Editorial: Longevity brings new challenges

According to a memorable summary of Newtons Third Law of Motion, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Perhaps someday geroscience the study of human aging and its impacts will identify a law similar to Newtons Third.

A recent article by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune described the emerging field of science surrounding aging. An Associated Press article predicting a global retirement crisis reinforced that notion.

The Herald-Tribune article focused on Florence Katz of Sarasota, a 98-year-old woman who remains happy, healthy and active.

She is not alone. Longevity has increased dramatically in the United States and the Western world. For millions of those older adults, life is good.

However, there are downsides to longevity difficulties associated with disabilities, health and memory problems, lack of long-term income.

Experts and demographers debate the details of life expectancies but, in general, there is no dispute about the aging of the planets population. Consider this: There are now more people older than 65 than people younger than 15.

Linda P. Fried, dean of public health at Columbia University, said the increase in life expectancy offers us a new stage ... and were not very well prepared for it.

The AP article focused on a troubling and pervasive lack of preparation worldwide. The news service quoted Norman Dreger, a retirement specialist in Germany, who said, The first wave of underprepared workers is going to try to go into retirement and will find they cant afford to do so.

The political responses to such concerns usually involve debates over whether to raise the age for Social Security benefits or create a new program for younger Americans. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are vital components of the existing social safety net. Yet there are signs that those programs, designed decades ago, will not be sustainable in a radically different era without alterations.

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Editorial: Longevity brings new challenges