Imagine blowing out 100 candles on your birthday cake. Now imagine doing it with health and vitality, ready to party the night away. The first image, living to 100, may become even more common than you think. The second image might take a little more effort and planning. Are you ready to live your best life for 100 years…or more? According to the latest projections of the U.S. Census Bureau, we need to get ready for a centenarian surge.
Today’s Centenarians
The number of Americans aged 100 and older will more than quadruple between now and 2054. That means we’ll go from 101,000 centenarians in 2024 to 422,000 in 2054. We’ll be going from centenarians representing 0.03% in 2024 to 0.1% in 2054. Sounds like a small number, but it is the driving force behind major cultural, healthcare related, and economic shifts in our society. People are working longer, ageism is taking a backseat to productive aging conversations, and the aging population is being portrayed differently in the media. As the baby boomers age while maintaining their income, products, services, and even politics and public policy are shifting to meet their needs and reflect their wants.
Additionally, while today’s centenarians in the U.S. are overwhelmingly women at 78% to only 22% men. By 2054, men will represent 32% with women making up 68%. While the vast majority of centenarians today are White, future growth will accelerate among Hispanic and Black populations.
Lifespan vs. Healthspan
The 100 Year LifestyleⓇ has always distinguished between lifespan and healthspan. Now, it’s a topic on everyone’s lips. And for good reasons. The Longevity Industrial Complex has made tremendous advances in extending life. But at what price? Too often those extra years are spent managing disease, not enjoying life.
Here’s the bottom line. You don’t really get to choose how long you will live. Many centenarians alive today had no idea they would live to their current age. They were blindsided. Those of us alive today, however, have been given advance notice that our 100 is coming. As a result, we are focusing more, and earlier, on our healthspan. That means taking responsibility for our lifestyle and creating the daily habits that enable us to live at 100% for 100 years. That means avoiding polypharmacy, dementia, chronic disease, and disability. It means enjoying life with health and vitality until your last breath.
Need some guidance? Find a 100 Year LifestyleⓇ provider near you today!
The post The Centenarian Surge appeared first on The 100 Year Lifestyle®.
