An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ?

Lifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and Ageing

An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ? An Age of Centenarians ?

Lifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and AgeingLifelong Learning Policies and Ageing

bybybybybybybyby

Peter JarvisPeter JarvisPeter JarvisPeter JarvisPeter JarvisPeter JarvisPeter JarvisPeter Jarvis

Table 1 Life Expectancy (years) –

East and West

Year Japan Korea Macau

• 1960 67.7 54.2 58.6

• 2009 82.9 80.3 80.9

U K USA Germany

• 1960 69.5 71.1 69.8

• 2009 79.9 80.1 78.7(Data extracted from World Bank Statistics)

An Era of Centenarians?• With life expectancy being greater than 80 years in all the listed Eastern countries – although obviously not all the countries in the world - it is now being suggested that many children born at this time could live to be a hundred and with the way that Korea’s life expectancy is increasing, it is hardly surprising that some people expectancy is increasing, it is hardly surprising that some people there are talking about the age of centenarians, or as it has been called in the USA, the Age of Methuselah.

Centenarians• In the UK on Older People’s Day (1st October, 2011) it was estimated that there were at least 12,640 centenarians, and in the USA where there is now a National Centenarian Day (23rd September, 2011) it was estimated that there were at least 70,500 although was estimated that there were at least 70,500 although estimates vary but in 1950 there were probably only about 2,300.

Super-centenarians

The New England study which is now also looking at super-centenarians – that is people who have reached 110 –

• in 2010 in USA there were between 60 and 70

• in UK there were only 10.

Four Questions

• Why study centenarians?

• Can we achieve an age of centenarians?

• What policy issues does such an ageing society have to • What policy issues does such an ageing society have to

address?

• Finally, how does lifelong learning relate to these policy

issues?

Part 1

Why study centenarians?

Centenarians are different!• The New England study:

• 15% of their sample population had no clinical disease at 100 years old – they were the escapers,

• 43% were the delayers since they did not exhibit age-related illnesses until they reached 80 years of ageillnesses until they reached 80 years of age

• 42% were the survivors since they did have clinically related disease before that age (www.bumc.bu.edu/centenarian/overview)

Age and Happiness

The Georgia study suggested that centenarians are ‘community-dwelling, cognitively alert, and generally vibrant and full of life’ (www.publichealth.uga.edu/geron/)

It was this attitude as much as anything else that results in a long life -happiness lengthens life expectancy (Layard, 2005, pp.23-24),

The Georgia study also points out that by the age of 100 at least 50% have some form of dementia and, naturally, some 60-70% have some form of disability.

The Okinawa study

• The Okinawa study, however, found a much

lower rate of dementia than the Georgian one

(www.okicent.org/study.html)

• a stronger link between lifestyle/culture and

ageing.

Genetic inheritance• The Okinawa study which focused specifically on genes reached the conclusion that estimates vary between 10% and 50% that the cause of longevity is genetic

• The New England study also reaches a similar conclusion – only 20-30% attributable to the genes 20-30% attributable to the genes

• It is also recognised that women are more likely to become centenarians than men – as the Georgia study also shows.

Diet and Okinawa• Elderly Okinawans were found to have impressively young, clean arteries, low cholesterol, and low homocyseine (a amino acid that damages arterial walls) levels when compared to Westerners. These factors help reduce their risk for coronary heart disease by up to 80% and keep stroke levels low.

Their healthy arteries appear to be in large part due to their lifestyle, diet, regular exercise, moderate alcohol use, avoidance of smoking, and a stress-minimizing psycho-spiritual outlook. outlook.

(Okinawa study, p.3)

• In precisely the same way the Okinawans are less exposed to the potentiality of cancer since they have a low calorific intake (eating until they are only about 80% full!), high vegetable consumption, higher intake of good fats and high fibre diet

Diet• Olshansky et al (1990) have suggested that life expectancy in the West might decline over the next half century because of our diets and life-style. They cite specifically infectious diseases and obesity, both of which have risen in recent years – although medical advances have risen in recent years – although medical advances will allow for a slow rise in life expectancy in the first part of this century.

Life style and Ageing• Life-style is as significant genetics.

