Description should include
- healthcare advances’ effects on human life expectancy
- effects of the extended human life expectancy on health care, including
- access to a higher quality of life for a larger percentage of the population
- increase in the number of productive years for a larger portion of the population, benefiting the individual and the greater economy
- prolonged less-than-quality life for persons with chronic conditions or diseases
- higher public and private costs for medical and related care, staffing, equipment, and facilities.
Process/Skill Questions:
- Why are humans living longer?
- How long do you expect to live? Why?
- What is meant by “quality of life”? How is quality of life affected by chronic diseases? How is quality of life affected by the aging process?
- How do personal lifestyle choices affect longevity?
- In the future, who will take care of people who can no longer take care of themselves? How will this be paid for?