The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reports the five major causes of death in the United States during 1900, 1950, and 2000.10 As you’ll see in the chart below, mortality causes and critical public health concerns evolve over the century.
People born today will have a longer life expectancy than that of their parents, and that trend could further increase as time passes. It is quite possible that as Americans, we could top the century mark for life expectancy for all men, women, and every heritage that calls the U.S. home. That means we must look to the future to make sure we have the resources in place to meet our needs as we age. As you create your personalized life plan, consider the following factors and how they will affect the later years of your life:
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