What’s in a number? Americans are living longer but are unsure they want to see 100

For David Lincer the question of longevity once felt straightforward He initially imagined living to close to the national ideal of according to a contemporary survey Now numbers matter less to him than his physical strength I m not interested in living life out in a bed just to say I made it to Lincer noted Even as the number of centenarians is expected to quadruple over the next years the majority of adults agree with Lincer A newest Pew Research Center survey discovered of Americans hope to live to A large number of say their hesitation comes from the foreseen of declining strength limited finances or social isolation that could accompany the additional decades Lincer runs an elevator installation business that requires climbing lifting and heavy physical work and is generally healthy He jokes that he can still outrun his younger employees up a hill But modern lab tests showing he is on the borderline for diabetes have pushed him to focus more intentionally on his strength He cut out sugar and continued his weekly yoga practice Several years ago after a physician warned him about his cholesterol levels he made dietary adjustments and improved his numbers a reminder he reported of the importance of being proactive about wellness as one ages His healthy habits have also been shaped by watching his mother s decline she developed Parkinson s and later suffered a stroke during a therapeutic procedure I want to stick around with a good life he disclosed If I can t enjoy it get me out of here Researchers say these concerns mirror those expressed by multiple adults The Stanford Center on Longevity has started the New Map of Life a multi-year initiative aimed at rethinking what longer lifespans might look like In a survey the center conducted with Time magazine respondents explained their top hopes for if they reach were avoiding dementia and staying financially sound We identified people still associate growing old and being very old with declining physical and cognitive wellness revealed Yochai Shavit a researcher at the center We are in desperate need of a positive vision of what -year lives can look like The cash crunch is real On average assisted living can cost a month about twice the average monthly rent in the Bay Area The Pew analysis identified a direct link between financial measure and wellbeing outcomes Only of low-income seniors informed being in very good or excellent wellness compared to of those with the highest incomes This changes the picture of living to More than four in adults are not confident they have enough cash to cover their retirement years Beyond money there are other things seniors can do to make the prospect of living to more appealing Avoiding social isolation is part of staying sharp Tee Lynn has leaned into society as she s aged A former school counselor Lynn keeps a small circle of friends and helpers at the Downtown Oakland Senior Center throughout the week But even as a self-proclaimed lover of life she imagines living to about or and is unsure about the value of reaching Even those with a solid society still worry about the physical frailty that can come with age Marina Miranda also has determined friends at the Downtown Oakland Senior Center where she spends most of weekday mornings knitting and working on puzzles I don t like being stuck in the house All you have is TV And it gets hard if you don t have a social life when you re older she reported I do have one fear as I age if I become disabled who will take care of me I just live day by day you can t think about the future because you don t know what s gonna happen and you can t control what s gonna happen in life Her attitude toward control reflects a larger truth about aging According to the Pew review only three in adults say they feel they have a fair amount of control over how they age including their mental and physical wellness Miranda maintains what control she can small routines polished nails daily conversation at the center Like Miranda Chuck Sieloff has no target age At he is a longtime member of Avenidas Village an aging-in-place project in Palo Alto where he leads a monthly discussion group called the Healthy Aging Group It is work that gives him insight into what he wants for his future I m a huge believer in healthcare span over lifespan he explained It s not about how long you live but about how long you remain healthy