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Problems With Higher Longevity

There is no doubt that people live longer in the 21st century due to a number of modern factors. For example, cleaner living conditions, medical advancements, preventative scans and drug research have all contributed to this growing trend. However, in spite of all of these progressions toward higher longevity, there are some problems that we all may face as a result of prolonging our life spans.

  1. Increased Strain on Healthcare

    • Healthcare systems around the world will experience an increase in demand on medical services as people age and live longer. Higher taxes will likely be implemented to deal with the rising costs of prolonged healthcare.

    Higher Retirement Funds

    • People will have to save more for retirement if their longevity increases so they don't run out of money. For example, the longer you live, the more money you will need to have for retirement purposes. In addition, retirement ages will likely increase because if people are living longer, they will need to work for longer periods of time.

    Age-Related Health Issues

    • Living longer does not mean that you are exempt from physical or mental ailments as you age. For example, health problems such as broken hips, diabetes, ulcers and organ failures might occur and you will have to live with chronic conditions and ailments for longer than you would have in the past.

    Younger Generations

    • Younger generations may be adversely affected by aging populations with higher longevity levels. For example, if retirement ages increase to 70-years-old, less job opportunities will be available for young people who are fresh out of college. This may pose problems when it comes to those who want to start careers early on in life as they wait for opportunities to become available.

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