The 100-year life is here. How can we meet the challenges of longevity? An expert explains

The 100-year life is here. How can we meet the challenges of longevity? An expert explains

Reductions in infant mortality, advances in sanitation and medicine, public education, and rising standards of living have brought forth a new era of longevity.

Our social institutions, economic policies, and social norms haven’t evolved to keep up with these rapid changes.

Martha Deevy explains why we need to start redesigning institutions, practices, and norms to align with today’s reality of a 100-year lifespan.



We often conflate ageing society narratives with a crisis scenario – an economy engulfed by a “grey tsunami”. The insolvency of social security and pension funds that may dry up before lives end, are some of the fears propagated by some. These static views live on the outdated assumption that older adults drag down economic productivity and drain societal resources.

We can challenge this notion by adopting a forward-looking longevity perspective on the economic potential of an age-diverse population. This may be one where we see that older adults can contribute in more meaningful, significant, and measurable ways to social good and economic progress. By laying the groundwork for a society that is healthier and more equitable, we can share in the diversity of opportunities presented by healthy longevity across races, geographic regions, and