• This assertion is supported by a study of Seventh Day Adventists at Loma Linda University in the USA where it was discovered that, as a group, their life expectancy was 88 years for men and 89 for women. This was attributed to life-style: vegetarian, no smoking, they exercise regularly and spend a lot of time with their family and their religion.

• While this study clearly demonstrates that Americans have the genetic make-up • While this study clearly demonstrates that Americans have the genetic make-up to live to their mid/late 80s, it is to be noted that those with a less rigorous life-style tend to die 8-10 years earlier

Successful Ageing• Swindell (2009), for instance, cites the MacArthur Foundation Study for successful ageing which points to: low risk of disease, high mental and physical function and an active engagement with life.

• Swindell suggests that these three components result in five-fold model of successful ageing:

• to be concerned about diet/health – low risk of disease;• to be concerned about diet/health – low risk of disease;

• to be involved in mental activity;

• to be involved in physical activity;

• to do interesting things;

• to be involved with other people.

• But this is not the whole story!But this is not the whole story!But this is not the whole story!But this is not the whole story!

Part 2

Can we achieve an Age of Centenarians?

The HopeAny society could do it is the claim made by some who have studied Okinawa, such as Craig Wilcox (Wiseman (2002). Indeed, there is a famous saying carved into a rock in Okinawa:

• At 70 you are still a child, at 80 a young man or woman. And if at • At 70 you are still a child, at 80 a young man or woman. And if at 90 someone from Heaven invites you over, tell him: ‘Just go away, and come back when I am a hundred’

The Reality• But by 2005 changes were taking place amongst the Okinawans –some 100,000 emigrated to Brazil and they immediately assumed a Brazilian diet and the life expectancy of these Okinawans is now 17 years lower than that previously in Okinawa –

• but things are also changing in Okinawa too: the younger • but things are also changing in Okinawa too: the younger generation have discovered fast food and men under 50 in Okinawa now have Japan’s highest rates of obesity, heart disease and premature death (Wiseman, 2008 [2002]).

Medical ResearchSuccessful ageing is now being assisted by medical advances, although we cannot always predict when scientific discoveries will take place or precisely what effect they will have. Medical advances in many disciplines but especially in molecular biology may affect both the nature and the nurture aspects of living since they can both influence the genetic aspects of our lives and treat they can both influence the genetic aspects of our lives and treat physical and even psychological illnesses. These advances are affecting our mortality rates and enabling us to live longer despite our bad life-styles.

Medical ResearchWe may see life expectancy enhanced considerably and

the age of centenarians may still dawn. Indeed, it is

predicted that with the biomedical revolution could have

important demographic implications with life expectancy important demographic implications with life expectancy

is gradually increasing towards the century, and even

beyond it

Part 3

Ageing and Social Policy

Ageing and Social Policy• The ageing society is already having effect both on government policy but also on our own life styles and in the United Kingdom the Centre for Policy on Ageing pointed out that in the Queen’s Speech of 25th May 2010 there were five Parliamentary Bills that impinged on the lives of older people:

• Health Bill;

• Pensions and Savings Bill;• Pensions and Savings Bill;

• Energy Bill;

• Welfare Reform Bill;

• Decentralisation and Localisation Bill.

The People’s Response• But awareness of the coming difficulties, partly but by no means entirely created by this age of austerity, means that governments are trying to extend working life and lower pension and other welfare benefits.

• In response we are also seeing the working people demonstrating, striking, and so on because they are both being expected to work longer and to get lower pensions.

• Even if we leave aside the current age of austerity for the moment, we can see • Even if we leave aside the current age of austerity for the moment, we can see that longevity confronts us with some major questions that underlie civil unrest and social instability

Questions

• Can we afford to have an age of centenarians?

• How can we cope with this increasing problem? • How can we cope with this increasing problem?

• Should we be trying to cope with it?

Problems and Dilemmas• Aaron and Schwartz, however, point out that increasing longevity will generate economic problems and ethical dilemmas. They write (2003, p.4)

• Current population aging is already likely to lower both saving and investment in high income countries and to increase the saving in middle-income and poor nations, pushing foreign trade balances of rich nations into deficit and those of the rest of the world into surplus. A 2-percent-a year reduction in mortality rates nations, pushing foreign trade balances of rich nations into deficit and those of the rest of the world into surplus. A 2-percent-a year reduction in mortality rates would intensify these effects. Saving would decline sharply, investment somewhat less. With mortality falling fastest in nations that can afford medical innovation, trade deficits are especially likely for the rich nations.

