Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamliner
This is very true. But the impression persists that we're only living longer because they've got us hooked up to life support machines.
Also, it is those same technologies that are enabling people in our peer countries to live longer.
Also, bear in mind that we're living long enough to contract more and more of the diseases that are associated with aging.
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That last line is KEY...
And it's not just the hooking up to machines that is getting better and getting us to live longer. Technology advances the long term treatments when they are needed. Not only do the treatments get better, they are also getting easier. More complicated plans are more likely to have patients stop/deviate from the treatment. Easier plans means following the plan better for longer periods of time, which lead to presumably longer life with the condition.
Detection technology is getting better, so we can find problems and address them earlier. With anything.. Early detection is KEY to effective treatment.