Pensioners live longer and longer

Life expectancy is rising sharply: retirees live longer and longer in Germany

25/03/2011

People of retirement age are living longer and longer in Germany, according to the Federal Institute for Population Research in Wiesbaden. Retirees can therefore expect to retire on average longer than ever before. Over the past 12 years, there has been a significant increase in life expectancy of around two years.

Life expectancy rose sharply
Demographic change in Germany continues. People are getting older and can therefore enjoy much longer their time as a retiree. Overall life expectancy has steadily increased over the last ten to twelve years. There have never been so many people of retirement age as now. Today reaches a woman with 65 years of age, the retirement age, she lives on average for another 20 years. In men, on the other hand, life expectancy is slightly lower. According to the Wiesbaden Institute, men aged 65 and over live for another 17 years. Anyone who has reached retirement age can be over 80 years old on average.

Especially in the new federal states, the general life expectancy among pensioners has increased significantly. Men in retirement live in East Germany from the age of 65 on average for another 16.8 years. In 1998 there were still about two years less for men. Women also live much longer than twelve years ago. If East German women still lived another 18.5 years with the onset of retirement age, it is now over 20 years (20.2). In West Germany, life expectancy is slightly higher. Women over 65 can look forward to an average of 20.6 more years of life. The men manage at least 17.3 years.

Only slight east-west differences
According to the Federal Statistics Institute for Demographic Research, the differences between the new and old federal states are increasingly disappearing. The people in the eastern countries were able to extend their lifetime significantly. That applies to women and men alike. The most common causes of death are still cardiovascular disease (e.g., heart attack or stroke) and cancer.

Medical progress and healthy lifestyle
The main reasons for the visible increase are medical new developments in science, which have been designed and developed more and more effective therapies. In addition, many people are living more and more aware, do more sports and also eat healthier. A decent lifestyle can be proven to extend the lifetime significantly. Due to the demographic change of the population, however, ever higher costs in the health and care system must be achieved in the future. Overall, health costs will rise significantly in the future. (Sb)

Also read:
The most common causes of death in Germany
Study: Birth month affects life expectancy
Happiness extends life
Fast walking increases life expectancy
Why men die earlier than women

Picture: Rainer Sturm