to think it's not a bad thing that life expectancy has stalled in the first world?

[A580Hojas]

I mean, really?

Why should we all expect to outlive our parents if they died at some point in their late 70s or early 80s?

I am quite old in Mumsnet terms but I don't feel entitled to live to 90 or 95 or whatever.

Very old people staying alive for a year or two more isn't something to be celebrated is it? I say this as someone with a parent in reasonable health in their late 80s.

ballseditupforever Wed 26-Sep-18 16:50:10

"I don't understand why there are so many more disabled people around these days"

Wow disabilist much. Because more disabled babies are surviving childbirth.

I cant work out whether you are disabilist or just spectacularly thick.

Also the classification of disabled has increased.

ballseditupforever are you trying to blame people who have blue badges for causing their own disability or are you saying they are putting it on. I can't work out which?
If there are more blue badges then I am glad more people are getting the reasonable adjustment they need.

ballseditupforever, people are now living with conditions that would have previously killed them.

Have you not come across Charities such as Cancer research, British Heart Association etc?

They have all contributed to cutting the death rate of patients. But those Patients are often left disabled, in some way.

For example, in my Teen years, lots of Dad's were dying from Heart Attacks from their late 50's. Now we don't tend to die from Heart Disease, but we still suffer from it, so we are disabled.

Likewise many Lung Conditions. People are still working with COPD, whereas it used mean a short life span.

Stroke Care, Cancer Care, MS, Parkinsons, Heart Health has all improved.

I don't understand how or why you don't understand that, tbh.

Well I want to live to 96 at least just to puss off OP

Whoops PISS off!!

I WILL be that grumpy old lady with 70 cats!!

`@tierraJ

If you want to work out the chances of making it to the age of 96, based on the most recent UK population statistics, you can get the Office for National Statistics life tables which include data like the table below (numbers for females).

So look up the target age, in this case x = 96, and note the number there, ie 9404. Now look up your current age, eg if you have just turned 40, the number is 98624. Then divide these two numbers and multiply by 100 if you want a percentage: 9404 / 98624 x 100 = 9.5, ie 9.5% of those who have just turned 40 will make it to 96 assuming no further improvements in life expectancy. Sadly, we men have lower life expectancy than women.

x ..|. Lx
20 |. 99443
21 |. 99423
22 |. 99403
23 |. 99383
24 |. 99361
25 |. 99340
26 |. 99316
27 |. 99290
28 |. 99262
29 |. 99232
30 |. 99199
31 |. 99162
32 |. 99122
33 |. 99075
34 |. 99026
35 |. 98975
36 |. 98917
37 |. 98852
38 |. 98779
39 |. 98707
40 |. 98624
41 |. 98532
42 |. 98436
43 |. 98330
44 |. 98217
45 |. 98089
46 |. 97948
47 |. 97799
48 |. 97638
49 |. 97465
50 |. 97278
51 |. 97071
52 |. 96842
53 |. 96593
54 |. 96323
55 |. 96033
56 |. 95718
57 |. 95373
58 |. 95007
59 |. 94605
60 |. 94154
61 |. 93667
62 |. 93143
63 |. 92559
64 |. 91926
65 |. 91256
66 |. 90539
67 |. 89737
68 |. 88877
69 |. 87958
70 |. 86948
71 |. 85850
72 |. 84631
73 |. 83287
74 |. 81795
75 |. 80190
76 |. 78408
77 |. 76414
78 |. 74320
79 |. 71986
80 |. 69498
81 |. 66743
82 |. 63768
83 |. 60512
84 |. 56978
85 |. 53180
86 |. 49195
87 |. 44997
88 |. 40660
89 |. 36191
90 |. 31718
91 |. 27299
92 |. 23082
93 |. 19126
94 |. 15526
95 |. 12274
96 |.. 9404
97 |.. 7027
98 |.. 5146
99 |.. 3686

Source is the 2015-17 tab of the data downloadable here:
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/lifeexpectancies/datasets/nationallifetablesgreatbritainreferencetables

That's interesting.

All 4 of my grandparents lived til late 80s / early 90s but sadly 3 of them had dementia.

2 were still happy people though despite needing care.

But 1 was very agitated & sadly had to be sectioned at 91 before she died.

I think I'd like to be in the very elderly (over 85) category if I was happy with my life.

Yes, obviously mortality rates are an average, and for an individual all kinds of genetic, environmental and behavioural factors will affect their chances. I guess things like no history of cancer in the family or long-lived grandparents are positive indications.