Compression of Morbidity 1980–2011: A Focused Review of Paradigms and Progress

Figure 2

US expected age at death from birth and from age 65, 1950–2007. The lower line shows life expectancy from birth, rising 9.7 years over this period. The upper line takes life expectancy from age 65 and adds 65 years to represent the expected age at death for those who have already survived to age 65; it rises 4.7 years over this period. The lines, while convergent, cannot actually meet unless there are no deaths before age 65. The lines cannot cross; hence the theoretical point of convergent is sometimes termed the “Point of Paradox”.