How old are we? Less dependent on help

Fewer people in old age depend on help

04/10/2014

The average life expectancy of humans has increased significantly over the last few centuries. But not only are we getting older, we are becoming older too „slower older“, as an expert explained. Therefore, fewer and fewer people need help in their old age.

Life expectancy has been rising for centuries
For centuries, the average lifetime of people in this country is increasing. If the average life expectancy in the year 1800 was just 35 years, in 1900 about 45 years, then a male baby born in Germany statistically has about 78 years of life in Germany and a female even 83 years. According to data from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Change in Rostock, more than 14,000 people in this country are 100 years or older. A major reason for the increased life expectancy is seen in medical progress. For example, the discovery and use of antibiotics has led to the deaths of countless people from infectious diseases.

Medical progress
Also heart diseases (eg coronary heart disease) and blood vessels (eg arteriosclerosis) are better treated in many ways today. The number of deaths from a heart attack or stroke is correspondingly lower. And the life expectancy of cancer patients has also risen thanks to medical progress. In addition to developments in medicine and more peaceful times, an increase in healthy nutrition is one of the factors for a longer life. In addition, the change in the world of work plays an important role, as no one here today „to slave to death“ got to.

More and more seniors manage alone
In addition to the increased life expectancy, there is another good news for today's generations: „Not only are we getting older, we're getting older and slower“, said human biologist Carsten Niemitz according to the „Focus“. „100 years ago you sat with 50 on the pensioner bench in front of the house.“ In a descriptive study by Florian Trachte of the MHH it was found that more and more seniors between the age of 65 and 89 are able to cope on their own, although this looked different in the 1990s. The results were published in May in the journal „Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics“ released.

How well do patients with illness live?
According to them, older people today consider themselves a little better in terms of their health. However, the previous surveys are colored very subjectively, by the end of the year is yet another more comprehensive and meaningful investigation to take place, which should be based on data from health insurance. The aim is to gather insights and find out the age at which people develop diabetes, heart attacks, bronchial carcinomas and strokes. However, it is not superficial when the disease started, but how well the patients live on it. The findings of the new study will probably also be included in the discussion about a higher retirement age.

Germany not in the top ten
But not only here, but also worldwide, societies have to deal with the challenges of an aging population. For example, in Japan, girls born in 2012 have an average life expectancy of 87 years. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Iceland is in the lead with 81 years for men. Unlike Italy or Switzerland, Germany is not one of the world's top ten. Despite the increased life expectancy, according to the experts, biologically nothing has changed in the human body. Rather, be it „mental retreat“ significant. To be passive in old age is the wrong way. This runs the risk of aging even faster. For more than 30 years, the repeat survey has been carried out based on data from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). (Ad)