Ethical ProblemsSince bio-medical advances will continue to enable the life-span to be lengthened through more efficient medication and through genetic engineering. This will give rise to numerous questions about the very nature of our humanity. Indeed, some prominent thinkers are already asking whether life extension is a legitimate goal for scientific research at all: they argue that a ‘quest for superhuman intelligence, looks, or longevity is quite literally inhuman’ (Aaron and Schwartz, 2003, p.5). They say that we should acknowledge our humanity which demands 2003, p.5). They say that we should acknowledge our humanity which demands recognition of our finitude rather than endlessly chasing longevity which may not actually result in a richer world or the discovery of the good life.

It’s Happening

• ‘Don’t give out cancer drugs if it’s just to extend • ‘Don’t give out cancer drugs if it’s just to extend

life’• (Borland - Daily Mail – front page headline)

The Debate• The reasons underlying this headline had both of an economic and an ethical dimension – the drugs are extremely expensive and the money could be better spent elsewhere, and often the drugs give patients false hopes.

• An immediate response to this argument, however, is that it is wrong to write-off cancer patients some of whom survive for a wrong to write-off cancer patients some of whom survive for a number of years as a result of their medication. Fundamentally, they argue, the patients must be given the opportunity to extend their lives at whatever cost

Part 4

Framing Lifelong Learning Policy

in an Age of Centenarians

Society’s Pre-requisitesThe future is uncertain and each society needs to frame its own policies in order to sustain its survival and stability in the light of an ageing population.

Each society must:

• be able to support itself in a competitive world – production - work;

• have structure and just laws – citizenship;

• have an established social and educational system - culture;• have an established social and educational system - culture;

• be concerned for its people – welfare and individual fulfilment;

• be concerned for its environment- ecology.

Lifelong Learning• The combination of processes throughout a lifetime whereby the whole person – body (genetic, physical and biological) and mind (knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, emotions, meaning, beliefs and senses) – experiences social situations, the content of which is then transformed cognitively, emotively or practically (or through any combination) and integrated into the individual person’s any combination) and integrated into the individual person’s biography resulting in a continually changing (or more experienced) person.

• (Jarvis, 2009, p.35)

The Learning Society• Through this multitude of learning processes – not all requiring teaching - we learn throughout life and in every case which we are discussing people need to understand the situation and the national response to it.

• Indeed, they need to play their part both in framing the response and also in implementing it – it is a matter of knowing and doing – knowing ‘why’ and responding ‘how’ to the situation.

• Significantly, much of this debate should occur publicly during the whole of • Significantly, much of this debate should occur publicly during the whole of people’s lives rather than at the end – it really should be lifelong education!

Societies must be able to support themselves in a competitive

world - work:

• That older people will need to contribute to society to enable it to support itself is perhaps a truism – but it is still newspaper headlines, so that The Daily Mail (again) (2011) could carry a headline commenting on a report by the accountants Pricewaterhouse Coopers that read:

• ‘Young people starting their first job will not qualify

• for a state pension until they are 72’.

• The working life will need to be extended to at least 50 years and maybe longer if society will be able to support itself and people will need to understand the reasons for an extended working life –another challenge for lifelong learning.

Is retirement an obsolete concept ?Is retirement an obsolete concept ?Is retirement an obsolete concept ?Is retirement an obsolete concept ?

Lifelong Learning for an Older

Workforce• For however long older people stay in the work force, there needs to be policies that enable them to:

• keep abreast with the knowledge and skills required to continue to practise their current occupation;

• learn new knowledge and new skills and enter a new occupation – including older persons’ apprenticeships;older persons’ apprenticeships;

• volunteer and work in new or different social activities;

• gain advice about how they can continue to contribute to the maintenance of society through active work;

• retain a sense of dignity and identity in the world of work.

Elders and Mentorig

• Organisations might continue to develop the use of older workers as mentors – even mentors of managers, as a number of companies are doing

• Training for elder mentors might also become an active policy initiative.

