I remember as a young man that I considered a person that was thirty years old to be over the hill, however the hill gets farther away the older I get. In fact, thirty seems very young now that I am a few times around the block past that! It is true that when a person was fifty or fifty-five, he was considered to be getting old even by adults, however with the new technology and medicines, life expectancy has increased significantly.
Today folks that are seventy, eighty or even ninety are not unusual and even folks living to the century mark is getting more common, but folks living sixty-five or seventy was rare when I was young. So you see, “The good ole days,” are not always “The good ole days.” This is definitely one change that we can live with,”pun intended!”
One of the ways that has and is extending our life expectancy is early detection of health problems that can be treated and or a suggested live-style change that can prevent strokes, heart attacks and other problems as well. We also have a grasp of better diet and exercise habits that help extend life, or at least wart off problems of which past generations may have been unaware.
Just imagine what may be in store for the future generations. Life expectancy may be even greater for our grand and great grand children. Going over the hill is surely there for all of us, but in our present generation and the next generations the hill may be moving farther away all the time.
Just a note of interest; according to the present 2010 statistics, 49 countries have a life expectancy that is greater than the United States, which is 78.24years. Even in this enlightened age, the different societal structures have life expectancy that ranges from 89.78 years, to 38.48 years. Simply Amazing and definitely something to think about!
