[jameslindsay]

On the BBC News website;

Centenarians with the bodies of 50-year-olds will one day be a realistic possibility, say scientists.

Half of babies now born in the UK will reach 100, thanks to higher living standards, but our bodies are wearing out at the same rate.

To achieve "50 active years after 50", experts at Leeds University are spending £50m over five years looking at innovative solutions.

They plan to provide pensioners with own-grown tissues and durable implants.

New hips, knees and heart valves are the starting points, but eventually they envisage most of the body parts that flounder with age could be upgraded.

On first reading you think, great but then you realise to be 100 years old and have a much younger physique you would need all these quite major operations throughout your life, is it worth it all?

[gavo]

Yeah but don't forget many have many of these things done now and don't get anywhere near 100. So will it really make any difference.

[r+lchick]

I forget which religion it is, possibly Buddist, but they believe when you are born you are given so many heart beats and when your heart reaches its limit, that is it.  No matter how much interference, when your heart reaches its quota that is it.  Anyway it is only the governments way of getting more taxes out of you.  If everyone lives to be 100 you will be able to work until you are 80??!!  Now that I am thoroughly depressed, I will slash my wrists or get back to work.   

[jameslindsay]

If everyone lives to be 100 you will be able to work until you are 80??!! 


Is this not the plan anyway from the Labour and Conservative Party's?

[Hardfeather]

when you are born you are given so many heart beats and when your heart reaches its limit, that is it. 

I have that theory about words.....................but my wife doesn't buy it.

[sellickbhoy]

i want to live for as long as i'm fit, healthy and have all my marbles (though there is a good chance some of those marbles are already long gone!!)

though i quite fancy a few years of giving young uns a hard time - rattling on about national service, rations and having respect for their elders!! hell, i had to put up with it, so will the future generations

[HappyHippy]

No, I wouldn't want to live to be 100 !
I think because my folks had the elderly care home, I grew up seeing many more old folk than most  
I don't want to get to the stage where I need to be cared for. If I was of sound mind, it would depress me and get me down. If I had dementia or alzheimer's I wouldn't mind a bit, but having seen how difficult it is for families of people with these conditions I wouldn't want mine to have to go through it.
Three score years and 10 will do me fine thanks  

[r+lchick]

I wouldn't mind being one of those old ladies with all the time in the world and goes to the bank or post office between 12 and 2..... and then keep the attendant chatting about nothing.!!!!

[RUSTYME]

well isn't that just typical ...?  I am a 50 year old (52 actually) with the body of a 100 year old...I always get things arse about face.....
The other day I was reading about poor Maggie Jones (Blanche Hunt off of Corrie), it read Maggie Jones 111 , in hospital . I thought , "Jesus, she is good for her age . You think they would have mentioned somewhere about how well she was doing acting at THAT age ??" , but then after going off on a total wobbly , I read it again ....it read : " Maggie Jones ill in hospital !!" .. mmmmm oh well , what a div ? got it arse about face again .
 I blame it on 100 year old eyes now.  Like I say typical , the world starts to fall apart and go tits upwards , and my body does the same , bits dropping off here and there ...others not working ... by the time I reach 100 there won't be anything left to repair or replace !!!
 Wish they would start cloning people ...I could get a new body started now ... mind you , I might need a couple, just in case !!! 

cheers

Russ

[Snoopy]

well isn't that just typical ...?  I am a 50 year old (52 actually) with the body of a 100 year old...I always get things arse about
Russ

You're not on your own there Russ - Just got back from physio-therapy and feel about 100 too 

Julie 

[marigold]

I'm figuring on OH living until he's 100 so i'd better go at 92 to keep him company.
I know it sounds really soft but I don't know how i would survive after losing him. Its a horrid thought.
So as i'm 46 now I'm half way there and if the next 46 years are half as interesting as the first I'm a lucky woman.
Anyway our society has a rubbish attitude towards old people. Whatever happened to the village elders?

[RUSTYME]

Whatever happened to the village elders?

yes ... they had so much wisdom ...a fantastic sence of dress .  and I really loved some of the songs too .......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2k

cheers

Russ

[JD]

When my children were growing up I always thought if I lived to see them reach adulthood and settled then I would be more than satisfied. That has happened but now I have a grandchild I want more time. Just being greedy I suppose but I agree with HappyHippy re dementia having witnessed my mother suffer for 5 years before succumbing to that awful illness.
JD

[marigold]

 

[MiriMaran]

I have always looked forward to being a gran much more than being a Mum - you get all the good and very little of the bad.

Everyone on my fathers side of the family are long lived - Grandfather died aged 92 having fought in WWI & WWII.  All the women live to a good old age and then die suddenly of a stroke, which I think is an OK way to go.  I don't want to slowly go gaga and lose my dignity infornt of strangers.