mental loss and muscle problems. This will either force you to adopt a negative attitude towards aging or a positive one. A positive attitude will give you hope and will circumvent many of the potential old-age-illnesses.
Source: Guardian
Sat, Jun 12, 2010
Anti Aging, Gerontology, Health And Aging, Longevity