Welcome to\u00a0Stomping Ground<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 a space where Stompers share reflections, personal essays and social commentaries that spark conversation and insight.<\/strong><\/p>\n A 70-year-old Stomper says he has no desire to live beyond 100 years old<\/a>, despite suggestions that lifespans could continue increasing in the future.<\/p>\n Writing in response to a Straits Times commentary<\/a> about preparing for a future where living to 120 could become commonplace, Stomper Francis <\/strong>questioned whether a longer life is necessarily a better one.<\/p>\n \u201cSeriously, would you want to live till 120?\u201d he asked, after reading the May 27 article.<\/p>\n The Stomper said that while medical advances may help people live longer, there are challenges that come with extreme longevity.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d outlive your children, probably your grandchildren. That\u2019s a grief most humans aren\u2019t built to carry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cYour body, no matter how well maintained, will have wear. Joints, eyes, ears \u2014 something will fail.\u201d<\/p>\n Singapore\u2019s overall life expectancy at birth<\/a> is 83.5 years, but Francis believes the focus should not be on lifespan alone.<\/p>\n \u201cThe real question isn\u2019t \u201880 or 120?\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s \u2018What kind of 80 or 120-year-old do I want to be?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n He added that simply extending life without improving health could mean spending more years coping with conditions such as dementia, arthritis or heart disease.<\/p>\n \u201cA longer life requires significantly more savings,\u201d he said, noting that outliving retirement funds or facing rising healthcare costs could place additional stress on older people.<\/p>\n Francis also reflected on his own ageing<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I consider how I was at 40, then 50, then 60 and 70, and compare it to what I may feel like at 75, I can very well project my condition when I reach 80, 85 and possibly 90 and above,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut now at 70, the projected runway is short.\u201d<\/p>\n The Stomper said he hopes to live long enough to enjoy life and remain healthy, but not indefinitely.<\/p>\n \u201cI have absolutely no desire to live past 100 or even reach 100,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope and pray I pass away painlessly and without any fuss, quietly in my sleep, and don\u2019t become a problem for my children and family.\u201d<\/p>\n For Francis, the issue is less about the number of years lived and more about the quality of those years.<\/p>\n \u201cFor everything and everyone, there is a season,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Have your say on Stomping Ground! Write to us at stomp@sph.com.sg or WhatsApp 9384 3761.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Have something to say? Join in!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Explore more on these topics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n See something interesting? Contribute<\/a> your story to us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFocusing on quality of life over lifespan<\/h2>\n
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