LOOKING towards the future, I imagine how it would be to live with the multitude who by then be 120 years or older. I think about the ideal elder adult, possessing a high cultural level, physically and mentally fit, living together with people from other generations who treat him or her as another member of society, and who take advantage of the older person’s experience. In short, an ideal world, though possible. We’re optimists.

As if by magic, we come back to today’s reality, but not without first traveling back in time to 400 years ago, to read what a bohemian and passionately outlandish writer – who is called, because he is among those who never die, William Shakespeare – wrote: "Crabbed age and youth can not live together/ youth is full of pleasance, age is full of care..."

That is his judgement based on what was happening in the society reflected in his work, which becomes more controversial the more society advances. Four centuries later, there are elderly people who agree with him and believe that youth and old age are incompatible. No doubt there are younger people who share that sentiment. There are reasons for that and a lack of reasons.

It is true that there is a part of the aging population that does not always feel comfortable with the rhythm of modern life. Especially when it comes to the force with which the new technologies in communication, business, medicine, science and even fashion are transforming our daily lives on an ample scale.

This situation is aggravated within capitalist societies where modern culture tends to marginalize many of its older members as far as jobs, medical attention, opportunities and respect are concerned.

Nevertheless, there are also indications that the generations will come together, in part because of a new understanding born of necessity, and in part because of a change in the balance of power of groups of older people. Those in government and who make policy in various countries are beginning to recognize the problems of aging, the inequalities that occur and the need to achieve improvement through action.

Meanwhile, others anticipate changes in the centuries-old, deep-seated concepts that fundamentally see aging as a time when abilities are lost and the pension is won, and not as a time of life which we should pass through in the best physical and mental condition possible.

Perhaps it would help relations between the young and the elderly if the latter can retain talents, skills and values that they could share with those who are younger (the objective of the 120 Years’ Club), who in turn could do away with intolerance based on generational differences. We should not overlook the fact that the world population is growing. We now number more than six billion people on the planet, and within 50 years, it will be 10 billion, according to estimates. There will be millions of 100-plus-year-olds, who will change the very composition of the family, since it will then contain a number of generations with the possibility of living better.

The number of retirees will grow, but so will the number of those who, on reaching 80, continue their job activity with a clear mind and are physically competent. These perspectives force the contemplation of future decisions with respect to unemployment and social service policy. Events which today are surprising will become normal in the future. We could take the example of a retirees’ political party winning seats in parliament – as happened in the Netherlands.

It has been publicly stated that longevity does not have a specific definition, although the dictionary defines it as simply "living longer." In the past, some people lived for a long time – and often were greatly revered for having achieved that – although life expectancy in general was low. Longevity now means that many more citizens can expect to live longer; living to be more than 100 will become more and more common. At the same time, the main characteristic that defines this more common longevity is that it is also combined with a good, healthy and active old age.

The World Health Organization reminds us: Add life to the years, not years to life.

Few in the future will not be truly informed of the efforts made towards longevity since the beginning of the 20th century, when life expectancy at birth was 42 years. The evidence of this greater longevity is already everywhere: within multi-generational families, in which grandparents are more common, and in city, town and country, where legions of older people are living active lives, making better use of their time in many ways.

Their ancestors never would have imagined it.