[msabalau]

Generally speaking, we are actually reducing the amount of time people spend suffering, while at the same time extending peoples lives. From the 2013 NBER working paper "Evidence for Significant Compression of Morbidity In the Elderly U.S. Population":

"For a typical person aged 65, life expectancy increased by 0.7 years between 1992 and 2005. Disability-free life expectancy increased by 1.6 years; disabled life expectancy fell by 0.9 years.

"The reduction in disabled life expectancy and increase in disability-free life expectancy is true for both genders and for non-whites as well as whites. Hence, morbidity is being compressed into the period just before death."

And, given that part of the low quality of life at end of life comes from two thirds of people not thinking through and documenting their wishes for care, one can improve one's personal odds by creating and advanced health care directive. And of course, many of the things that we dislike about old age result from chronic conditions that can be addressed through good nutrition and exercise.

So, good news, end of life isn't as bad as you fear!

[JoeAltmaier]

Still, my 90-year-old friend Betty used to say "Old age is not for the timid"