The following description of life expectancy change was sent to Nurturing Potential by one of its readers.  It incorporates a definition of the Third Age and, as we are lacking an appropriate article for this section of the current issue, we have included it here.  The provenance was not supplied and is not known to us, so we are unable to provide an acknowledgement.  If any reader recognises it, please let us know.

According to a 12-year study by Dr. William Sadler, we will live an average of thirty years longer than our forbears of 1900. He calls this our “30-year life bonus” and uses “The Third Age” to signify a new period of life not possible for previous generations.

1ST AGE = PREPARATION:  Our First Age prepares us for life. In the early years we develop skills we need to support our Second Age independence…

2ND AGE = ACHIEVEMENT:  In Second Age we earn a place in the adult world of responsibility. Our focus here is on security, belonging and status…

3RD AGE = FULFILLMENT:  Third Age begins as advancement becomes less important. Wisdom and self-awareness bring new ease with ourselves and others. Freed from the responsibilities of family and career, we can create our Third Age so it truly becomes “THE BEST IS YET TO BE!”

4TH AGE = COMPLETION:  This is a time to experience successful aging, the last stage of life on this plane. Growing to our full potential in Third Age prepares us for this completion.

You might like to contrast this with the different definitions of Third Age and its opportunities in the article by Sep Meyer in Issue No. 9 -  http://www.nurturingpotential.net/Issue9/Thirdage.htm