Gail's Blog

Living to 150 years of Age–Prudential’s Ad Campaign

Yesterday, I was driving on the 405 freeway in Los Angeles and I saw the billboard from Prudential Insurance

Preparing to be 150 years of age.

Preparing to be 150 years of age.

Company.  The headline reads “The First to Live to 150 is alive today”.   I wrote about this person over a year ago.  Scientists proclaim that there is one or more humans alive today that will live to that age.  Prudential’s tag line with the ad says “Let’s Get Ready for a Longer Retirement”.

Yes, they want you to think that if you don’t plan early, your retirement income will run out prior to your death.  This is all based on the retirement age of 65.  Now really consider these numbers.  If you retire at 65 and live to age 150, you would have 85 years of retirement.  The whole thinking by Prudential and the American psyche is that you are to retire..  If anything, by living longer, you will begin to think of a longer working life, a more productive life, a healthier life and retirement deep into your 100’s if at all.

By sticking with the artificial, man-made time frame of retirement at 65 or 55 and even 50 years in certain government positions, we set up an artificial schedule for humans.  We are led to believe that our most productive years are behind us.  Nothing can be further from the truth.  The Soul never came here to retire.  That is why it is imperative that we ignore billboards such as Prudential’s implication of 85 years of retirement planning.

Our entire idea of retirement and retirement funds is being turned on its head.  More people are terrified their money will run out, they will be too ill to work and or they will not have enough money to retire.  With Social Security and Medicare being examined for potential contraction and pension funds not being fully funded, the scene is being set for a later age of retirement and the final segment of no retirement.  We cannot fathom this at all.  Nor can we imagine we can live to be 150.  Yet, today more people are working in their 80’s and that was unheard of back in the 1930’s when Social Security began.  Life expectancy at that time was only a few years past age 65.

Expectancy of retirement is part of a fading system as is a fully funded pension paid by your employer.  Each of us will experience various cycles of productivity in our lives.  We need to get prepared for various careers and educational skills.  Along with this type of preparation, we will need to better care for our physical bodies and stop relying on drugs and doctors to take care of us.  They “system” is being set up for intelligent nutritional habits, having various plans for different careers and full engagement in life.  The upcoming medical breakthroughs will support us but it also requires that we create healthy habits.

Along with healthy nutritional habits, career choices for 100 years or more (how about slowing down at 120 years), you will need emotional support and a good network of friends and family.  As we become more and more aware of the emotional component of diseases, we will begin to take care of our emotional needs.  There are anecdotal stories of people being diagnosed with cancer within approximately  18 months after a big emotional event.  We know that toxic emotional environments discourage healing and can accelerate the diagnosis for disease.

So, yes, I do believe we are moving to live to 150 years of age.  Science and Technology will support us with artificial body parts, including eyesight.  Our job will be self-care so we don’t self-sabotage.  So, three cheers for your 149th birthday (buy stock now in Hallmark Greeting and American Greeting cards).  Whatever you do, forget retirement.  Get back in whatever game you want to play, stay relevant and stop scaring yourself.


3 responses to “Living to 150 years of Age–Prudential’s Ad Campaign”

  1. gail says:

    Thank you Teresa,
    Importance is relevancy. We need to stay relevant and maintain the body or we will not be able to stay. Keep thinking of the body as a fine race horse or racing car. It needs the finest treatment, foods, servicing and not ridden to exhaustion. Rest, pacing, proper foods and forward thinking. Ego aside. The body’s own decision to stay or leave will be dependent on how we respect it.

  2. Teresa says:

    Living to 150 years has become realistic. If we assume we will live so long then we must begin to care for our health. Individually, this can be very empowering. Start now to strength train and eat properly and monitor emotional health and well being. Assume you need to make this body last 150 years and then take the steps daily to make it real. How many things can you, should you, change to make your body last so long? Do it. Do it now. What do you have to lose? Start thinking health and longevity, not the opposite. You can do this: One choice at a time.

  3. The problem is quality of life. But I like the idea.

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