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Editorial

Editorial James Goodwin Head of Research, Age Concern and Help the Aged, UK In this special edition of Quality in Ageing, we will examine in detail the issue of increased longevity and the implications for society. Robert Butler, President of the International Longevity Centre (New York) has referred to the population ageing as the ‘longevity revolution’ – momentous change akin to those milestones in human history such as the agrarian and industrial revolutions, which have irrevocably shaped human destiny (Butler, 2008). The analogy is precise: secular changes brought about by humankind, such as improved public health, better medical care and beneficial changes in diet and nutrition have served first of all to limit mortality in early and then in later life. Tom Kirkwood, a giant in the field of ageing, has eloquently spoken of the rewards of such changes for each of us: over the course of the last halfcentury, life expectancy has continued to increase steadily by two years each decade (Kirkwood, 2001). It is almost as if for every decade we have lived, we have gained an extra 20% free. And as Oeppen and Vaupel (2002) have shown, the trend in increased longevity shows little sign of http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Quality in Ageing and Older Adults Pier Professional

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Publisher
Pier Professional
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 by Pier Professional Limited
ISSN
1471-7794
eISSN
2042-8766
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

James Goodwin Head of Research, Age Concern and Help the Aged, UK In this special edition of Quality in Ageing, we will examine in detail the issue of increased longevity and the implications for society. Robert Butler, President of the International Longevity Centre (New York) has referred to the population ageing as the ‘longevity revolution’ – momentous change akin to those milestones in human history such as the agrarian and industrial revolutions, which have irrevocably shaped human destiny (Butler, 2008). The analogy is precise: secular changes brought about by humankind, such as improved public health, better medical care and beneficial changes in diet and nutrition have served first of all to limit mortality in early and then in later life. Tom Kirkwood, a giant in the field of ageing, has eloquently spoken of the rewards of such changes for each of us: over the course of the last halfcentury, life expectancy has continued to increase steadily by two years each decade (Kirkwood, 2001). It is almost as if for every decade we have lived, we have gained an extra 20% free. And as Oeppen and Vaupel (2002) have shown, the trend in increased longevity shows little sign of

Journal

Quality in Ageing and Older AdultsPier Professional

Published: Jun 1, 2009

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