The Learning Organisation• But younger people, especially managers, need to be

trained to recognise both the competencies and the needs

of older workers

• Work organisations may have to adapt some of their • Work organisations may have to adapt some of their

practices in order to facilitate the use of older persons’

knowledge and expertise

Societies must have structure and just laws –

citizenship

• It is the right of every citizen to work to create a better society, to ensure that its laws and practices are relevant and just, so that all members may realise their humanity and live together in peace – even those who are extremely old and frail.

• Whilst active citizenship itself cannot be taught, older adults can be empowered and be encouraged to play a more active role in citizenship issues.

• Opportunities for all people to exercise their citizenship rights should be established – including their rights to live or die.

• Opportunities for all people to exercise their citizenship rights should be established – including their rights to live or die.

Societies must have an established social and

educational system – culture• Two forms of education – the formal and the non-formal.

• The formal education system is usually the preserve of younger people, it should always remain flexible enough for older people to participate and achieve within it.

• The non-formal education, which traditionally has lower status and is more poorly funded, might be regarded as the preserve of older people. However, in a society of elderly people non-formal education needs adequate funding – both in its face-to-face and distance forms. Institutions like the University of the Third Age, University of the Fourth Age, the Elder Hostel Network and the Men’s Sheds movement all need to be established and supported so that the old and the very old might participate.

• Many of these face-to-face institutions provide not only opportunities to learn, but opportunities to form social networks in later life and such networks, even electronic ones, were also found to be conducive to health and well-being.

• Elders might also be encouraged to undertake their own research through these organisations since they understand the experience of being old better than any younger researchers.

Societies must be concerned for their people – welfare and

individual fulfilment:

• Naturally there comes a time when elders do not want to play such active roles, or they are prevented from so doing by ill-health. As we pointed out earlier in this paper the Georgia study showed that by the age of 100 at least 50% have some form of dementia and, naturally, some 60-70% have some other form of disability: in such vulnerable times, societies need to provide the necessary welfare support and still provide opportunities forself-fulfilment. The concern for the Other is the beginning of all morality and for society to survive it must be based upon a responsible caring morality. Institutions like the University of the Fourth Age and other non-formal learning institutions, such as mobile University of the Fourth Age and other non-formal learning institutions, such as mobile libraries, might play a very significant role in helping older people to continue to learn as they lose their physical mobility.

• Consequently, the provision of personal computing and other facilities for social interaction for the very old are important in order to facilitate continuing personal learning.

Inter-Generational Learning• However, this learning need not be only individualistic

since older people can learn with younger members of

their families and friendship groups: inter-generational

learning should be encouraged and in some of these learning should be encouraged and in some of these

situations the elders can become the teachers and in

others they can be the learners.

Training for Carers• Nurses and care workers need special training in working with the very old and this needs to become a priority in their professional development so that they learn to move beyond the medical model of caring to a broader personal one in which both the humanity and the wholeness of the person, including their spirituality, is recognised and appreciated.

• Carers need to understand the significance of learning and remembering in all life situations, so that it should always be regarded as a part of care and therapy life situations, so that it should always be regarded as a part of care and therapy

• However, it is not only caring but counselling the elderly that is imperative, especially in times of life and death, so that this demands an expansion of professional counselling training.

Conclusion• The potentiality of an age of centenarians raises vast questions for both social policy and educational gerontology. Most of our studies of the elderly are really about third age people but in a recent report in the UK (Schuller and Watson, 2009) the life span was divided (Schuller and Watson, 2009) the life span was divided equally into four quarter century divisions – the fourth stage is about those elders who are 75+.

Conclusion• The fact that life expectancy is now lengthening to a historically unprecedented extent, generating new learning needs. The increasing size of this age group poses specific challenges to the goals and meaning of lifelong learning policy and practice. On balance, we argue that identifying 75+ as a stage in the broad balance, we argue that identifying 75+ as a stage in the broad sense we have adopted opens up positive opportunities for innovation, and meaningful learning.

• (Schuller and Watson, 2009,p.99)

Conclusion• The opportunities are there but the situation is complex

and not easy to unravel – but every facet of society is

being or going to be affected by these changes since this

stage is the fastest growing of them all. The age of ageing stage is the fastest growing of them all. The age of ageing

is a challenging time which demands new educational

policies and new practices.

Thank youThank you