More men than women survive to old age. Death from stroke and heart disease are declining. Older people on the average take more medications than younger people. Snake oil salesmen are as common today as they were on the frontier. Personality changes with age, just like hair color and skin texture.
Sight declines with age.
Even among those who live to be 80 or older, only 20-25 percent develop Alzheimer's disease or some other incurable form of brain disease. Fortunately, depression is treatable. By the year 2030, one in five people will be over 65 years of age. Mental confusion and serious forgetfulness in old age can be caused by Alzheimer's disease or other conditions which cause incurable damage to the brain, but some 100 other problems can cause the same symptoms. A minor head injury, a high fever, poor nutrition, adverse drug reactions and depression can all be treated and the confusion will be cured.