Life expectancy is the average number of years remaining for a living being (or the average for a class of living beings) of a given age to live. Life expectancy is also called average life span or mean life span, in distinction to maximum life span. Life expectancy should not be confused with median survival time (the time at which 50% of a cohort will have died).

Although it is common usage to talk about life expectancy of any living being ranging from trees, insects, dogs, stroke victims, to mine workers, this article focuses on human life expectancy in general, that is, the aging and longevity profile of the human species.

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Research on Aging current issue

The Social Foundation of Religious Meaning in Life
Krause, N. Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0000
The purpose of this study was to see whether informal social support from fellow church members sustains an older person's sense of religious meaning in life over time. Two types of church-based social support were evaluated: spiritual support and emotional support. Data from a nationwide longitudinal survey of older adults suggested that both emotional and spiritual support tend to sustain a sense of religious meaning in life, but of the two, spiritual support appeared to exert the greatest effect. The findings further revealed that older African Americans are more likely than older European Americans to derive a sense of meaning in life through religion. This race difference is largely explained by the fact that older African Americans tend to receive more church-based social support than older European Americans.
Planning for End-of-Life Care: Black-White Differences in the Completion of Advance Directives
Gerst, K., Burr, J. A. Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0000
The authors examined Black-White differences in the likelihood of completing written advance directives for end-of-life health care and engaging in informal verbal communication about advanced wishes. Data from the 1998 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) were combined with data from the 2000 HRS exit interview to analyze Black and White participants' completion rates. Whites were more likely than Blacks to grant durable power of attorney for health care, to complete a written will, and to informally communicate their wishes; group differences remained after controlling for personal characteristics. Also, Blacks were less likely than Whites to engage in more than one form of end-of-life planning. The authors speculate that sociocultural differences in trust in the medical system and knowledge about advance directives may partially account for these findings. The findings may aid policy makers and practitioners in increasing the level of participation in advance directives.
Assessing Experts' Views of the Future of Long-Term Care
Miller, E. A., Booth, M., Mor, V. Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Consensus is growing that long-term care delivery, regulation, and financing are no longer viable, a concern that will grow more salient as the population ages. To better understand these prevailing challenges, the authors interviewed experts regarding the current state of long-term care in the United States, the attributes of an ideal long-term care system, and potential areas for reform. The findings highlight the problem of maintaining an adequate workforce despite changing demographics. They also identify commonly agreed upon attributes of an ideal system—person centered, professionally rewarding, integrated, affordable, accountable, community based, and consumer directed—in addition to less commonly identified attributes—supportive, comprehensive, dignified, culturally appropriate, innovative, responsible, and safe and secure. Areas for reform include workforce recruitment and retention, financing and insurance, quality improvement and regulation, health information technology, and organizational change and innovation. The challenges facing long-term care must be addressed by both government and private citizens alike if long-term care recipients' lives are to improve and the increased demand for services is to be met.

Harvard Medical Research: Aging

Modifiable Factors Associated With Long Life
Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:00:01 -0500
A healthy lifestyle during the early elderly years—including weight management, exercising regularly and not smoking—may be associated with a greater probability of living to age 90 in men, as well as good health and physical function. Additional topics at Aging More consumer-oriented research news at Consumer information
Coverage Improves Health and Reduces Heart Complications
Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:41:02 -0500
A 12-year study of over 7,000 Americans shows that individuals without health insurance experience a dramatic improvement in their subsequent health trends when they become eligible for Medicare at age 65. Additional topics at Aging More consumer-oriented research news at Consumer information

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