Full Citation
Title: Becoming Oldest-old: Evidence from Historical U.S. Data
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2005
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Abstract: The twentieth century has witnessed remarkable declines in older age mortality in Western Europe, Japan, and the United States (Robine and Vaupel, 2002; Kannisto, 1996; Vaupel, 1997; Wilmoth et al. 2000). The first documented 111 year old died in 1932 and the first verified 122 year old died in 1997 (Vaupel, 1997). Not only has the maximum age of death increased, but the number of people living beyond 100 has increased as well, calling into question whether the upper limit to the length of human life postulated by Fries (1980) is anywhere in sight and whether such an upper limit even exists (Vaupel and Jeune, 1995; Wilmoth and Lundstrm, 1996). In the United States life expectancy in 1900 at age 65 for both sexes combined was less than 12 years and only 13 percent of all 65 year olds could expect to reach age 85 and join the ranks of the oldest old. By centurys end life expectancy at age 65 had risen to almost 17 years and 42 percent of all 65 year olds could expect to live until age 85. This increase in life expectancy was extremely slow at first, rising by only half a year during the first three decades of the twentieth century. Since 1930 the increase in life expectancy at age 65 has accelerated to 2 years between 1930 and 1960 and then to 3 years between 1960 and 1999....
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Authors: Costa, Dora L.; Lahey, Joanna
Periodical (Full): Genus
Issue: 1
Volume: LXI
Pages: 125-161
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Aging and Retirement
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