Description: We ask whether we can find support for the previously reported upper limit of the force of mortality of 0.7, i.e. about the probability of tossing a fair coin.

Description: Transcript of the Q&A period from session 3B. Session focused on Women's longevity issues and Chronic Disability Measurement and cost.

Description: Presented at the Living to 100 Symposium, January 2011. This paper examines the relationship between the earliest stages of dementia—mild cognitive impairment—and mortality. Using data from long-term care insurance applicants, and linking this to the Social Security Master Death File, the authors focus on the classification results of two cognitive screens used at various times in the underwriting process. Applying the Cox Proportional Hazards Model as well as relative mortality ratio analysis, the authors show that the proportion of individuals classified as cognitively impaired have significantly higher relative mortality compared to those classified as cognitively intact.

Description: This paper provides some background about demography, health and retirement summarizes how current pension laws influence the design of pension plans and the timing of retirement and looks at the optimal retirement age from the perspective of employers, government and workers.

Description: Elderly women living alone experience some of the highest poverty rates in the United States. One reason for their financial frailty is that they face more longevity risk than men. Existing financial products that can mitigate this risk are not attractive to many people. Can alternative vehicles for pooling longevity risk be developed outside the insurance market that would appeal to these individuals? This paper suggests some risk-pooling approaches and compares their effectiveness and viability.

Description: Discussion of papers presented at Living to 100 and Beyond symposium. Papers discussed: 'Dealing with Problems in Data Quality for the Measurement of Mortality at Advanced Ages' in Canada by Bourbeau and Desjardins, 'Mortality at Advanced Ages in Spain' by Felipe and Anguera, and 'Emergence of Supercentenarians in Low Mortality Countries' by Robine and Vaupei. These papers all deal with centenarians.

Description: This paper deals with the level and age trajectory of mortality at advanced ages in Canada, based on population data.

Description: Presented at Living to 100 symposium, January 2011. This paper investigates dynamic properties of age trajectories of physiological indices and their effects on mortality risk and longevity using longitudinal data on more than 5,000 individuals collected in biannual examinations of the Framingham Heart Study original age group during about 50 subsequent years of follow up.

Description: Paper examines the rapid growth of the elderly population in India, as well as problems and challenges related to this growth, some universal, and some unique to India. From 2005 Living to 100 and Beyond Monograph, M-LI05-1.

Description: Analyse the increase in the number of centenarians in Quebec (Canada) across birth cohorts (1871 to 1901). Outline some of the demographic mechanisms involved.